German company unveils ‘enhanced’ automation technology

13-Jun-2017 - Last updated on 14-Jun-2017 at 13:05 GMT

The Presto D3 may increase efficiency and uptime, according to Bosch

Bosch Packaging Technology of Germany has unveiled what it claims to be an “enhanced” robot designed for picking and placing a range of food products.

Its upgraded Presto D3 robotic machine will give food manufacturers “the highest flexibility thanks to its modular design,” Bosch claimed in a statement.

Its D3 machine was launched in 2015 and as automation technology has continued to improve, Bosche said it had been “committed” to improving its robotics offering for both primary and secondary packaging.

“The new jam-prevention feature on our proven Presto platform is designed to improve the ease of machine operation and, at the same time, increase the uptime and efficiency of this type of machine,” said Marc de Vries, sales director of Bosch’s robotics portfolio.

Reducing costs

“With this customer-focused technology, we underline our commitment to helping enhance their efficiencies and reducing their TCO [total cost of ownership].”

Bosch’s Presto D3 machine comes with either one or two infeed conveyors which allows products to be picked up, grouped and placed flat or on edge directly into food packages.

Thanks to a modular design, multiple products and packaging sizes can be handled on the same machine, meaning manufacturers may benefit from “increased flexibility and production efficiency,” according to Bosch.

Equipped with an air blow ejection system too, the machine automatically rejects products that are out of specification. It has an unjamming device which controls product jams without an employee having to physically sort out the problem.

All of the D3 robotic machines developed by Bosch are designed for both small and medium-sized enterprises and industrial-scale manufacturers.