A fully automatic beef processing production line and production method

Abstract

The application provides a full-automatic beef processing production line and a production method, and aims to solve problems of many manual operation links, low production efficiency, and difficult guarantee of hygiene quality in a traditional beef processing process. The application constructs a full-process automatic system covering blanching precooking, cooking, cooling, discharging, and automatic cleaning, stacking, and storage of carriers through an integrated and modular design idea, significantly improves the automation level and production efficiency of beef processing, and guarantees the safety and hygiene of food processing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food processing machinery and automation technology, and more specifically, to a fully automated beef processing production line and method capable of continuous and unmanned operation. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the beef processing industry faces a series of pressing technical challenges, including relatively low production efficiency, high reliance on manual labor, and difficulties in hygiene and safety management. These challenges not only restrict the industry's large-scale development but also affect the stability of product quality and the standardization of the production process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention addresses the technical problems of low production efficiency, high reliance on manual labor, and difficulty in hygiene control in the prior art by proposing a complete fully automated beef processing production line and corresponding production method.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: a fully automatic beef processing production line, which includes multiple functionally defined and independently set areas, which are arranged in sequence according to the process flow as a blanching and pre-cooking area, a cooking area, a cooling area, a feeding area, and a material storage area, forming a closed-loop process flow. The raw material conveying line in the blanching and pre-cooking area has a first blanching machine at its output end for preliminary blanching of the beef. A second blanching machine is connected to the outlet of the first blanching machine for secondary deep blanching of the beef. A feeding conveying line is installed at the outlet of the second blanching machine, and a dedicated feeding station is set at the end of the feeding conveying line. The end of the feeding conveying line is further connected to a carrier conveying line, where the blanched beef is placed in a carrier. Multiple feeding stations are arranged at intervals on the carrier conveying line, and each feeding station is connected to a beef input line. The output end of the beef input line is equipped with a transfer machine, which can move the beef between the cooking area, cooling area, and unloading area according to a preset path. The transfer machine is used to accurately grab and stack the carriers containing the beef. Several cooking pots are neatly arranged in the cooking area. These cooking pots are respectively arranged on both sides of the transfer track of the transfer machine for high-temperature cooking of beef. The cooling zone is equipped with a vacuum cooler, which is located in front of the cooking pot in the cooking zone and is also set on both sides of the transfer track of the transfer machine, for rapid and uniform vacuum cooling of the cooked beef. A destacking machine is installed in the unloading area. The output end of the destacking machine is connected to an unloading conveyor line. The end of the unloading conveyor line is equipped with an unloading tilting machine. The output end of the unloading tilting machine is further equipped with an empty vehicle input line. The beef is automatically unloaded through the unloading tilting machine. At the same time, the empty vehicle is completely tilted 180 degrees and placed upside down. Then it is orderly conveyed to the empty vehicle input line.

[0005] Preferably, the system also includes a material storage area, with the empty vehicle input line directly connected to the material storage area. The material storage area is equipped with a vehicle cleaning machine. The output end of the empty vehicle input line is connected to the input end of the vehicle cleaning machine. The output end of the vehicle cleaning machine is equipped with an empty vehicle output line, and the output end of the empty vehicle output line is equipped with an empty vehicle tilting machine. The empty vehicle tilting machine straightens upside-down empty vehicles, restoring them to their normal upward-facing state. The output end of the empty vehicle tilting machine is connected to a stacker crane for neatly stacking the cleaned empty vehicles. The output end of the stacker crane is connected to an inbound conveyor line, and the output end of the inbound conveyor line is equipped with an inbound elevator. This elevator receives stacks of vehicles from the lower inbound conveyor line and smoothly and vertically lifts them to the support height of each layer in the storage warehouse. The system also includes a storage warehouse for receiving, storing, and automatically transporting stacked vehicles to designated outbound workstations according to instructions from the central control system.

[0006] Preferably, an outbound elevator is installed at the outbound workstation of the temporary storage warehouse. The outbound elevator is used to receive the stacks of containers from the upper storage position and safely and vertically lower them to the lower working height required by the production line. An outbound conveyor line is arranged corresponding to the output end of the outbound elevator and is connected to the container conveyor line.

