Robotic pork-processing system

Keywords: Robotics, Canada

In Canada, the meat-processing industry has found a solution to the problems of numerous injuries and inconsistent quality. The automation branch of the Quebec Industrial Research Centre and Riopel Industry Inc., which manufactures butchering and meat-cutting equipment will set up a limited partnership, Riopel Robotics, to develop a robotic system to separate pork bellies and ribs. The new system, which took two years to develop, starts with a loading mechanism that attaches the pork flank to a hook on a conveyor. Weighted wheels ensure the hook has correctly penetrated the flank. A servo mechanism enables random loading of flanks without interfering with the system's production rate. Once the flank is on a hook, a machine-vision system determines its topology and the image is used to determine cutting parameters and so reject bellies that are too thin. Those parameters are then transmitted to the robot, which makes the cut to separate the belly from the ribs. The entire process takes 2.6 seconds, and one robot operator with a helper can process the bellies and ribs of 750 pigs an hour, the same volume achieved by a six-person crew. In addition to labour savings, the system has an accuracy rate of 95 percent, while human workers only meet the specification for separating the ribs and belly about 20 per cent of the time. Pork bellies processed by the robotic system are more consistent and can be sold at a higher price, and fewer products are rejected by restaurant owners and supermarket buyers. The system uses a six-axes Fanuc robot that is protected by a pressurised, sanitary cover so it can withstand cold temperatures, ambient humidity and high-pressure cleaning. The robot arm's blade support has two double-edged blades; after a certain number of cuts it rotates on its axis and uses the other side of the blades. The robot also is equipped with an automatic blade changer and four blade supports so it can work the entire production day. During any slack time, the robot is programmed to sterilise the blades. For safety the Fanuc robot is isolated in a cage; opening the cage doors,accidentally or on purpose, causes the robot to stop automatically. The system's operation is managed by a touch screen controller, and operators can make adjustments to its cutting parameters without stopping the system. This allows for customised cutting parameters so that clients can optimise the market value of spare ribs and flanks. It also makes it easier for the processor to meet customers' specifications and establish quality standards. Two of the systems are now in operation; one at pork processor Olymel's plant in Montreal and one at Mitchell's Gourmet Food in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.