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SECTOR REPORTS WAR EH OUS E UP DATE : ROBOTICS Revamping Warehouses with Robotics Next-generation robotics are driving safety and efficiency. By Maria Hoffman F ood and beverage facilities have historically operated under more stringent cleanliness and hygiene standards. And new rules and regulations in the U.S. and overseas are raising the bar even higher. Te recently announced Preventative Controls rule and the Produce rule���both part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)���are one such example. However, while regulatory compliance is getting tougher, robotics can help meet the new demands. Traceability and food safety The need for traceability is a current trend in the food sector. An automated warehouse can help food and beverage managers easily track and trace products in the warehouse, whereas a warehouse utilizing only manual operations is more vulnerable to traceability errors. ���[Humans] are prone to mistakes, but with the robotics side of things, you get consistency, reliability and your inspections go much more smoothly,��� says David Noble, VP of sales and marketing at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Seegrid. An automated warehouse can assist warehouse managers in validating exactly where the products are located in the warehouse along with where the products are destined. Food safety compliance and regulations are also hot topics in the industry. Implementing robotics equipment assures that food and beverage products are being handled in an appropriate, safe manner. Robotics also decreases the probability of contamination by reducing the amount of human interaction with food and beverage products. Recent innovations Due to the ongoing food safety trend, the need for higher sanitation requirements for robotics equipment is a recent design consideration. Robots used in industries such as meat and poultry are designed with materials that can endure intense chemical wash-downs. Additionally, the equipment is constructed with corrosion resistant and nonabsorbent materials that prohibit the movement of foodborne pathogens. Seegrid���s GP8 driverless robotic pallet trucks can reduce downtime in the facility and increase the ability to haul more products. 38 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 ��� FOOD LOGISTICS www.foodlogistics.com