[0007] Preferably, the temporary storage warehouse is equipped with multi-layered and independently controlled storage shelves. Each layer is equipped with a chain or roller conveyor with bidirectional power drive function. These devices can realize fully automated inbound and outbound management and material scheduling according to the instructions of the central control system.

[0008] Preferably, the carrier conveyor line is also equipped with a vibrating screen mechanism to effectively vibrate and flatten the beef placed in the carrier.

[0009] Preferably, multiple cooking pots and vacuum coolers are provided, all of which adopt an upward-opening door structure design.

[0010] Preferably, the conveyor line uses one or more combinations of belt conveyors and roller conveyors to achieve flexible material conveying according to process requirements.

[0011] Preferably, the vehicle cleaning machine includes a pre-wash section, a main wash section, a rinsing section, a cleaning section, an air-drying section, and a drying section in sequence, forming a complete cleaning and drying process.

[0012] A production method using the aforementioned fully automated beef processing production line includes the following detailed steps: Beef is continuously fed into the first blanching machine via a raw material conveyor line for initial blanching. After initial blanching, the beef immediately enters the second blanching machine for secondary, intensive blanching. The beef, after secondary blanching, is then transported to the loading station via a feeding conveyor line. A carrier conveyor line transports carriers to the loading station for quantitative loading of beef, and then transfers them to various loading stations. A transfer machine picks up individual carriers, stacks them into neat piles under program control, and transfers them to the cooking pot for timed and temperature-controlled cooking. After the cooking process is completed, a mobile machine automatically picks up the stacked beef. The beef is moved forward to the cooling zone and placed in a vacuum cooler for rapid cooling. After the cooling process is complete, the conveyor moves smoothly forward along the preset track, accurately transferring the fully cooled beef carrier to the input end of the destacking machine. The destacking machine efficiently separates the stacked carriers one by one to form independent units, which are then continuously transported forward through the unloading conveyor line to the unloading and turning machine. The unloading and turning machine unloads the beef from the carrier and simultaneously turns the empty carrier 180 degrees completely over, placing it upside down and conveying it to the empty carrier input line for the next processing stage.

[0013] Preferably, it also includes the following sequential steps: the empty vehicle input line continuously feeds used empty vehicles into the vehicle washing machine; the vehicle washing machine performs multi-stage processing on the vehicles passing through in sequence, including pre-washing, main washing, rinsing, cleaning, air drying, and baking; the cleaned and dried vehicles are transported to the empty vehicle turning machine via the empty vehicle output line, where the turning machine straightens the inverted empty vehicles, restoring them to their normal state with the opening facing upwards; subsequently, the stacker crane neatly stacks the clean empty vehicles into a stack, and transports them to the warehouse elevator via the warehouse conveyor line, where the warehouse elevator receives... The system receives stacks of carriers from lower-level conveyor lines and vertically lifts them to the designated support heights of each level in the temporary storage warehouse. The system inputs information based on the status of the stacks on each level of the warehouse. The temporary storage warehouse then receives and stores the stacks of carriers and automatically transports them to designated workstations according to instructions. When production requires outbound shipments, the temporary storage warehouse receives instructions and automatically transports the stacked carriers to the designated outbound workstation. The outbound elevator receives the stacks of carriers from higher levels and vertically lowers them to the lowest operating height required by the production line. The outbound conveyor line then connects with the carrier conveyor line to complete the cycle.

