Automation and technology go hand in hand, especially when it comes to the latest generation of end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) for robotics and the baking and snack industries.

In fact, 3D printing has enabled companies to customize the way robots pick and place everything from delicate sweet goods to packages of nutritional bars racing down the line at thousands of pieces a minute.

“Since each bakery product is unique, 3D printing with food-grade plastics allows for tailored solutions, whether you're using suction, soft fingers or mechanical grippers,” said John Weddleton, automation product manager, Harpak-Ulma Packaging. “This flexibility ensures you can find the best solution for your specific product. Additionally, new sensor and vision technologies enable the grippers to detect the shape and softness of products, automatically adjusting the pressure to prevent damage.”

Ken Mentch, automation sales manager, Middleby Bakery, called soft robotic grippers “the latest and most exciting development” for the baking industry.

“Designed as an EOAT to replicate the human hand, they can be set up as two-finger opposing and four-or-five-finger circular grippers,” he explained. “A single gripper can pick up a variety of products including delicate bakery goods such as muffins, croissants to even sticky products like dough balls. Since soft grippers conform to the products, they often can pick up a wide range of products without requiring a tooling change, and they are incredibly fast.”

Specifically, soft-touch and adaptive grippers can adjust pressure dynamically, preventing product damage, said Wes Bryant, product group leader for AMF Workhorse, an AMF Bakery Systems brand. Meanwhile, vacuum-based EOATs can securely lift products without deforming them.

Felix Pang, robotic solutions specialist, ABI Ltd., noted pick-and-place systems are highly tailored to the specific needs of each operation. Bakeries can use specialized needles to handle muffins and their porous texture without damaging them.

Additionally, energy bars might require either soft fingers or vacuum tools, depending on the size and stickiness of the products. 

Hunter Schultheis, North Central sales manager, BluePrint Automation, noted the company developed vacuum gripping technology in food with its patented High-Flow-Head for picking irregular, delicate and randomized bakery products.

He added multi-functional grippers can switch between handling soft baked goods and more rigid products or packaged snacks without manual tool changes.

For quality control, advanced sensors integrated into EOATs provide real-time data that provide precise control and handling of products while preserving the quality of delicate items, said Stephane Vieira, bakery systems sales, Niverplast.

He added that modular tooling enables bakers to make quick changes between different types of grippers, making it easier to switch between handling delicate and sturdy products.

From a sanitation perspective, Bryant said, new EOAT materials comply with food safety regulations, supporting high-speed washdown requirements for hygienic production environments.

Meanwhile, Apex Motion Control recently developed an end effector that accomplishes two tasks with one cobot.

“The one end effector grabs a flattened cardboard box using air suction grips from a holding area, then folds it and places it on a conveyor; then the other side of the end effector uses a multi-gripper head to pick up heavy [objects] and place them into the box,” explained Jamie Bobyk, marketing manager, Apex Motion Control.

This article is an excerpt from the April 2025 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Robotics, click here.