Category: News
An innovative robotic automation solution has enhanced the efficiency of cake manufacturing for a major cake production facility, significantly improving efficiency by automating a previously labour‑intensive and repetitive production process.
Bespoke System for Automated Cake Loading
Working closely with the end user, WMH designed and built a customised food‑handling automation solution to streamline the loading of chocolate‑coated Swiss‑roll‑style cakes onto packing boards. The system features two overhead, gantry‑mounted Mitsubishi robots that pick chilled cakes directly from the production line and place them accurately onto boards ready for packing into retail cartons.
Specialist Gripper Technology for Delicate Products
A crucial part of the project was the development of specialist robotic grippers capable of handling delicate bakery products without crushing them or damaging the chocolate coating and decorative toppings. WMH partnered with a specialist gripper manufacturer, carrying out extensive pre‑production trials to refine and perfect a design suitable for high‑speed cake handling.
Vision‑Guided Robotics for Accurate Product Orientation
Another key challenge involved reliably locating cakes on the production line to ensure correct orientation, even when products arrived misaligned. To achieve this, the system incorporates a third‑party vision solution that identifies product position and rotation, enabling the robots to adjust and place each cake with precision.
Integrated Denesting and Ganache Application
The installation also includes integrated card denesters and a ganache depositor, which applies a small amount of ganache to secure each cake to its board, preventing movement and reducing the risk of damage during transit.