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In a new Business Intelligence Report from PMMI titled 2021 Beverage Trends Driving Change, beverage manufacturers discuss the operational challenges the industry faces to meet consumer demands, adapting to changes due to material supply shortages, and why IIOT (Industrial Internet of Things) automation and robotics implementations are advancing at record levels. The report covers a broad range of beverages, including water, juice, soft drinks, energy and sports drinks, coffee, tea, and new functional drinks (alcoholic and dairy drinks were excluded in all findings). Consumer demands are driving change in a variety of areas in the supply chain, and we give just a few highlights of the report below.

It’s no surprise that consumers are looking for sustainable packaging options and are willing to pay more for them. For beverage companies, this means less use of plastic and more use of recycled bottles and cans. The use of recycled material for bottles has its own packaging inconveniences and with aluminum shortages, the challenge of finding beverage cans can be significant on its own. Consumers are looking for healthier drink choices and functional beverages that have less sugar, contain clean ingredients, and have better nutritional information such as vitamins and minerals. For beverage producers, this may require a change in drink formulas and recipes and perhaps expanded SKUs. There is also an increased demand for convenient sizing, translating to a need for a variety of packaging sizes and equipment that can handle a range of product sizes. The COVID-19 pandemic put a greater focus on product safety and drastically increased e-commerce and direct-to-consumer orders.

This change in demand has forced companies to look inward for ways to innovate and stay ahead of the curve on taste preferences. From formulas and recipes down to packaging and shipping- one decision can have an impact all along the supply chain. To keep up with demand, beverage manufacturers are relying heavily on automation technology as well as digitization techniques that allow them to streamline operations while also improving overall equipment effectiveness.

All these changes have greatly affected the packaging line. Companies in the market for new or upgraded equipment are looking for machines that meet crucial criteria. For example, equipment needs to be flexible. If a beverage company has a large number of SKUs and products packaged in a range of sizes and packaging material, machines must be flexible enough to accommodate these changes with minimal changeover and downtime. Additionally, changes in beverage recipes require the filling of different flavors, syrups, and varying viscosities which are required to run through filling machines. The demand for ESL beverages increased during the pandemic due to their ability to maintain freshness without refrigeration and MAP capabilities if the product needs any form of preservation while being stored on store shelves. Machines also need to be equipped with smart automation and an emphasis on robotics is apparent. With a shortage of skilled labor and a need for zero human error, smart technology and robotics must provide efficient predictive and preventative maintenance. Digital intelligence is needed now more than ever.

The future of the packaging industry is an exciting one. And with changes in consumer demands, ripple effects across interconnected industries are inevitable. However, these shifts can help beverage companies stay ahead of the curve on what customers want today while keeping an eye out for what they will require tomorrow. It’s just the tip of the iceberg, but it’s one that will have a lasting impact. So, the next time you take a sip from a beverage with ingredients or packaging mentioned in this report, think of all that went into making that change!

Download the PMMI white paper below for a full report of information, consumer trends, and how these trends have shaped the packaging industry and will continue to shape us into 2022 and beyond.

In speaking with many in the packaging industry, we have heard that there are certain unwritten rules regarding robotic automation in packaging. Some of these perceptions include robots don’t like wet environments, flexibles are difficult to handle consistently, there isn’t enough floor space to automate robotics, and more. In talking with customers, CPG integrators, and others who work with robotics, we’ve noticed that Quest, a ProMach product brand, has a very different approach to projects.

First Impressions

1. There isn’t Enough Floorspace to Automate

Industry-wide, the best opportunity to implement robotic machinery is when a new plant is being built or when a new line is created where space isn’t an issue, what some like to call “starting with a clean sheet of paper.” However, this is rarely the case. Being confined to the space of the existing operations often means giving up the rate or some level of automation. It often creates a higher risk factor for the integrator in successfully delivering a robotic cell that performs consistently at the rate, with all of the functionality originally promised.

