Robotics and Automation in Manufacturing...60 seconds with Jake Norman of OAL

Ahead of the Robotics and Automation in Manufacturing seminar, we caught up with Jake Norman, Innovation and Marketing Manager at OAL. Jake explained his role and involvement in robotics and automation, the critical challenges, five to 10 year vision and what he is looking forward to at the event.

Q: Could you briefly explain your role and involvement in robotics and automation?

Jake Norman (JN): I lead our APRIL Robotics teams working with food manufacturers to automate their material handling and processing. Our APRIL Ingredient handling system replaces the operator with a scoop for a highly accurate and fast robotic system.

Q: In your experience, what is the number one challenge facing engineers when using robotics in manufacturing?

JN: I don’t programme robots but I asked my fantastic team and they were more than happy to share their challenges! The main challenge is getting the mechanical design right at the start. If you do, it makes programming the robot much easier.

Q: What is the most exciting development in this field at the moment, either within your company or in your specific industry sector?

JN: The potential with artificial intelligence to learn from how we pick up and pour things is the most exciting development within OAL at the moment.

Q: Where do you see for the future of robotics in manufacturing heading over the next five to ten years? 

JN: Robots are the future of food manufacturing. Over the next decade we will see end-to-end processing of food with robots.

Q: What are you most looking forward to by presenting at this seminar?

JN: I am looking forward to highlighting a new use of robots in the food industry. Palletising systems are commonplace now but it’s exciting to be working with the ingredients at the front end of the factory.

Q: Which sessions are you most looking forward to hearing?

JN: I’m looking forward to hearing from Andrew Selim at Ocado Engineering speak about scaling his team.

Key programme highlights:

• Health and Safety Executive share developments in standards for human and robot collaboration
• Ocado Engineering discuss their journey to fully-automated warehouses
• British Automation and Robot Association explores the benefits and challenges of using cobots
• Airbus highlight the urgency for automation in aerospace and their current organisational practices
• AMRC discuss their work on pushing productivity boundaries through reconfigurable manufacturing.

Join this seminar to hear lessons learnt in robotic adoption from pioneering organisations in the aerospace, food and drink and fast-moving consumer goods sectors. Discuss the UK’s journey with robotics with plant and site engineering managers, robotics specialists, designers and manufacturers.

To book your place, please visit the event website.