Edmund Konsen has served the baking industry for eight years but said it isn’t where he thought he’d end up. Konsen graduated from Hillsdale College in Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a minor in German and started his career in various marketing roles in other industries.

“To be honest, I came to the industry by accident,” he said. “I came from the hydraulics industry prior to this, and my interest in the applications that included proportional servo control drove me to my interest in robotics. The heavy industrial automation certainly leant itself to the position I am in, but the key was simply a culture at Schubert that was a wonderful fit from day one.”

Konsen serves as a sales account manager for Schubert North America, helping bring robotic solutions to bakers across the continent. He is also involved in the industry through organizations like the American Bakers Association and BEMA. 

Konsen said his biggest accomplishments in the baking industry have been bringing bakers’ “impossible” ideas to life. 

“Integrating the customer’s systems with ours and allowing growth and customization was not previously possible,” he said. 

Through the company’s robotic packaging and vision system, Konsen is helping make those ideas once thought impossible a reality for bakers. This is among the three things he enjoys most about his position, he said.

“First, I enjoy trying to solve a complex puzzle of a problem,” he said. “Second, I like innovating in ways the customer — and maybe even I — couldn’t prior. Third, I enjoy working with a huge spectrum of people and cultures across the world.”

Konsen sees the industry’s need to invest in automation, as well as train people to operate this automation, as two of the biggest challenges it faces. This is only exacerbated by the industry’s worsening labor struggles, which Konsen suggested can be combatted by valuing workers more. 

“Bakers should view employees as long-term investments and partners and not as simply a position to fill,” he said.

The use of robotics is increasing rapidly across the industry in response to labor challenges, and as technological advancements in areas like vision systems and artificial intelligence (AI) accelerate. Konsen said the rise of robotics will allow for increased variability in pack size, smaller product sizes and therefore an increase in equipment flexibility for bakers.

“Specifically, pick-and-place automation allows for these changes with much lower total cost of ownership,” he said.

What are the biggest advancements in robotics you’ve seen in recent years?

The biggest advancements I’ve seen are likely AI coupled with vision system learning.

What benefits can the use of robotics bring to a bakery line?

Benefits robotics bring to a bakery line include flexibility, gentle handling, quick changeovers and future upgradability. Most of all the move toward robotics will force a tightening of quality standards which has many additional effects and benefits.

How do today’s robotics ensure delicate handling of products?

With the ability to drive the robot to a unique position for every product, there is an assurance that the robot will pick first from the optimal position for that specific product. Since baked products are ever-changing, the very next product will likely be slightly different in location and size. Then, the tooling, whether gripper or suction, for example, will have its touch points only where you want them, thus imparting the fewest number of markings possible. If, for instance, you wrap product from there, the robot will have already oriented it correctly and conveyed it gently to the wrapper.

How can a bakery know if it’s ready to implement robotics? Where is a good place for bakers to start with robotics?

First and foremost, this is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but the most likely candidate is where the most labor is today. This is not always the case but usually a good place to start an open conversation.

How can bakers properly integrate robotic packaging into their lines?

Integration should start with a partnership of the chosen supplier and really asking what the supplier would suggest, while being open with the baker’s expectations. Generally speaking, training is absolutely key here.

What adjustments may they need to make when incorporating robotics?

Processes must be repeatable, so you must ensure all the steps before the robots come into the picture. You need as many steps as possible to eliminate variability. The more the baker tracks changes and ensures the changes “stick,” the better.

How has the versatility of robotics increased to handle a wider array of products?

Speaking specifically about end effectors, the quick changes allow a baker to move, for example, from a croissant to a Danish to a pretzel and over to a cookie if desired — all on the same line. The end effector is only one piece of the puzzle; this is another area where image processing and AI can assist in teaching the robot new formats faster than before.

What technologies is Schubert employing in its robotics to boost their performance?

In short this is nothing new in our world, but modularity that is at the heart of every Schubert system is key. The right solution for one baker might not be anything like the next. With simple modular components, we ensure every machine is configured for precisely what the customer wants and needs, ensuring maximum future flexibility.