[0014] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages and positive effects of this invention are as follows: Through a highly automated and intelligent production line layout and a scientifically rigorous and systematic process design, this invention successfully constructs an integrated operation system from raw material processing to finished product warehousing. This system achieves seamless connection and efficient collaboration across key processes such as blanching, cooking, cooling, cleaning, stacking, and storage. This not only significantly improves the automation and intelligence level of beef processing but also greatly increases overall production efficiency, while ensuring comprehensive optimization and reliable guarantee of hygiene standards in the production environment and product quality stability. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the layout of the present invention; In the above diagrams: 1. Blanching and pre-cooking area; 11. First blanching machine; 12. Second blanching machine; 13. Feeding conveyor line; 14. Beef conveyor line; 15. Input line; 2. Cooking area; 21. Cooking pot; 22. Transfer machine; 3. Cooling zone; 31. Vacuum cooler; 4. Unloading area; 41. Destacking machine; 42. Unloading conveyor line; 43. Unloading tilting machine; 44. Empty vehicle input line; 5. Material temporary storage area; 51. Carrier cleaning machine; 52. Empty carrier output line; 53. Empty carrier tipping machine; 54. Stacker crane; 55. Inbound conveyor line; 56. Inbound elevator; 57. Temporary storage warehouse; 58. Outbound elevator; 59. Outbound conveyor line. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To better understand the above technical solutions, the following will provide a detailed description of the technical solutions in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The embodiments cover specific details such as equipment selection recommendations and control logic connection methods. It should be noted that the following descriptions are merely illustrative and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Example

[0017] A fully automated beef processing production line, see [link / reference] Figure 1 It includes multiple independently set functional areas, which in turn include the blanching and pre-cooking area 1, the cooking area 2, the cooling area 3, the feeding area 4, and the material storage area 5. The blanching and pre-cooking zone 1 is equipped with a first blanching machine 11, whose outlet is connected to a second blanching machine 12. The outlet of the second blanching machine 12 is equipped with a feeding conveyor line 13, at the end of which is a feeding station for holding blanched beef in a carrier. The end of the feeding conveyor line 13 is connected to the beef conveyor line 14 for conveying the carrier. In this embodiment, the carrier is a stainless steel turnover box with several holes. The beef conveyor line 14 has multiple feeding positions, and the input line 15 is connected to the feeding positions. The output end of the input line 15 is equipped with a transfer machine 22, which can move between the cooking zone 2, the cooling zone 3, and the unloading zone 4, and is responsible for grabbing, stacking, and transferring the carrier containing beef. The cooking area 2 is equipped with several cooking pots 21, which are distributed on both sides of the transfer track of the transfer machine 22; A vacuum cooler 31 is installed in the cooling zone 3, located in front of the cooking pot 21, and is also arranged on both sides of the conveyor 22 track to cool the cooked beef. The unloading area 4 is equipped with a destacking machine 41, whose output end is connected to the unloading conveyor line 42, and the end of the line is connected to an unloading tilting machine 43; the output end of the unloading tilting machine 43 is equipped with an empty vehicle input line 44, and the beef is unloaded and the empty vehicle is inverted and conveyed through the tilting action. Material storage area 5 is connected to empty vehicle input line 44. A vehicle cleaning machine 51, a tunnel-type cleaning machine, is installed within this area. The output end of empty vehicle input line 44 is connected to this cleaning machine, and the output end of the cleaning machine is connected to empty vehicle output line 52. An empty vehicle turning machine 53 is installed at the end of empty vehicle output line 52 to right inverted empty vehicles with their openings facing upwards. A stacker crane 54 is installed at the output end of the empty vehicle turning machine 53. This stacker crane 54 is mainly used for efficient and stable stacking of cleaned and purified empty vehicles, ensuring that the vehicles are neatly and orderly stacked to form a vehicle stack. The output end of the stacker crane 54 is further connected to an inbound conveyor line 55, which smoothly transports the stacked vehicles to the next stage. At the end of the inbound conveyor line 55 is an inbound elevator 56, which receives stacks of containers from lower-level inbound conveyor lines 55 and accurately transports them to each preset support height of the temporary storage warehouse 57 through vertical lifting, achieving automated docking at different heights. The system also includes a multi-level temporary storage warehouse 57, whose main function is to receive and store stacked containers delivered by the elevator, and to automatically and accurately transport containers at designated stacks to the corresponding outbound workstations according to instructions from the central control system, achieving intelligent warehousing and scheduling.

[0018] Preferably, an outbound elevator 58 is installed at the outbound workstation of the temporary storage warehouse 57. This outbound elevator 58 is used to receive the stack of containers output from the upper level of the temporary storage warehouse 57 and smoothly transport them to the lower working height required by the production line through a vertical descent, facilitating subsequent operations. The output end of the outbound elevator 58 is correspondingly provided with an outbound conveyor line 59. This conveyor line can be designed with an overall inclined arrangement or a stepped, progressively descending structure, which can further slowly and stably lower the stack of containers from the upper level to a working height suitable for loading or other operations, effectively avoiding impacts or displacements caused by sudden changes in height.

