Typical of its vision of improving, yet streamlining, ice cream production techniques to increase available profit margins for producers, ROKK Processing, the award winning manufacturer of high-end ice cream manufacturing machinery, has launched the RO600, a new, pioneering robotic filling line capable of not only filling ice cream containers, but also of creating precise artisanal decoration on bulk round and rectangular cake.

31 January 2013

Typical of its vision of improving, yet streamlining, ice cream production techniques to increase available profit margins for producers, ROKK Processing, the award winning manufacturer of high-end ice cream manufacturing machinery, has launched the RO600, a new, pioneering robotic filling line capable of not only filling ice cream containers, but also of creating precise artisanal decoration on bulk round and rectangular cake.

The compact industrial ice cream machine features a semiautomatic, six-axis, pneumatically powered robotic arm which, as well being highly proficient in filling containers with aesthetically pleasing, elaborate designs, is able to create ice cream cakes or decorate sponge cakes with intricate, artisanal patterns with unrivalled accuracy. Both of which were previously time consuming manual jobs for skilled labourers.

Phil Darvell, managing director of ROKK Processing, commented: "It's not about replacement; it's about evolution and providing ice cream manufacturers with more opportunities to extend existing product lines, and therefore profit margins, with minimum effort. Historically, the return on investment available from manually producing the products that the RO600 is capable of creating was absolutely minimal to the point of being barely worthwhile. With this robotic ice cream filling machine however, ice cream cakes and other such products are easily added to a line and with the volume it is capable of creating, the return is much, much higher."

Indeed, the RO600 is able to create astonishing volumes considering the complexity of the designs it is capable of crafting. Although final capacity figures may vary, the RO600 can fill up to 600 five litre containers, or 800 one or two litre tubs per hour. On the decoration front it can create up to 360 rectangular cakes or 300 round cakes per hour.

Coming with a fully open stainless steel frame for easy cleaning and mounted on wheels for easy transportation around the production hall, the RO600 also boasts a Siemens S7 PLC control panel which is pre-programmed with three decoration recipes, although many more can be added and stored. The panel is also remote accessible allowing line managers to control its output from anywhere within a predetermined network, or with an established WiFi connection. To ensure that the switch between recipes is a quick and effortless affair, adjustable lamellas allow container and plate sizes to be changed without the need for specialist tools.

Phil continued: "The robot is a complex piece of equipment but in line with the rest of our machines, it has been specifically designed to be incredibly easy to operate. It's a machine that once set-up, requires just one person to change the trays or containers, and there's even an optional extra where the robot can do that as well. We've invested in it so manufacturers can easily expand product lines, without having to undertake hours and hours of training."

The RO600 is available with a variety of optional extras, as well as the option to add in/out pneumatic movement of the lamellas which is synchronized with the ice cream filling motion. These include a ripple kit made up of a dedicated ripple nozzle and a remote pneumatic syrup filling valve to control the syrup filling volume, a double nozzle kit for creating two colour designs, additional programmable recipe patterns, and finally, an ice cream pipe and holding ice cream pipe system (needed only for cake filling decoration).

"Never before has a machine with these capabilities been available on such a scale" said Phil "Its presents many new and exciting opportunities. It's a chance for manufacturers to really express their creative side, and hopefully make a lot of money in doing so."

For more information about the ROKK RO600 or any other of its ice cream machinery, please visit http://www.rokk-processing.com or call +44 (0)1455 220 179.