The laser marking of fruit arises from a need for identification on a variable product. Jaime Sanfelix, founder of Laserfood, explains in chapter 7 of “Toque de Ingenio” how a business question led to researching a technology and transforming it into industrial machinery. The conversation also discusses Persiskin and the search for applications for materials obtained from kaki surpluses.
Guest Jaime Sanfelix. Company or organization: Laserfood and Persiskin.
Interview published: April 22, 2024. Episode: 7. Duration: 2 hours and 15 minutes.
In this episode:
- How a need within the agro-food sector directs research.
- What does it involve transitioning from a lab technology to a fully operational machine?
- Why the application and the commercial model condition industrialization.
Identify the product before choosing a technology.
Jaime explains that his starting point was an understanding of the agro-food sector and the need to identify the product. He didn’t begin with a laser machine, but with a question he needed to answer.
“What I wanted was to identify the product”.
Jaime Sanfelix 11:22.
The search led him to contact university-based specialists in materials. That meeting helped to explore a technical route for a commercial need that he had already identified.
The case illustrates a useful way to begin product development: Describe the desired outcome and then investigate what technology can achieve it. The knowledge of the user or the sector provides requirements that the technical team must translate into tests.
Developing laser engraving on fruit requires an understanding of the support structure.
The fruit is not a perfectly identical piece that repeats under the same conditions. Jaime recalls its evolution from when it was harvested, and the time that passes until it is consumed. The process of marking should be studied specifically on this particular product.
The interview outlines a first stage of research and development, approximately three years in the future. The aim was to achieve a technology suitable for industrial machinery. The trajectory indicates that an initial possibility requires testing before it can become operational.
For other projects, learning involves working with representative samples and conditions. A demonstration on a single unit does not, by itself, address the variation that will occur during production.
From the laboratory to an integrated machine within the process.
La Industrial automation Connect the marking function with the feed, position, and working speed. The system needs to adapt to the way the client handles their product.
Jaime describes situations where commercial expectations led to increased demand, while development continued according to its planned schedule. The episode highlights the importance of coordinating communication, orders, and technical capacity.
Before committing to a delivery, the company needs to know which version has been defined, what remains to be checked, and what resources are required for the setup. The deadlines for the project should be linked to these milestones.
A specific application demonstrates value.
The guest describes a case of watermelon identification in distribution, and links it to a commercial difficulty the client is experiencing. The significance of this example is that the value of the marking is explained within an operation, as well as as a technological capability.
An industrial application is best understood when the user can identify the problem and the desired outcome. This clarity helps in determining what to measure during testing and which function should be maintained during use.
The experiences and referenced regulations described are from April 2024. This article does not reproduce any regulatory procedures or assign any current authorization to any marked application.
Seasonality affects the operational model.
Jaime explains that his clients’ activities don’t always span the entire year. The campaigns for various products create periods of use that influence how the machine is valued.
“It’s a seasonal sector”.
Jaime Sanfelix 50:27.
That data connects design and business. The level of effort, periods of inactivity, and necessary services need to be factored into the planning. Predictions shouldn’t be based solely on continuous usage, especially if the client operates on campaigns.
El industrial assembly And when preparing for manufacturing, it’s important to understand the delivery environment. It’s also advisable to define how the equipment will be maintained and what support will be required for its installation.
Persiskin: From surplus to the requirements of a material.
The second part of the interview outlines a project to transform surplus kaki fruit into a material with applications beyond food. Jaime discusses the finishing process, the feel of the material, and the search for markets.
The key aspect of engineering is transforming a raw material into one that meets specific usage requirements. The discussion highlights demands from sectors such as automotive, where various conditions must be tested before the material is integrated.
The origin of a raw material, by itself, does not prove its suitability for a particular application. prototypes and testing They allow for the study of behavior, integration, and the process itself, and help to define where they can add value.
Innovation requires also exploring manufacturing and the market.
Laserfood and Persiskin illustrate two approaches that share a common question: how to transfer sector-specific knowledge and technology into a solution that someone needs to use. The research, the technology, and the delivery model are mutually influential.
The aim of this chapter is to maintain that connection throughout the development process. The technical possibilities must be compared with manufacturing conditions, usage, and operation, in order to become industrial products.
Questions about laser marking of fruit
What need prompted the use of Laserfood marking?
According to Jaime, identifying the product within the commercial chain. His search for a solution led him to collaborate with specialists in materials and to develop the technology.
What should be checked when industrializing a fruit process?
The variation in the product, the process conditions, and its integration into the client’s operations. The study needs to illustrate what will happen during production.
Why does seasonality matter when developing machinery?
Because it alters the periods of use and the way investment and service are valued. The machine should be designed and offered for the actual working environment.
Four key takeaways from the chapter.
- The client’s needs and requirements should come before any technological choices.
- The research needs to be linked to an industrial operation.
- The variation in the material is part of the testing process.
- The usage model conditions both manufacturing and service.
From learning to product development.
At i-mas, we develop machinery and products based on specific industrial needs. If you’re adapting a technology or material for a particular application We can assist you with design, testing, and integration..
You can also read. Automation of crop cultivation with Enkitek.
Source: Original interview from Toque de Ingenio, published on YouTube on April 22, 2024. The experiences, figures, and plans discussed in the interview are reflective of that specific time. The references to i-mas services are the editorial analysis of the article.
