A dual-arm YuMi cobot places the ending touches on a BurgerBots meal. Supply: ABB Robotics
Automated kitchens for fast-food eating places took one other step towards widespread realization at present. ABB Robotics and BurgerBots unveiled a brand new restaurant idea in Los Gatos, Calif., utilizing ABB’s IRB 360 FlexPicker and YuMi collaborative robotic to exactly and shortly assemble meals. The businesses mentioned the system additionally precisely screens inventory ranges and frees staffers to concentrate on the shopper expertise.
“Integrating ABB robots with the BurgerBots restaurant idea demonstrates the unimaginable potential for automation past the manufacturing unit flooring,” acknowledged Marc Segura, president of ABB Robotics Division. “The meals service business is dynamic and demanding, and our know-how brings industrial-grade consistency, effectivity and reliability to this area.”
“Once we requested the hospitality business, 89% of managers and 73% of employees mentioned they’re open to the combination of robotics to automate duties inside their operations,” he added, citing a Censuswide survey of 1,250 hospitality employees. “By taking on repetitive and time-consuming duties, robots permit employees to concentrate on what issues most – creating memorable eating experiences.”
ABB Robotics is a number one supplier of industrial automation, autonomous cellular robots (AMRs), cobots, and software program. Its mum or dad, ABB Group, not too long ago introduced plans to spin off the division in an earnings name.
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Restaurant employees welcome robotic assist
One of many biggest challenges going through restaurant homeowners at present is attracting and retaining staffers, based on the Nationwide Restaurant Affiliation. Excessive turnover, rising labor prices, and the repetitive nature of back-of-house roles proceed to place stress on hospitality companies, mentioned ABB.
Not solely can automation assist fill labor gaps, however it might probably additionally make food-service jobs extra sustainable and interesting by lowering tedious duties and enhancing workflows. The Censuswide survey commissioned by ABB Robotics discovered that 67% of hospitality employees agreed that robotics and automation needs to be used to scale back the quantity of lifeless, soiled, and harmful work they’re are doing
As well as, 63% mentioned they’re excited by the concept of robots making their jobs simpler, and 65% mentioned they might welcome robots of their office if it meant a safer work atmosphere.
BurgerBots constructed for velocity, scalability
BurgerBots mentioned it combines robotics and precision engineering to constantly ship high-quality burgers with velocity, effectivity, and restricted want for guide oversight. The firm claimed that its methods are designed for scalability, to optimize kitchen workflows, and guarantee meals security whereas sustaining a good buyer expertise.
An IRB 360 FlexPicker takes elements and masses them on to the burgers. Supply: ABB Robotics
BurgerBots added that its rethinking of quick meals is appropriate for high-traffic venues and on-the-go places.
ABB Robotics asserted that its compact cell with BurgerBots is the primary to combine two forms of robots with an clever stock monitoring system. As every order is acquired, a freshly cooked burger patty is positioned onto a bun inside a burger field.
This field is then positioned on a conveyor shuttle, which is tagged with a QR code. Because it strikes alongside the conveyor, the IRB 360 FlexPicker delta robotic hygienically performs high-speed topping choice, guided by the information saved within the QR code.
Subsequent, the YuMi steps in to collaborate on the ultimate meeting of the burger. All the course of takes simply 27 seconds per burger.
ABB mentioned its robotic controller additionally integrates with non-robotic methods, enabling real-time monitoring of stock reminiscent of onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and condiments. This ensures clean operations and environment friendly kitchen administration, the firm famous.
ABB Robotics and companions eye wider rollouts
The primary BurgerBots cell is now open and working on the Breaking Daybreak/First Born restaurant. That Los Gatos location is step one in its broader industrial rollout, mentioned entrepreneur Elizabeth Truong, founding father of BurgerBots.
“The imaginative and prescient was to deliver consistency, transparency, and effectivity to meals service,” she mentioned. “For restaurant homeowners, it means higher visibility of meals prices, extra correct forecasting and – in the end – higher resolution making. Within the subsequent 5 years, I consider that almost all eating places may have some type of robotic automation, whether or not it’s back-of-house preparation, meeting, and even front-of-house service. It is going to grow to be much less of a novelty and extra of a necessity.”
BurgerBots is the most recent in quite a lot of improvements within the meals service business supported by robotic know-how. ABB has collaborated with RoboEatz on ARK, an autonomous robotic kitchen able to making ready lots of of meals with minimal human intervention. It mentioned this showcases the potential for high-efficiency, hygienic, and customizable meals prep.
ABB can also be powering the robotic bartenders of Makr Shakr, which mentioned they are going to quickly be mixing drinks in venues around the globe. “Collectively, these functions exhibit how robotics is reworking hospitality with velocity and consistency,” mentioned ABB.
