New Elastomer Grippers Could Transform The Handling Of Unpackaged Foods

By Melissa Lind, contributing writer

Development of hygienic, elastomer grippers for the handling of unpackaged food products is underway by The German Institute of Food Technologies in cooperation with the German Institute of Rubber Technology (DIK) and Fraunhofer IVV Dresden. The new technology is expected to make its debut in 2016 and improve automated food production.

Automated, food-handling systems for unpackaged food, such as poultry, certain fruits, candies, and other delicate or oddly shaped goods, has presented a challenge for the food industry. New technology being developed by the German Institute of Food Technologies (DIL) and the German Institute of Rubber Technology (DIK) uses elastomer grippers and aims to address some of those issues.

Part of the challenge of automated handling of sensitive foods is in the weight and shape of the food. Another challenge comes when considering the robustness of certain foods which can be easily damaged. Unpackaged foods require hygienic technology which allows for different shapes, weights, and physical properties of each food item. Many systems that have been developed, largely for packaged products, are unsuitable. Conventional grippers may handle unpackaged food products too roughly or cannot accommodate variations in size. Vacuum systems present other risks with regard to malleability or destruction of unpackaged items, such as filled candies. Not only may conventional systems be unsuitable due to the high-probability of product damage, they also prevent a higher risk of contamination of the system, leading to bacterial growth.

The new, elastomeric gripper technology uses bendable fingers covered with pliable rubber-type material to grip and transfer food products in a manner similar to a human hand. The gripper cover is impervious with no breaks in surface, making it easy to clean and maintain. The gripper units can be made in a variety of sizes, but can also automatically adjust based on simple pressure measurements to accommodate different shapes, even when variations exist within the same lot, as in the case of chocolate-covered strawberries.

The project, entitled AiF project 404 ZBG has been funded by the German Federation of Industrial Research Associations through the German Ministry of Economics and Energy. Project representatives are currently in discussions with commercial manufacturing organizations and hope to have the technology available for use in the food industry sometime next year.