The Boxed Bot palletizer is a double-decker design that contains an over/under pallet conveyor where empty pallets are supplied on the bottom level while full pallets are discharged on the upper level providing continuous operations without manual interference. All of this within a very small compact footprint.

Similarly, the Quick Pick case packing cell offers tremendous floor space advantages too. Quest can fully utilize the footprint provided, combining operations like case forming within the infeed which are typically separated into separate stations. Working with the customer to understand upstream and downstream operations, Quest ensures the compact cell can easily integrate into the line.

2. Changing “Recipes” Requires Robotic Techs

One of the limiting factors to robotic automation for many companies is access to an experienced robotic technician. The thought of having to contact the robotic integrator every time a pack pattern needs to be updated makes the use of robotics slightly intimidating. In general, the guideline was if you need to make a change after the cell is up and running, only an experienced robotic technician can realize that change for you. That often translates into a paid service call.

At Quest, that guideline is not always true. By recognizing our customers’ need to update production lines based on changes in their customers’ buying behavior or the customers themselves, Quest developed (and continues to develop) HMI software that allows operators to update the “recipes” without the need of an experienced robotic technician. This software is intuitive and easy to use but also protects the user from creating a recipe that will not function correctly. From the QBOX software on a Boxed Bot Palletizer, an operator can update either the pattern for the layer or the overall stack quickly from a drag-and-drop interface. Similar functionality exists on the QPICK software on a Quik Pick Top Load Case Packer. This software provides customers more flexibility and less reliance on a skilled robotic technician.

3. Flexibles are Difficult to Handle Consistently

Most integrators are comfortable with any rigid containers; namely bottles, cans, cartons, or boxes. These containers provide a consistent surface with which the robot can easily predict their interaction. Product in flexible packaging such as bags, pouches, or sachets can often create challenges based on the product contained within it. The product can teardrop or clump together providing an inconsistent surface and/or uneven weight distribution, making each robot pick and place sequence different nearly every time.

At Quest, a large percentage of our business is based on handling difficult-to-handle products like flexibles or even odd-shaped overwrapped products. Through a combination of conditioning, product settling, robotic 2D/3D vision, product orientation, and experience, the team is very successful in creating robotic automation that works consistently and effectively for our customers.

View a flexible bag/pouch line with an interactive flexible line animation which includes Quest’s Boxed Bot, Quik Pick Case Packer, Intelligent Automotive Vehicle (IAV), and more here. 

4. Robots Don’t Like Wet Environments

Many of the tough environments such as dairy, produce and raw food, are challenging due to washdown conditions or other sanitation standards that need to be met through the operations and maintenance process. In broad terms, these are damp or downright wet environments. It is challenging to design robotic automation to function consistently and endure in these conditions. The Quest’s Qleen Coat for robots provides a unique advantage in these applications. The coating, paired with our suggested cleaning method, not only protects the robot’s finish but also gives it a bright, quality sheen. The end-user gains the advantage of running a clean system.

5. Robots Aren’t Effective at Higher Speeds

Higher speeds have typically been where the shift between robotic automation and conventional automation happens. The complexity of multiple robots working in tandem and coordinating the actions to achieve the rates increase the project’s risk factor exponentially. This is where most integrators shy away from such a project, believing that robotics just aren’t a good fit.

Quest, on the other hand, is very comfortable with multiple robots in tandem. Quest has successfully designed automation for customers where double-digit robots are side-by-side to achieve those rates. We excel at creating the picking (sequencing) software to coordinate the actions of multiple robots utilizing advanced queue management and load distribution over those same robots.

Closing Thoughts

Through our experience in robotics, out of box thinking to create a solution, and overall enthusiasm around robotic automation, the team at Quest creates truly innovative solutions for our customers.

To read more about Quest and their robotic solutions, watch videos of robotic case packers, palletizers, and more, head to the Quest website: https://www.questindustrial.com/