The result of increasingly adaptive robots may soon be no farther than your next meal. Flexiv yesterday said its Rizon 4 robot is part of a new food-processing application.
Traditionally, the task of shaping fish fillets has been performed by manual labor. Employees need to maintain a high level of concentration to shape each fillet so that the end product is consistent in size, explained Flexiv. The exhausting nature of the work led to high staff turnover and operational challenges.
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company said it developed its latest system for a leading Asian seafood producer. The system uses a combination of computer vision and force control to identify and shape breaded cod fillets.
“We were told that the shaping stage was difficult for the client to staff, so we used our adaptive technology to not only solve the problem, but [also] improve how it’s completed,” stated Liang Mao, Flexiv’s new market solution director. “Our fillet-shaping solution ensures consistency, speeds up production, and maintains the highest standards of quality, all while completing a manual labor type task that no one wants to do.”
Tooling and AI bring superhuman senses, speed to fillets
Flexiv claimed that its custom end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) and computer vision “enable precision and efficiency far beyond human capabilities.” The system uses AI-powered computer vision to accurately detect the location of each fillet on the production line.
Then, operating in sync with the conveyor line, Flexiv’s Rizon 4 robots shape the portions without lifting them. They use force control to apply the precise amount of pressure needed to form the fillets without causing damage.
The robots can operate at speeds and consistency that are impossible for human workers, boosting productivity without compromising quality, asserted Flexiv. The fully automated system also includes a self-cleaning feature to ensure hygiene and operational effectiveness, it added.
Flexiv designs cobot for ease of deployment
The company equipped its Rizon 4 collaborative robot with seven degrees of freedom and an 8.8 lb. (4 kg) payload capacity. It features industrial-grade capabilities, including fine end force sensing, precise end force control accuracy, multi-dimensional hybrid motion/force control, disturbance rejection, and whole-body multi-point force control.
Flexiv added that its system is designed to be easy to use and quick to deploy. Users can integrate the fish fillet-shaping system into an existing production line in half a working day. It requires no specialized training or prior experience in robotics, it said.
Other applications of Rizon 4 include production of car seats and ultrasound scanning for healthcare diagnosis. Flexiv also recently announced Moonlight, an adaptive parallel robot (see video below).
Founded in 2016, Flexiv has established offices in Silicon Valley, Shanghai, Beijing, Taiwan, and Singapore. With expertise in integrating force control, computer vision, and AI, the company said its turnkey automation can improve efficiency while reducing operational costs and environmental impact.
