De-nesting and tray set-up of fragile glassware and porcelain for premium service

Premium-cabin catering requires assembling service trays and carts with fragile glassware, porcelain and ceramic items that must be de-nested from stacks and positioned into tray recesses or carts. The objects are rigid but brittle, with thin walls that chip or shatter under excessive or off-axis grip force, and they often come nested or closely packed, requiring controlled separation. This is a contact-rich handling task rather than bulk transport because a fumble is not a cheap re-grip — it destroys the item and creates a glass-shard safety hazard on a food line. It is hard for a robot because grip force must be tuned to the wall thickness and the seating into slots must be gentle and aligned. There is no company-specific evidence DO & CO is automating this, so demand is inferred only. We identified this through our own research; we have not confirmed the specifics with the customer directly. This page is our researched read — a starting point for that conversation.