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From oven to basket. Freshly packed. Every time.
Automated bread packaging with AI-based quality inspection
Schäfer’s Backwaren GmbH in Lehrte supplies EDEKA stores and service counters daily with bread from its own production. At four packaging lines, the breads are placed into bakery baskets after baking – previously done manually.
As production volumes increased, so did the need for a hygienic, reliable, and labor-relieving process with integrated quality control – without modifying the existing line structure. robomotion automated this packaging step directly within the ongoing production.
Bakery industry / Food production
Schäfer’s Backwaren GmbH
Secure gripping of bread in flow-wrap packaging
Creating stacking patterns for basket loading
Bread on conveyor before quality inspection
Stainless steel gripper for hygienic bread handling
We were looking for a solution that works cleanly, thinks along, and integrates into our existing line. Today, quality control and packaging run in a single step – stable and reliable
Marcus Stieber, Operations Manager and Project Manager, Schäfer’s Backwaren GmbH
The Challenge
Pack consistently. Avoid errors. Save space.
Every day, breads with different recipes, shapes, and baking-related variations move along the lines. Each bread is unique – which makes detection, quality inspection, and handling particularly demanding. Products must be reliably identified and assessed, while the gripper must securely handle a wide range of bread shapes without damaging the crust – all under hygienic conditions.
A large proportion of the breads are also packaged in flow-wrap film. This must neither be damaged during handling nor burst due to excessive pressure. As the glossy film causes reflections that interfere with image processing, quality inspection had to take place before the packaging step – directly in the running process and despite varying product characteristics.
Previously, breads were manually placed into bakery baskets. Each product had to be positioned so that nothing protruded beyond the basket edge and filling remained process-safe. At the same time, quality deviations such as deformation or excessive browning needed to be detected early – before the products reached the stores.
The automation solution had to meet strict requirements: integration into four existing packaging lines, no modifications to upstream conveyor systems, minimal space usage, and hygienic operation in daily production. All of this at high throughput – reliably, continuously, and without detours. A standard off-the-shelf solution was not an option.
The Solution
Systematic packaging – automated and reproducible
robomotion developed a compact robotic cell that docks directly onto the existing line and replaces the previous manual process – without changes to the existing conveyor technology.
1. Inspect – before packaging
Before packaging, the breads pass through an optical quality inspection. An AI-based vision system evaluates each product in real time – based on shape, surface, and degree of browning.
As the reflective flow-wrap film interferes with reliable image processing, inspection is deliberately placed before the film packaging stage. Only defect-free breads proceed to the next step.
2. Pick – hygienic and precise
An ABB FlexPicker IRB 360 handles the products. The custom-developed stainless steel gripper is hygienically designed and suitable for direct food contact. It automatically adapts to different bread shapes without damaging the crust.
Sensors and encoders determine the exact position of each bread, enabling precise picking and correctly oriented placement.
3. Place – flexible stacking patterns
More than 16 different stacking patterns can be selected via the control panel, allowing fast adaptation to various bread types.
Once a pattern is complete, the discharge unit opens and the breads are gently transferred into the prepared bakery basket. At the same time, an empty basket is automatically supplied – ensuring uninterrupted operation.
The system achieves a throughput of up to 2,700 breads per hour – with consistent basket quality and without modifying the existing line.
Explore more solutions in our references.
Or learn more about our customer Schäfer’s and their bakery production.
