Bringing technology to the consumer, especially robotics, has been a challenge. Yet, after working for more than a decade on industrial and automation projects, Grayson Dawson founded Hop Robotics to do just that. His goal was to bring high-technology robotic serving systems to the food and beverage and hospitality sectors. Making devices that can be used in a wide variety of operations from bars and restaurants, to hotels and spas, to trade shows and conferences.

While there is a common understanding that automated robotics improve the speed and accuracy of industrial operations, the technology is only moving slowly into the consumer arena due to cost, reliability, and safety concerns. Many solutions are complex and difficult to program or operate. To reach the consumer market, automated robotics systems must be accessible by a wide range of people with varying degrees of technological understanding.

Hop Robotics considered all of this information and examined all these factors as they researched market needs for an automated beer dispensing platform suitable for all types of hospitality venues. The solution had to be easy-to-use, highly efficient, and cost-effective, requiring the use of commercial off-the-shelf components and software. Automation would be an integral part of the design, but in a limited capacity — just enough to make the system functional and supportable without driving up costs.

Many functions would require coordination, including the robotic arm control, cup handling devices, point-of-sale systems, messaging to external systems, and visualization of menus, branding, and queuing. Creating a compact form factor using components designed to withstand the rigors of transport was also a key concern.

The beer dispensing system has multiple order modes, monitors and sends keg alerts, automatically purges after keg changes, and has an extensive database of bands so that it can update ordering screens and menu boards accurately.  

The Hop Robotics team already had previous experience with the performance, quality, availability, and value of AutomationDirect products, so they selected circuit breakers, relays, terminal blocks, power supplies, and more from the company’s portfolio of products. Hop Robotics could easily access CAD files for product so that their team could take advantage of 3D modelling tools. This allowed them to focus on specifications such as slim relays and double-level color-coded terminal blocks to optimize their control panel space and usability. 

Hop Robotics found that AutomationDirect—with a depth of brands along with their own line of products—provided a wide range of options, simplifying the search for components. This availability allowed the company to design through two iterations to present a valuable and impressive end product. Users are delighted at how the mobile system pours beer accurately and rapidly. In the end, Hop Robotics has used just the right amount of technology to create a design that will outlast novelty concepts. 

Note: This article was adapted from an article published in ISA’s Automation.com here. 

For information: 

Hop Robotics

AutomationDirect

Circuit Breakers

Relays

Terminal Blocks

Power Supplies