For a global bakery manufacturer, Mobile Automation designed and delivered a collaborative-robot cell (a FANUC CRX-30iA cobot) to handle muffins on a production line, integrated with the existing line and safe to run alongside operators.
The challenge
Muffins are delicate and variable, and the cell had to integrate with existing line equipment including a metal detector, pick reliably with vacuum tooling, and operate safely beside staff across shifts.
Our approach
Mobile Automation iterated the tooling and integration in-house — including 3D-printed food-appropriate grippers and machined guide rails — until pick reliability and safety were proven, then trained the operators.
Scope of works
- FANUC CRX-30iA collaborative robot with vacuum handling; guide components 3D-printed and upgraded from PLA to PETG and thickened (2.5 mm to 8 mm) for durability without obstructing muffin flow
- Air-line and suction-cup optimisation to achieve reliable picking; guide rail machined (nylon) and extended into the metal detector
- Safety-circuit integration — the robot's E-stops trip the main safety circuit, with force-guided safety relays — plus vacuum solenoid and sensor wiring, mesh guarding and cabinet tidy-up
- Operator and maintenance training delivered across morning and afternoon shifts; Factory and Site Acceptance Testing completed and signed
The results
- Automated muffin handling running across shifts
- Reliable vacuum picking of a delicate, variable product
- Full safety integration with the line
- FAT and SAT signed off; operators and maintenance trained