Robots in the food industry package, palletize, sort, and feed entire production lines. The question isn’t usually whether to automate—it’s more important to ask: with what. Each type of robot has its own specific task. A delta robot picks up chocolates every second. It’s not the right type for 25-kilogram cartons. This article matches robot types to their tasks. It also highlights the additional requirements food production places on hygiene, materials, and grippers.
The industry is large. It employs around 4.7 million people and generates approximately 1.2 trillion euros in revenue. This makes it the largest manufacturing sector in the EU (FoodDrinkEurope, Data & Trends 2024).
Four types of robots are used in food production: delta, articulated arm, gantry, and cobot. In addition, there are robotic cells as turnkey solutions. Speed, payload, and reach define the areas of application more clearly than any data sheet.
| Robot Type | Strength | Payload / Speed | Typical Task |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta robots | Very fast pick-and-place | up to ~3 kg, over 150 picks/min | Chocolates, cookies, baked goods, berries |
| Articulated-arm robots (6-axis) | Flexible handling | 5 to 300 kg | Portioning, packaging, palletizing |
| Gantry robots | Long reach, high payload | up to ~500 kg | Large-scale palletizing, bulk handling |
| Cobot | Safe collaboration without a fence | up to ~25 kg, slower | Labeling, quality inspection |
Mounted above the conveyor belt, the delta robot picks up light products at a high frequency and is the top choice for baked goods or fresh fruit, as long as the unit weight remains low. The all-rounder is the six-axis articulated-arm robot: it portions, packages, palletizes, and can reach even hard-to-access positions. When it comes to heavy loads and large areas—such as when stacking full pallets—the gantry robot really shines. The cobot, on the other hand, shares the workspace with staff and is well-suited for semi-automated stations with frequent product changes.
You can learn more about the pros and cons of cobots. For fast movements in a small space, the SCARA robot, a horizontal articulated arm, is a good choice.
A robot cell combines four components: robot, controller, safety technology, and gripper. It is a complete station designed for a clearly defined task. Typical applications include packaging, order picking, sorting, or quality assurance.
During packaging, the cell places delicate products into containers; a sensor checks the fill level, and then the goods move on. During sorting, it separates items by weight, size, or shape, using camera systems and image processing. And in quality assurance, a camera detects defects in real time and removes defective goods. The real benefit lies elsewhere: Because interfaces and safety technology are already coordinated, engineering effort is reduced and commissioning is faster.
Hygienic design means smooth surfaces, tight seals, rounded transitions, and a design free of dead spaces. In the food industry, cleanability is what matters most, rather than kinematics. A robot operating in an open process must be capable of being cleaned without leaving any residue. Otherwise, food safety suffers.
The EN 1672-2 standard sets the framework. It regulates the hygiene and cleanability of food processing machinery. As of March 2026, EHEDG Guideline 62 will, for the first time, include criteria specifically for robotic systems. EHEDG stands for European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group. EHEDG certification serves as verifiable proof of suitability. In cases of direct food contact, HACCP—the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points system (EU Regulation 852/2004)—also applies. Each new system then requires a new assessment of the critical control points.
Three factors determine suitability: protection class, material, and temperature range. All three depend on the cleaning method and the zone.
The IP (Ingress Protection) rating describes resistance to dust and water. In dry areas, IP65 is often sufficient. In wet areas subject to high-pressure cleaning, IP69K is considered the standard. IP69K withstands a water jet at 100 bar and 80 degrees (test standard DIN 40050-9). This is required in meat, fish, and dairy processing facilities.
When it comes to materials, a distinction is made between secondary and primary contact. Stainless steel 1.4301 (AISI 304) is used for secondary surfaces. For direct contact and harsh cleaning agents, 1.4404 (AISI 316L) is the standard because it is more resistant to chlorides. Lubricants in the axes must comply with FDA regulation 21 CFR 178.3570 if there is a possibility of contact. They are registered as NSF H1. The temperature range depends on the zone. In the refrigerated area, robots operate at +2 to +7 degrees. For the frozen food area, there are models rated for temperatures down to -30 degrees.
