North American dairy welcomes first stainless-steel robot
Kuka KR 15 SL from Kuka Robotics Corp. is reportedly the first stainless-steel robot to be installed in North America. The device is being used in a dairy case packing process at Dean Foods.
Clinton Township, MI —A stainless-steel robot from Kuka Robotics Corp . is said to be the first of its kind to operate in North America. Forte Automation Systems , a Kuka systems partner, installed the Kuka Model KR 15 SL device into Dean Foods ’ dairy product manufacturing facility. The robot is being used in a dairy case packing process.The robots are already working in many applications and industries in Europe, and Kuka can now offer the option in North America as well, said Joe Campbell, director of strategic alliances for the company, noting that the stainless steel material is well suited for food manufacturing requirements.Kuka KR 15 SL is a six-axis articulated device with jointed arm kinematics for all point-to-point and continuous path controlled tasks. It is highly resistant to vibration and has an IP67 rating to withstand wash down requirements. Its primary area of application is the transportation, handling, and processing of foodstuffs in environments of increased humidity; the robot can be installed on the floor or ceiling.Forte Automation Systems is a system integrator specializing in integrating robotic solutions in the food and beverage industry. Kuka manufactures industrial robots for a diverse range of industries including automotive, aerospace, food, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and packaging.To find system integrators with expertise in robotics and food and beverage, including experience with certain manufacturers, search online in Control Engineering ’s Automation Integrator Guide .
— Control Engineering Daily News DeskJeanine Katzel, senior editor, jkatzel@reedbusiness.com
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