Technologies that change a buyer's decision

Technology briefs

• Commercial deployment · last verified 2026-10-18

  Collaborative robots in packing and palletising cells

  Problem addressed: Manual end-of-line tasks (case packing, palletising, machine tending) where a fully guarded robot cell does not fit the floor space or product mix.

  Read the brief

  In plain language

  A robot system designed so people and the robot can share a defined workspace, using measures such as speed and separation monitoring or power and force limiting. Whether a cell is actually collaborative depends on the risk assessment of the whole application, not on the robot arm alone.

  Relevant project types

  End-of-line packing, palletising and machine tending on production and packaging lines.

  Maturity evidence

  Published international safety requirements exist: ISO 10218-1 (Edition 3, 2025) for industrial robots and ISO/TS 15066 (2016) for collaborative robot systems.

  Procurement implications

  • Scope the application (gripper, payload, conveyor, guarding), not just the robot — the risk assessment covers the whole cell.
  • Ask which party (robot maker, integrator or buyer) owns the risk assessment and CE/local conformity documentation.
  • Cycle-time assumptions must be confirmed with the chosen safety mode; collaborative operation may run slower than a guarded cell.

  Adoption risks

  • A cell sold as 'collaborative' may still need fencing or scanners once the full application is assessed.
  • Gripper and end-of-arm tooling often drive changeover time more than the robot.

  Questions to ask vendors and engineers

  • Which clauses of ISO 10218-1/-2 and ISO/TS 15066 does your proposed cell design reference?
  • Who performs and signs the application risk assessment?
  • What cycle time do you commit to in the collaborative safety mode, and how will it be shown at FAT?

  Add to your RFQ

  • Products, case sizes and pallet patterns
  • Required throughput per hour and shift pattern
  • Floor layout and operator access zones
  • Safety standards and conformity marking required in the destination market
  • FAT/SAT acceptance criteria including cycle time

  Limitations

  ISO standards are paid documents; this brief relies on their published scope pages, not the full text. Local machinery regulation still applies.

  Sources

  • ISO 10218-1:2025 Robotics — Safety requirements — Part 1: Industrial robots — ISO, accessed 2026-10-18
  • ISO/TS 15066:2016 Robots and robotic devices — Collaborative robots — ISO, accessed 2026-10-18

  End-of-arm tooling typesFactory acceptance test checklist

• Maturity not stated · last verified 2026-10-18

  Condition monitoring and predictive maintenance

  Problem addressed: Unplanned stops on critical machines (motors, gearboxes, compressors, fillers) that are only found after failure.

  Read the brief

  In plain language

  Sensors and inspections track measurable signs of machine condition — for example vibration, temperature or oil condition — so maintenance can be planned before a fault stops production. Software or AI models may help spot trends, but the method starts with choosing what to measure on which machine.

  Relevant project types

  New lines specified with monitoring built in, and existing plants adding it to bottleneck assets.

  Maturity evidence

  Not stated: condition monitoring is covered by long-standing ISO guidance, but the maturity of a specific vendor's analytics or AI must be judged case by case.

  Procurement implications

  • Decide in the RFQ which machines must ship with sensors, data access and open interfaces.
  • Clarify data ownership and whether monitoring needs a paid subscription after handover.
  • Lifecycle cost comparisons should include the monitoring service, not only the machine.

  Adoption risks

  • Alerts without a maintenance process behind them rarely change outcomes.
  • Proprietary data formats can lock the plant to one service provider.

  Questions to ask vendors and engineers

  • Which failure modes does the monitoring detect, and how was that validated on comparable machines?
  • Who owns the raw data and can we export it without your software?
  • What recurring fees apply after warranty?

  Add to your RFQ

  • List of critical assets and their failure history
  • Required signals and data interfaces
  • Data ownership and export terms
  • Subscription and support costs over the evaluation period

  Limitations

  ISO 17359 gives general guidelines; it does not rate any product. Vendor claims about prediction accuracy are manufacturer statements unless independently verified.

  Sources

  • ISO 17359:2018 Condition monitoring and diagnostics of machines — General guidelines — ISO, accessed 2026-10-18

  Total cost of ownership calculatorOEE loss analysis before buying equipment

• Maturity not stated · last verified 2026-10-18

  Digital twins for line design and commissioning

  Problem addressed: Late discovery of layout, integration or control problems when a multi-supplier line is first assembled on site.

  Read the brief

  In plain language

  A digital representation of the line, linked to its equipment and data, used to test layout, flow or control logic before and after installation. ISO 23247 sets out a reference framework for digital twins in manufacturing.

