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The power of automation in the modern food industry
As an industrial solutions integrator, Masked Owl Technologies’ primary focus is always safety, not only for our customers’ employees, but our own. It’s why our first foundational tenet, ‘be safe’, serves as the cornerstone of our operations, and why we’ve carefully built our processes to uphold the highest safety standards in automation and controls solutions. However, when tackling unique automation challenges in the food industry, we encounter an additional layer of safety requirements—the safety of the food itself.
In food manufacturing, the highest concern is the safety and quality of the food we produce. A single misstep in the production process can have far-reaching consequences, spanning severe health risks and foodborne illnesses to even fatalities. Regulatory agencies like OSHA and the FDA, driven by both public and governmental demands for safer food, have established stringent standards and guidelines that place significant responsibility on manufacturers, with severe fines and penalties for non-adherence. Standards can vary based on product, geography, and more, further intensifying the process. Today, manufacturers must navigate these complex and ever-evolving compliance requirements while still maintaining efficient and cost-effective production lines.
Automation plays a pivotal role in upholding regulated standards, emerging as a powerful ally in food safety. Beyond enhancing efficiency and productivity, automation can help food manufacturers implement processes that maintain food safety at the highest level while gathering, storing, and monitoring vast amounts of current and historical data. With storage costs decreasing, processor speeds increasing, and significant advancements in data software, automation allows food manufacturers to have fast access to accurate, full-picture, and actionable performance insights. This not only ensures compliance with regulatory standards but also reduces compliance times by streamlining data collection and reporting.
One of the most critical aspects of food production safety is quality control. Traditional methods relied on manual inspection and sorting of food products, leaving room for human error and inconsistency. Automation technologies, such as machine vision systems and robotic arms, have revolutionized this process. These systems can rapidly and accurately inspect and sort food products based on criteria like size, color, and material defects.
Automation also brings a heightened level of precision and consistency to food processing. In meat packing plants, for example, automated cutting and deboning machines can precisely separate meat from bones, minimizing the risk of contamination and ensuring only high-quality meat enters the market. These machines are equipped with sensors and algorithms that can detect foreign objects or abnormalities, further driving the quality and consistency of the final product.
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