Kuka says it is now using a range of new lubricants in its robotic technology which “guarantees the highest hygiene standards”.
The food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries impose special requirements on robotics.
Kuka says its new “Hygienic Oil” (HO) portfolio and “Hygienic Machine” (HM) variants are designed to avoid potential contamination and comply with the highest hygiene requirements.
Kuka says that, for handling, packaging, palletizing or stacking, its new Hygienic Oil portfolio and Hygienic Machine variants “excel in all applications that prioritize hygiene”.
The robot arms use food-compatible lubricants in all axes and feature a smooth surface for easy cleaning. This design ensures a high hygienic standard and makes these robots attractive for use in other industries as well.
Food: Guaranteed food compatibility, even under difficult production conditions
Pharmaceuticals: Suitable for demanding applications in direct contact with medicines
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Cosmetics: Hygienic robots also offer safety and efficiency in all cosmetics applications
Dieter Rothenfußer, Kuka portfolio manager, says: “The HO industrial robots meet the hygiene requirements of Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and DIN ISO 14159.
“They are equipped with certified NSF H1 lubricants in all axes, including the energy supply systems. Maintenance intervals are identical to those of our standard robots.”
The modern lighter gray design of this robotics portfolio makes it particularly easy to detect contamination on the machine.
With these measures, Kuka says it meets the increased safety standards in the secondary sector – and claims it is “the only worldwide supplier with this broad portfolio”.
HO robots also offer application potential beyond food-industry processing and packaging, for processing of solid or dry products such as chocolate or baked goods.
Kuka hygienic robotic technology with H1 lubricants covers payloads from 6 to 240 kg and reaches from 900 to 3,200 mm – for use along “the entire process chain”.
This encompasses all Kuka robot ranges: from the small KR Agilus to the large KR Quantec PA – with faster cycle times. The main axes carry protection rating IP 65 against dust and water, the wrist axes to IP 67.
According to Wikipedia, Food safety (or food hygiene) is used as a scientific method/discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness. NYC catering companies have suffered a lot due to the pandemic. Closing indoor dining, limited staff, cutting of working hours, delivery and carryout, and others.