  Relevant project types

  Complete production and packaging lines with several suppliers and a tight commissioning window.

  Maturity evidence

  Not stated: a framework standard (ISO 23247-1:2021) exists, but the term 'digital twin' covers anything from a 3D layout to a live process model, so maturity depends on what is offered.

  Procurement implications

  • Define what the 'twin' must do (layout check, throughput simulation, virtual commissioning of controls) before comparing quotes.
  • Agree which supplier supplies models and data for each machine, in what format.
  • Treat simulation results as planning input; acceptance still happens at FAT/SAT.

  Adoption risks

  • Quotes using the same term can describe very different deliverables.
  • Model upkeep after handover is often unscoped.

  Questions to ask vendors and engineers

  • What exactly will the model simulate, and at what level of detail?
  • Which inputs do you need from other line suppliers?
  • Is the model handed over, and in which format?

  Add to your RFQ

  • Purpose of the digital model
  • Data and model formats per supplier
  • Ownership and handover of the model
  • Link to FAT/SAT test plan

  Limitations

  Based on the published scope of ISO 23247-1, not the full paid text.

  Sources

  • ISO 23247-1:2021 Digital twin framework for manufacturing — Part 1: Overview and general principles — ISO, accessed 2026-10-18

  Production line guidesProduction line commissioning checklist

• Maturity not stated · last verified 2026-10-18

  Heat pumps for low-temperature process heat

  Problem addressed: Fuel-fired heating for washing, cleaning, drying or space heating where waste heat from refrigeration or compressors is discarded.

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  In plain language

  A heat pump uses electricity to move heat from a lower-temperature source (such as refrigeration reject heat or ambient air) to a higher temperature where it is needed. The International Energy Agency describes heat pumps powered by low-emissions electricity as a central technology for secure and sustainable heating.

  Relevant project types

  Food, packing and cold-chain sites with simultaneous cooling and heating demand.

  Maturity evidence

  Not stated for industrial use: suitability depends heavily on the required temperature and the site's heat sources, so each case needs an engineering study.

  Procurement implications

  • Map heat demand and temperatures before requesting quotes.
  • Compare options on lifecycle energy cost using your own tariffs, not supplier efficiency figures alone.
  • Integration with existing refrigeration may involve a separate specialist.

  Adoption risks

  • Performance falls as the temperature lift rises.
  • Electrical supply capacity at the site may need upgrading.

  Questions to ask vendors and engineers

  • At what source and delivery temperatures is your stated performance measured?
  • What backup heating is assumed?
  • What grid connection capacity is required?

  Add to your RFQ

  • Heat demand profile and required temperatures
  • Available heat sources
  • Electricity tariff and connection capacity
  • Refrigerant and local regulatory requirements

  Limitations

  The IEA report (2022) is a global outlook; it is not a design guide for a specific plant.

  Sources

  • The Future of Heat Pumps (World Energy Outlook Special Report) — International Energy Agency, accessed 2026-10-18

  Total cost of ownership calculatorColdMatch (cold chain)

• Maturity not stated · last verified 2026-10-18

  Recyclable pack design under the EU packaging regulation

  Problem addressed: Packaging lines bought today may need to run different materials or formats for products sold in the European Union.

  Read the brief

  In plain language

  Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste (adopted 19 December 2024, published in the Official Journal on 22 January 2025) repeals Directive 94/62/EC and sets EU-wide packaging requirements. For a machine buyer, the practical question is whether a line can handle the materials and formats the brand may need.

  Relevant project types

  Packaging lines for products sold into the EU, especially film, tray and form-fill-seal equipment.

  Maturity evidence

  Not applicable: this is a regulation, not a technology. Its obligations apply on dates set in the text; check them with counsel for your products.

  Procurement implications

  • Ask suppliers to state which film or material families the machine is validated to run.
  • Include possible future material changes in format-part and changeover scope.
  • Confirm requirements with your packaging and legal teams; this brief is not legal advice.

  Adoption risks

  • Sealing and forming settings proven on one material may not transfer to another.

  Questions to ask vendors and engineers

  • Which material structures has this machine been tested on, and can you show trials?
  • What parts change to switch materials?

  Add to your RFQ

  • Current and possible future pack materials
  • Sales markets for the packed product
  • Material trial requirements at FAT

  Limitations

  Summarises the regulation's title and dates only; it does not interpret specific obligations.

  Sources

  • Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste — EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), accessed 2026-10-18

  Packaging line buyer's guidePackaging formats — cost per pack

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