Balancing Automation and Craftsmanship in Food Production at Tunnock's and The Bread Factory
Tunnock's, near Glasgow, relies largely on automation for its production processes, yet caramel spreading remains a labor-intensive task performed by approximately 12 workers. The factory produces around 7 million wafer bars and 4.5 million tea cakes annually. While automated caramel spreading takes place during the night, human workers offer flexibility and occupy less floor space, balancing the need for speed with the preservation of craftsmanship.
Tunnock's plans to upgrade its production line with an investment of about £2.5 million. However, decisions on such investment are influenced by prevailing financial conditions and the volatility of cocoa prices. Part of the technological advancement includes the use of HIRO, a cake-decorating robot arm developed by Unifiller (Coperion) and using Stäubli hardware. This robot is capable of handling toppings such as caramel while meeting hygiene and cleaning standards. Challenges in robot deployment arise from the natural variability in baked goods, which may not be perfectly centered, may be oval, or dome-shaped, necessitating flexible sensing and control systems to avoid disruptions.
Meanwhile, The Bread Factory in northwest London, which supplies the bakery chain Gail's, produces up to 40,000 sourdough loaves daily using 16 tonnes of flour. Although machines mix the dough, the head baker emphasizes that skilled human hands remain essential for delicate handling and recipe adjustments.
Voices within the industry advocate for a hybrid automation approach that safeguards the 'soul' of handcrafted products by automating only those processes that benefit from increased consistency, speed, and volume, while retaining core tasks for humans. Coperion is advancing scanning, vision, and safety systems to enable customers to incorporate automation comfortably, underscoring a focus on human-friendly automation in the food sector.
