Robotray
Modular Automation to Scale

Automation today, is “the buzzword” for a reason. As the capability to improve efficiency steps up, the associated expenditure to do so is only sinking lower each day, which is every entrepreneur’s dream. Factor into this, the very real emergence of practical robotics application, and we see the enterprise marketplace poised on the verge of a revolution in automation. Mechanized bakeries have been commonplace for a while now, but the integration of robotics means that automation can be applied with more granularity and customizability to meet every type of customer requirement there is. Miami-based Robotray is at the forefront of the custom automation space, catering to the baking industry. Their unique solutions target customers looking to achieve significant cost savings while improving process speed, all in a hassle-free low-maintenance framework. “The overall design of our systems is drawn from a user-guided engineering perspective, and not the other way around,” says Robotray’s creator, Juan Carlos Lacal.

The entire Robotray team has had firsthand experience running facilities that employ automation, giving them the ability to relate more closely to client needs. Prior to implementation, Robotray visits their clients’ plants and identifies where their solutions better fit their needs, because as customers go, the challenges they face go beyond the bottom-line. Implicitly, not only do clients analyze how the solution was obtained, but also if the automation was designed with their best interest in mind, which is precisely why Robotray makes equipment that is custom crafted and developed from the ground up to be highly modular and easy to operate, clean, and maintain.

Robotray uses their set of proven modules, followed by repackaging and recombining the sequences as to how these modules would be incorporated into the overall machine design, sourcing them from a modular library of components. The company holds a modular proprietary conveyor, which is a one-piece module mountable in different positions and in different orientations. It is constructed of stainless steel, which is without cavities, helping facilitate deep cleaning owing to its sanitary design.

In addition, they offer robotic modules such as an automated rack queuing and positioning system, automated fermented dough scoring system, an autonomous guided vehicle (AGV), and a parallel kinematic designed 4-axis delta robot, made out of carbon fiber, titanium, and stainless steel. The company’s expertise in automation is thus matched by their use of cutting-edge technologies to deliver solutions in futuristic precision.

The operator’s perspective is what it all boils down to once implementation is complete, and on this front too, Robotray spares no expense. Their Human Machine Interface communicates the message via a touch screen, combined with an alarm, and visual instructions on how to fix the system if any malfunction should occur. The system is also capable of sending messages via text or e-mail, about the performance of the machine depending on the severity of the condition, to the appropriate department. What’s more, the system can be used to provide technical support remotely, in addition to using onboard cameras to train customers on how to observe the system’s functionality and report immediate feedback to the different levels.

The overall design of our systems is drawn from a user-guided engineering perspective, and not the other way around

Robotray sees more opportunity to incorporate modular solutions in more areas. They expect systems to become independent from larger automated systems, and the subsequent lowering of the cost of smaller robots that can collaborate with the operators next to them. Energy efficiency is also a top feature of Robotray’s solutions from day one and they aim to continue making them as power efficient as possible.