Automating Candy Production with Dispense Buddy

For startup confectioners and food entrepreneurs, getting things done often means doing them by hand. It works, but it’s not exactly efficient (or easy on the arms). At Mission Design & Automation, we know that scaling your production while maintaining high quality is a balancing act. That’s why we developed The Buddy System, a suite of easy-to-program, mobile automation solutions designed to streamline production without overcomplicating your workflow. In this case study, we explore how Dispense Buddy, a member of the Buddy System family, transforms one of candy making’s most tedious tasks into a seamless, scalable process.

The Challenge: Manual Candy Dispensing is No Sweet Task

Crafting bite-sized candies typically begins by pouring a liquid solution into small, detailed molds. For early stage candymakers, the first step is often manual dispensing, which is repetitive, time-consuming, and tiring.

Dispense Buddy, a mobile, light automation solution, was designed to simplify production. It’s easy to integrate into existing processes or roll into a new setup. For small businesses looking to scale, The Buddy System is a great first step into automation.

The Solution: Meet Dispense Buddy

Dispense Buddy is customizable for a variety of food production needs—including gummy candies. We recently deployed Dispense Buddy to help with production of a fan-favorite sweet treat: gummy bears. After just a few minutes of setup, Dispense Buddy was filling candy molds without any human help, and was able to repeat this process infinitely without getting tired, needing a break, or making fatigue-driven mistakes.

To program Dispense Buddy, the operator first taught it three key positions: the starting point, the final column, and the final row. Then, they fine-tuned the grid settings to match the specific mold by entering parameters like program speed, dwell time, approach and departure heights, and the number of columns and rows.

With that setup complete, Dispense Buddy followed the grid pattern precisely, dispensing gummy mixture into each mold with ease.

The result? A mess-free, hands-off candy-making process for the maker.

Key Features

• Customizable dispense points: Easily reprogram for different shapes and mold sizes.
• Mobile application: The Buddy System is on wheels, making it easy to physically move your buddy to different areas of production.
• FANUC CRX collaborative robot: Ensures smooth, consistent dispensing every time.
• Food-grade dispense tip: Safe and compliant with edible applications.

Customer Benefits

• Reduce strain: Eliminates physical fatigue from repetitive manual work.
• Improve consistency: Every mold receives the same precise amount.
• Free up operators: Staff can focus on other tasks while Dispense Buddy handles the mold injections.

See Dispense Buddy in Action: Gummy Bears for Easter

Watch Dispense Buddy in action as it fills intricate bear molds with the candy concoction—delivering adorable, uniform gummy bears just in time for Easter.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/5dp2JQvdja4?si=IoOoWjdnoz37TfGo