Cook-e, a French startup, is revolutionizing the catering industry with its innovative robot kitchen. In response to the ongoing skilled worker shortage, Cook-e has developed a solution that automates the process of preparing fresh and healthy dishes, taking the burden off restaurateurs. The key to this innovative kitchen’s success lies in its compact, hygienic, and lubrication-free igus-toothed belt axes. These axes allow the robot kitchen to operate efficiently, even in small restaurant spaces.
Addressing the Skills Shortage
The culinary industry often faces challenges due to the demanding nature of the job, long working hours and a shortage of skilled workers. Cook-e‘s robot kitchen aims to address these issues by automating laborious kitchen tasks. The process begins when service personnel or guests place an order using a tablet, input terminal, or app. The kitchen then takes over, preparing a customized dish.
The kitchen follows a series of steps, starting with ingredient assembly according to recipes stored in the software. The ingenious system uses dosing containers that move along a shelf with storage modules. These containers retrieve precise amounts of ingredients, such as rice, shredded chicken, maize, and more. Once all the ingredients are ready, they are poured into one of three rotating cooking modules, resembling wok pans. These modules can rotate, tilt, mix, fry, and stir, allowing for a wide range of dishes to be prepared. Remarkably, it takes just 210 seconds from the time an order is placed to serve the completed dish. Cook-e claims it can prepare 250 dishes per hour, including popular dishes like risottos, chili con carne, and osso buco.
Space-Saving Automation
To ensure that as many restaurants as possible can benefit from this automation, Cook-e has designed the robot kitchen to be space-saving. Given the high cost of renting space in major cities, the company focused on compact design throughout the robot’s components. However, a linear guide with ball-bearing-supported carriages would have consumed too much space. As a solution, electric igus-toothed belt axes were chosen. According to Michael Hornung, igus Product Manager for Drylin Linear and Drive Technology, “Drylin ZLW-series toothed belt axes are the ideal solution for light adjustment and positioning tasks in limited spaces where every millimeter counts.” These axes have a low clearance height of just 31 millimeters, allowing for a more compact kitchen design. As a result, the robot kitchen requires only 2.7 square meters of floor space.
Hygienic and Low-maintenance
The components of the robotic kitchen must meet strict hygienic requirements, as per the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) standards, originally developed by NASA to ensure food safety for astronauts. The selected materials, primarily stainless steel and PETG, are suitable for contact with food. igus-toothed belt axes are an excellent fit for these requirements since igus manufactures trusses and linear carriages from corrosion-resistant stainless steel. The linear carriages move on plain bearings made of high-performance plastic, which require no lubrication, making them maintenance-free. The absence of external greases and lubricants ensures all bearing points and surfaces are easy to clean and hygienic. The robot kitchen automatically cleans itself after every meal, involving the dosing containers and pan tilting downwards, with a high-pressure water jet and cleaning agents.
Cook-e’s robot kitchen exemplifies the power of automation in addressing the challenges faced by the catering industry. By using innovative, space-saving, and hygienic technology, the company is not only providing solutions for restaurateurs but also offering a glimpse into the future of food preparation and service.
Cook-e’s approach showcases how robotics and automation can revolutionize traditional industries, making them more efficient, cost-effective, and capable of delivering high-quality products in challenging circumstances. This initiative aligns with the ongoing trend of automation, which is increasingly finding applications in various sectors, including hospitality and food services.
About igus
igus is a leading manufacturer of innovative and lubrication-free motion plastics. The company provides solutions for various industries, offering high-performance plastic components, cables, and continuous-flex cables. With a strong focus on research and development, igus is at the forefront of delivering cutting-edge solutions for modern automation and engineering challenges.
About Cook-e
Cook-e is a French startup specializing in the automation of food preparation in the restaurant industry. The company has developed a robot kitchen that takes on the role of a cook in the kitchen, significantly reducing labor requirements and allowing restaurants to offer fresh and consistent dishes quickly and efficiently. Cook-e is dedicated to improving the restaurant experience and helping the industry adapt to changing dynamics.
