This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at Aplicaciones robóticas en el sector pesquero

Storafish is born of the conviction that it is feasible to fit a robotic structure and all your peripherals to the needs posed by the operations of unloading of fish

Robotic applications in the fisheries sector

July loyal Maroto, Coordinator technology area fishery products. Center of technology of the Cetmar Mar-Fundación04/09/2008

September 4, 2008

The presence of robotic systems in the context of the fisheries sector is small in comparison with which we can find in other sectors industry, including food. However, this claim should do it with caution or, at least, echoing certain caveats such as some (rare) highly robotic development companies.

The reasons for this fact are not here because of analysis; no doubt the peculiarities of our sector have prevented further expansion of these systems so far. The question that could be done is if there are possibilities, and we refer to existing specific processes that could be improved, introducing Robotics in our industrial environment less anecdotal form and, of course, most common.

In this respect our point of view is so. There are procedures of work and very ingrained habits not for families may seem to us are equally effective. It is not easy, but no doubt a detailed analysis of these processes, together with a greater knowledge than the possibilities offered Robotics, would lead us to identify and refine implementation real niche. To endorse this idea and not remain in a purely theoretical level, we are going to give an example of a research project that tries to solve via robotics to a specific problem well known in the industry.

Project Storafish

It's the acronym Storafish and project title "Analysis of the logistics and robotic palletizing in cold stores." Development of a Virtual simulation. "07DPI003CT", subsidized by the Ministry of industry and innovation (Xunta de Galicia) through the Directorate General for research, development and innovation under the terms of the call of the sectoral Plan (Incite) according to resolution of 15 November 2007.

The Consortium is composed of the Technological center of the sea (Cetmar), the technological center of automotive of Galicia (CTAG) and optimize Fodema, SA Brief analysis of the same notes the presence of two technological centres representative of two sectors as seemingly disparate as they are fishing and the automotive industry; two contrasting industrial fields where technological developments, and in particular the presence of robotic solutions, go clearly on the side of the second. Wants it to say that the link between these two centres (not limited to this project) is to create a channel to reach a technological shift of one other taking advantage of the experience accumulated by CTAG. This pairing is completed with the invaluable contribution of optimizing Fodema, S.A., a well established and known company that certifies a high expertise and a thorough knowledge of the sector.

Galicia in general, and particularly some of its ports as Vigo or Marín, host for years huge tonnages of frozen raw fruit of extractive fishing of high altitude. The availability of goods made possible the creation of an extensive network of cold stores that for logistical reasons tend to be located in the surroundings of ports or vicinity. The download process, either containers or from the cellar of the ships, is scarcely mechanized and involves the use of a very high labor; Despite this, it seems that the system has evolved in recent years.

We understand that the robotization applied to discharges, would involve a number of benefits, all of which are inherent in these systems in principle: pace of constant downloading, rationalization and lowering of the process and a substantial reduction in the employed labour force. The approach of Storafish stems from the conviction that it is feasible, from a theoretical and technical point of view mold a robotic structure and all your peripherals to the needs posed by this type of operation.

Virtual recreation 3D robotic palletizing (food and robot peripherals) system. Photo: Optimize Fodema, S.A.

"How to download, either containers or from the cellar of the ships, is scarcely mechanized and involves the use of a very high labor;" "in spite of this, it seems that the system has evolved in recent years"

Attempt to directly implement a robotic development was considered as erroneous and out of the question; before it would have to try to ensure the viability of the idea using simulation software tools already available. The overall objective of this project is the carry out a detailed analysis of the current logistics currently in our refrigerators and, on the basis to it, make the development of a virtual simulation consisting of a robot and its peripheral systems in which all kinds of variables could be introduced to and know and detect bottlenecksreal possibilities and any information that would eventually help possible and future industrial development.

During the development of the project, which will be completed in the month of October, the virtual system has made it possible to visualize how this system behaves by changing working conditions and introducing therein all the possible variables (number of references)(size of the packaging, mosaics of palletizing, etc). In this way, you are identifying which are the existing limitations or other aspects to be considered expensive to design a hypothetical real model under a prior knowledge largely guaranteeing their proper functioning.

Real data

That the results obtained from the virtual simulations should have the necessary validity, there to feed them with data taken from reality. This marked the completion of a thorough and comprehensive fieldwork that led us to different refrigerators and downloads during which were taken, thus detailed and systematized data on a number of commercial references, dimensions of packaging, possible palletizations, fishing ground of origin, number of boxes per tape and period of time, etc. All of this aimed at nurturing the simulation software with data extracted from the reality of our refrigerators and ensure the value of the results.

As for these, they are not completed, but what has been done so far suggest that robotic systems in these tasks would be feasible and absolutely preposterous. The transit between the theoretical and the practical seem affordable, especially when the conclusions of this work would pave the way and simplificarían it to rule out errors in design.

Unprecedented in Northern Europe

The use of these systems to meet needs to some extent similar already has some precedent in companies in Northern Europe. In particular, there are already some prototypes to perform functions of palletizing in products derived from aquaculture of salmon. However to qualify that the differences are notable, among other reasons because the number of references, the disparity in the size of the boxes and the pace of work are very different and more in our case, this makes the development of a possible system more complex. In any case, these precedents clearly speak of trends in the short term and that the impediments that may arise can be solved technically.

It remains to be seen if in coming years the application of Robotics is gaining ground in our industry. It would be desirable for the advantages of its implementation are obvious; They are not so the processes in which could be included, but the example of Storafish makes clear that there are scarcely mechanized procedures that could be overcome and made through these systems.

3D virtual recreation robotic palletizing system. Photo: Optimize Fodema, S.A.

"It remains to be seen if in coming years the application of Robotics is gaining ground in our industrial"

More information

During the fair Conxemar, is more abundant information on the project at the stand of optimizing Fodema, S.A. In the same way, and that dissemination of results is concerned, dated 21 October will be held a day of presentation of results in Cetmar facilities. A specific website still in phase of creation will be available to complete the effort of the technological center of the sea by to publicize the work and the contents of the project, at the end of next month.