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The Centre for Food Robotics and Automation is expected to be in full operation by spring 2007. The centre will develop prototype robotic and automation solutions to various companies' specific needs, while also acting as a centre of excellence, and will be run under contract by a combination of the University of Salford and the Food Chain Centre of Industrial Collaboration at the University of Leeds. Yorkshire Forward's food and drink cluster manager, John Sorsby, believes it will be a huge success: "Ten months ago we took the concept to a number of large, small and medium-sized enterprises, and there was lots of support: people could see the potential straight away.
"Basically a company will come to the centre and say they want help with a specific part of their process, and our technicians will go out to the site to see what can be done. That's then taken back to the centre and developed into an actual solution."
The working prototypes produced by the centre can then be built to full operating specifications by engineering firms. "We're not just looking at robotics, but at all sorts of automation, so our remit is pretty wide. We can help a lot of people." The centre will also provide advice and training to increase the skill levels in this discipline within the workforce, and act as a research and proving arm for the sector.
