Cobot bakes them golden

Robotized frying ensures perfectly fried fries

They are also feeling the tightness in the labor market very hard in the hospitality industry. But there, too, technology can come to the rescue. In Asia, it is the most normal thing in the world for a robot to come and take your order, prepare your meal and/or serve it. With us, there is mostly a lot of cold feet. Devoteq therefore developed a concept that shows how you can fry with a robot. An ideal colleague, because he always has the temperature and frying times right, while you can focus on the customer. The heart of the solution is the Doosan Robotics E-Series cobot. "The best value for money I could find. Without a doubt," says Devoteq business manager Lucas van Leeuwen.

Conceive, draw and realize. The mechanical engineers support customers from start to finish. Usually these are industrial customers, but for this project Van Leeuwen is drawing outside the lines for a while. "Automation is well established in industry. After all, without it it is difficult to compete with low-wage countries. In Asia, where I have been a lot myself, they extend that into all aspects of society. It inspired me to start working on it at home as well." Van Leeuwen immediately knew what to start with: the culture of French fries. "Frying French fries is pretty hard work. You hear more and more stories about businesses having to close their doors because they can't find enough staff. Moreover, by automating you can guarantee constant quality, even during peak times."

E series as the perfect choice

Devoteq put its ear to the ground at The Fryer Company. It understands deep frying, Devoteq understands automation. It was the beginning of the development of a new concept for robotized frying. "From the beginning it was clear that we would build the solution around a cobot, because it can work safely with humans. It simply gives the fryer a colleague who can do the hard work for him while talking to the customer." Van Leeuwen did his homework and, after thorough research, ended up with cobots from Doosan Robotics, distributed in the Netherlands by Dormac Cobots. The fact that with the E series a new range of food-grade robots had just been introduced, including all possible certifications and that can be easily cleaned, made the decision even easier. "Dormac Cobots arranged for a robot to be flown here immediately from Doosan's factory in South Korea. Top service."

Intelligence in software

How it works. The operator enters the order and the French fries or snacks are dispensed into the basket. After the release signal, the cobot picks up the basket, dips it into the fry fat, which is just the right temperature, and takes the basket out when the baking time is reached. Then the cobot deposits the French fries or snacks on the other side, where they are packaged. The intelligent software developed by Devoteq ensures the perfect synchronization of all movements. Van Leeuwen: "From a technical point of view, it may not be all that exciting. But of course you have to think about safety, since you are working with hot French fry fat. In addition, these are natural products: potatoes differ in moisture content. You have to take that into account as well. Moreover, it only becomes really interesting if you can also automate that first step, the dosing. But that's not a task for the cobot."

Thinking about application

Today, the concept is largely on point and Devoteq is in talks with a number of parties for initial implementation. "It's now a matter of putting the finishing touches on it and fully adapting the system to the specific requirements and the kitchen in question. And then it's a matter of changing the mindset in the food industry itself, because the possibilities with cobots are endless. From flipping hamburgers to putting pizzas in the oven and even scooping ice cream ... with Dormac and Doosan they have the perfect tandem", says Van Leeuwen. For Dormac, it wasn't all over after the delivery of the cobot. "Throughout the entire development process, they thought along with us to arrive at the right application. The energy and enthusiasm of Dormac Sales Director Robotics Frank Epping was inspiring. He connected us not only with the right technology, but also with the right people to take the next steps. That's what makes it such a pleasure to work together. I almost feel guilty that I haven't bought ten yet," Van Leeuwen concludes.