Over a decade ago, Applied Robotics helped Arnott’s Biscuits develop an automated assorted biscuit packaging system that could process up to 105 biscuits per second.
Since 1865, Arnott’s has fed Australian families with its range of biscuits. With more than 1,045 products manufactured across 16 sites employing more than 4,000 people, Arnott’s sources 75 per cent of ingredients locally in Australia and New Zealand.
Since the 1960s, Arnott’s has pioneered the automation of its baking and packaging processes for single-variety biscuits. However, assembling the assorted packs presented a seemingly impossible automation challenge, requiring individual placement by hand.
Assorted packs demand repetitive, labour-intensive processes
From Cream Favourites and Family Favourites to High Tea Favourites and the Cheeseboard Cracker Assortment, these packs feature biscuits such as Monte Carlos, Shortbread Creams, Delta Creams and various crackers arranged in dedicated vacuum-formed trays. Unlike single-variety packs, which could be automatically packed directly from the production line, assorted packs required a complex and labour-intensive multi-stage process.
This includes baking each biscuit variety separately over multiple days; storing biscuits temporarily in airtight containers; manually placing each biscuit type into its designated cavity in the vacuum-formed tray; and packaging and distributing the completed packs.
“With demand requiring 140 packs per minute, they needed teams of operators working across shifts to handle the manual packing,” said founder and technical director, Applied Robotics, Dr Paul Wong. “This labour-intensive process created challenging repetitive work while increasing production costs and making consistent quality difficult to maintain at such high volumes.”
Standard automation machines were not viable
Facing these challenges, Arnott’s initially approached their traditional European machinery suppliers from Germany and Switzerland, who had provided their single variety packing equipment for decades. However, assessing the complexity of delicately handling and placing unique shapes, sizes and delicate compositions into precise packaging, they deemed an automated solution unviable.
Facing higher local costs, Arnott’s was determined to find a solution that could work alongside the existing workforce to maintain the manufacturing of these Australian products on home soil.
Integrating more than 50 robots and 64 vision systems
After evaluating several potential partners, Arnott’s partnered with Australian-owned Applied Robotics to tackle this challenge. Rather than adapting existing machinery designs, Applied Robotics developed a new concept centred around advanced robotics, machine vision and an end-to-end approach.
“The traditional European suppliers viewed the problem through the lens of conventional biscuit machinery,” said solutions general manager, Applied Robotics, Andrew Hambly. “We approached it differently, leveraging vision systems and robotics to create a system that could replicate and improve upon the quality and consistency of human operators, while dramatically increasing throughput.”
In uncharted territory, Arnott’s and Applied Robotics started with a six-month feasibility study to confirm the approach would work at scale. The team built and tested a single cell that could handle one biscuit variety with the necessary speed, precision and quality control.
After testing proved the concept viable, they built a system that transformed the assorted pack production process.
“What makes this system remarkable is not just its scale, with 52 robots and 35 vision systems, but the way it also integrates storage trays, metal detection, quality assurance and washing systems to work seamlessly together from start to finish,” said Wong.
Machine vision ensures quality control
A critical innovation was implementing advanced vision systems that could replicate and improve upon human quality inspection. These systems verify: correct biscuit size, shape and colour; proper cream distribution in sandwich biscuits; absence of breaks or damage; and consistent positioning within trays.
“The vision systems can detect even subtle variations in cream distribution size variation or cracks that might be missed by human inspectors, especially after hours on the production line,” explained Wong.
A world-first automation system
1. Baking line unloading robots:
• Three specialised robotic cells unload freshly baked biscuits from the production line.
• Vision systems inspect each biscuit for quality, size and appearance.
• Robots place biscuits into custom-designed storage trays.
2. Airtight storage system:
• Sealed trays maintain freshness until each variety is needed.
• Automated tracking system manages inventory of each biscuit type.
3. Assorted pack-filling cells:
• Eight specialised cells along the conveyor handle individual varieties.
• Custom grippers with force-feedback servomotors provide a feather-like touch that mimics human dexterity.
• Vision systems verify biscuit quality, cream distribution and structural integrity.
4. Integrated packaging line:
• Filled trays proceed through metal detection, flow wrapping and cartooning.
• Automated case packing and palletising systems prepare products for distribution.
• Used storage trays are washed, dried and returned to the system.
5. Central control system:
• Manufacturing Execution System coordinates all processes in real-time,
• Production data gathered for analytics and optimisation.
• Flexible programming for rapid changeover between pack configurations.
Combining local manufacturing with innovation
This automation system has transformed Arnott’s assorted pack production capabilities since its installation in 2012, helping the company:
• Maintain Australian manufacturing of iconic products.
• Process up to 105 biscuits per second with consistent quality and minimal waste.
• Reduce repetitive manual labour to improve working conditions.
• Ensure consistent quality control that exceeds human inspection capabilities.
• Create flexible production capacity that can be adjusted to meet seasonal demand.
The project established new global benchmarks for what is possible in biscuit packaging automation.
“Applied Robotics brought together a team capable of the design and installation of the largest food and beverage automation project in the world for that year and the largest single food and beverage automation project in the Southern Hemisphere,” noted Peter Bradbury, ABB Robotics.
The system has been running successfully since 2012, continuing to package the assorted varieties of Arnott’s biscuits found on supermarket shelves today.
Preserving Australian manufacturing heritage through innovation
“This partnership exemplifies how Australian innovation can solve challenges that international suppliers considered impossible,” said Wong. “By combining Applied Robotics’ automation expertise with Arnott’s commitment to local manufacturing, we’ve created a solution that has kept the production of these iconic Australian products on home soil for well over a decade.”