The gripper is the interface with the product. The success or failure of a cell depends on it. The key factor is what the robot is gripping: raw food, packaged goods, cartons, trays, or delicate baked goods.
Vacuum grippers are used for smooth and packaged products such as cartons, bottles, or canned goods. Soft grippers made of silicone are suitable for delicate, unpackaged food items. They adapt to the product’s shape and handle items gently, such as fruit, pastries, or raw meat. For robust goods in direct contact, rigid hygienic grippers made of 316L stainless steel are used; they are gap-free and can be cleaned with high-pressure water.
All parts that come into contact with food are subject to EU Framework Regulation 1935/2004. Plastics are additionally regulated by EU Regulation 10/2011, which sets specific migration limits. The overview of end-effector types shows the available designs. A planning tip: The products to be handled should be determined early on. They should be tested in production-quality form, as the gripper is designed specifically for them.
Palletizing is the most common first task in automation. The motion is straightforward. The workload is high and repetitive. It significantly reduces the burden on staff. An articulated-arm or gantry robot stacks cartons, crates, and trays with consistent quality. It uses sensors to detect the exact position.
This is precisely the field that Unchained Robotics implements in practice, from palletizing meat to coffee. For such standard tasks , there are ready-made solutions like the MalocherBot, the turnkey palletizing cell from Unchained Robotics. The sector is growing rapidly worldwide. According to IFR World Robotics 2025, approximately 14,685 new industrial robots were installed in the food and beverage industry in 2024.
Four examples from a bakery, fruit sorting facility, dairy, and pizza production line demonstrate how these robot types work together. In a bakery, a robot packs rolls into cartons, a sensor checks the fill level, and a second robot palletizes the units for shipping. In fruit sorting, a camera system measures the size and color of each piece; the robot sorts them by quality and packages them accordingly. A dairy facility palletizes beverage cartons of various sizes and quickly adjusts the load using interchangeable grippers. Finally, on a ready-made pizza line, a robot dispenses toppings, handles the product, and packages it, while the hygienic design ensures the system can be thoroughly cleaned.
The choice depends on two factors: throughput and flexibility. A cobot is suitable when humans and machines share a workspace, products change frequently, and production volumes remain moderate. Examples include quality control or labeling. A classic articulated-arm or delta robot excels at high throughput, heavy loads, and continuous operation. Often, the two complement each other. The fast industrial robot handles the bulk of the line’s workload, while the cobot takes on flexible peripheral and inspection tasks.
Primarily Delta robots for fast pick-and-place, articulated-arm robots for flexible handling and palletizing, gantry robots for heavy loads, and cobots for semi-automated workstations. In addition, there are ready-made robot cells for packaging, sorting, and quality assurance.
Hygienic design refers to smooth, gap-free surfaces, sealed bearings, and a design free of dead spaces. This allows the robot to be cleaned without leaving any residue. The framework is provided by the EN 1672-2 standard and, starting in 2026, the EHEDG Guideline 62 for robot systems.
In dry environments, IP65 is often sufficient. As soon as high-pressure and hot water are used for cleaning, IP69K is required. This protection rating withstands a water jet at 100 bar and 80 degrees and is standard in meat, fish, and dairy processing facilities.
Soft grippers made of silicone are suitable for delicate, unpackaged food. Rigid hygienic grippers made of 316L stainless steel are suitable for sturdy goods. Vacuum grippers are the right choice for packaged products. All materials that come into contact with food must comply with EU Regulation 1935/2004.
Yes. Most models are designed for refrigerated environments at +2 to +7 degrees. For frozen environments, there are robots capable of operating down to -30 degrees. It is important to use suitable lubricants and ensure the robot has a protection rating that withstands condensation.
In most facilities, with palletizing, because the task is straightforward and physically demanding. Ready-made palletizing cells reduce engineering effort and shorten commissioning time.
The type of robot that suits your production line depends on the product, the cleaning zone, and the throughput. Once the parts to be handled are determined, the gripper can be specifically designed. The article on commissioning turnkey robotic solutions shows how a turnkey system is created, from concept to operation.