Sant’Orsola, a cooperative founded in 1972 in Trentino Alto-Adige, leads Italy’s small fruit production. The cooperative includes over 800 producers from regions like Trentino, Sicily, Veneto, Marche, and Calabria. They grow a variety of berries, including raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and more.
In 1996, Sant’Orsola became a recognized Producer Organization. By 2019, they launched an energy-efficient production facility. The cooperative constantly seeks innovation in its processes. Their latest project, AGILEHAND, aims to improve berry handling with advanced technology. This pilot enhances product quality, reduces production costs, and increases efficiency.
Innovative Technologies in the AGILEHAND Pilot
At the core of the AGILEHAND pilot are several technologies that promise to transform the way Sant’Orsola processes its berries. One of the key innovations is the smart sensing suite’s vision technology, developed by Fundazione Bruno Kessler. This vision system automates the grading of berries, replacing the current manual process with a faster and more accurate system. With this technology, Sant’Orsola can assess the quality of every fruit in a batch, rather than relying on small sample sizes. This ensures a consistent and precise grading system, ultimately improving the final product’s quality.
Another critical element being tested is a collaborative robot, developed by B2A, which will aid in fruit extraction. This robot is designed to handle berries gently, reducing damage during the extraction process. Working in sync with the vision system, it can remove damaged or lower-quality fruit, leaving only the best berries for market.
Two additional technologies—Intelligent Rapid Reconfiguration of Production systems and a Data-driven Digital Twin—are set to further enhance operations. Developed by FHG and UPM, these tools will help Sant’Orsola better predict fruit production and customer orders, allowing for more efficient organization of the production lines
The Benefits: Efficiency, Cost Reduction, and Quality Improvement
The AGILEHAND pilot focuses on improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing product quality. Automated vision technology reduces manual processing, lowering labor costs and improving grading accuracy. The collaborative robot ensures only high-quality berries reach the market, minimizing waste and boosting customer satisfaction.
The Digital Twin system provides real-time simulations for optimizing production. It allows Sant’Orsola to adjust operations for different berry types and packaging needs. This flexibility helps the cooperative respond quickly to orders and allocate labor more efficiently.
Sant’Orsola’s partnership with AGILEHAND marks a major advance in berry processing and grading. These technologies enhance product quality and pave the way for a more efficient, cost-effective future.
The integration of automation, robotics, and digital twins could well revolutionize berry production, reinforcing Sant’Orsola’s position as a leader in the industry.
