published on 15/07/08
Speeding up production is not something commonly associated with cheese manufacture – its very nature means it should take time to mature for ultimate flavour. So whets going on here then?
When production output is 350,000t per year, maximising the efficiency of packaging becomes a core issue. This is the case for Friesland Foods Cheese, one of Holland’s established cheese producers.
KH de Jong, part of Friesland Foods Cheese, and one of four Friesland packaging facilities in Holland, uses FANUC robots on three packaging lines. More than 350t of Edam, a traditional ball-shaped cheese produced in three sizes of 1.9kg, 1.7kg or 0.9kg, is packaged per week.
Delivered to the facility on trays carried in transportation racks, the cheese are allowed to mature before the packaging process begins. When cheeses have reached the specified maturing stage the rack is delivered to a buffer area at the start of the packaging line.
A FANUC Robotics R-2000iB takes one full tray from the rack and places it onto a fixture where it then uses seven vacuum cups to locate a complete line of cheeses. The cheeses are accurately placed onto a conveyor with individual locations for each cheese. Empty trays are then returned to the rack and the process begins again.
This process relies on several intelligent features of the FANUC Robotics controller to ensure effective operation. Collision detection is important when removing the tray from the rack. As the racks are used to transport the cheeses from factory to factory they can get damaged and we need to detect any indication of a stuck tray “ says Christiaan Hallers, project manager, KH de Jong.
The line is said to have made a significant impact on productivity at KH de Jong and labour cost has been driven down. “We operate two shifts and labour cost savings equate to 500 hours per week, in addition productivity has increased by at least 10%” says Christiaan. The system has provided us with a maximum capacity 3,600 cheeses per hour per line. Handling the trays was a potential injury risk area as the metal trays can get damaged and arrive with sharp edges. Quality has improved and, as the cheese is no longer handled manually, hygiene is maintained.”
The implementation of robots into the KH de Jong facility has been well received by the workforce.

Read the full article at Food Processing