[0019] Preferably, the temporary storage warehouse 57 is equipped with multiple layers of independently controlled and flexibly arranged storage shelves. Each shelf is equipped with a chain or roller conveyor with bidirectional power drive. These devices can realize the automatic storage, retrieval and internal allocation of carrier stacks according to the instructions issued by the central control system, and complete efficient and accurate automated inbound and outbound management.

[0020] Preferably, the beef conveying line 14 is equipped with a vibrating screen, which can continuously and evenly vibrate the beef placed in the carrier during the conveying process, thereby effectively promoting the removal of moisture from the surface of the beef and improving the quality of subsequent processing.

[0021] Preferably, both the cooking pot 21 and the vacuum cooler 31 are equipped with multiple units and are arranged in parallel to improve processing capacity. They also adopt an upward-opening door structure, which facilitates the overall entry and exit of the carrier stack and is also beneficial for equipment sealing and operation and maintenance.

[0022] Preferably, the various conveyor lines used in the system can be selected from one or more combinations of belt conveyors and roller conveyors according to process requirements, so as to ensure smooth conveying and adapt to the needs of different sections.

[0023] Preferably, the vehicle cleaning machine 51 includes a pre-wash section, a main wash section, a rinsing section, a cleaning section, an air-drying section, and a drying section in sequence. Through a multi-stage cleaning and drying process, the vehicle is ensured to meet hygiene standards and can be put into recycling immediately. Example

[0024] Another object of the present invention is to provide a production method using a fully automated beef processing production line, comprising the following steps: Beef is first fed into the first blanching machine 11 via the beef input line 15 for primary blanching. The blanched beef then enters the second blanching machine 12 for secondary blanching to fully meet processing requirements. After secondary blanching, the beef is placed into a carrier at the loading station of the feeding conveyor line 13 and transferred to the beef conveyor line 14. The beef conveyor line 14 transports the carriers containing beef to the loading station and moves them onto the input line 15. At this point, the transfer machine 22 automatically grabs individual carriers, stacks them sequentially to form a carrier stack, and then transfers the entire stack to the cooking pot 21 for cooking. After cooking, the transfer machine grabs the stacked beef and moves it forward to the cooling zone 3, placing it in the vacuum cooler 31 for cooling. After cooling, the transfer machine 22 continues to move the cooled beef forward to the input section of the destacking machine 41, where the destacking machine 41 breaks down the carrier stack into individual carriers, which are then conveyed forward via the unloading conveyor line 42 to the unloading and tipping machine 43. The beef is unloaded by the unloading tilting machine 43, while the empty vehicle is flipped 180 degrees and inverted and transported to the empty vehicle input line 44.

[0025] Preferably, the method further includes the following steps: Empty container input line 44 sends used empty containers to container washing machine 51. Container washing machine 51 performs multiple processes on the containers, including pre-washing, main washing, rinsing, cleaning, air drying, and oven drying, to achieve thorough cleaning and drying. The dried clean containers are then conveyed to empty container turning machine 53 via empty container output line 52. Empty container turning machine 53 straightens the empty containers, restoring them to a usable state with their openings facing upwards. Then, the clean empty containers are stacked by stacking machine 54. The stacked containers enter the storage conveyor line 55 and are then sent to storage elevator 56. Storage elevator 56 receives the container stacks from the lower conveyor line and vertically lifts them to the support height of each layer in temporary storage 57. Temporary storage 57 is responsible for receiving and storing these container stacks and automatically conveying the stacked containers to designated workstations according to instructions. When the production line needs to call up a carrier, the temporary storage warehouse 57 automatically transports the carrier stack to the outbound workstation according to the instructions. The outbound elevator 58 receives the carrier stack issued from the upper level and lowers it vertically to the lower working height required by the production line. Finally, it connects to the beef conveyor line 14 through the outbound conveyor line 59 to complete the cycle.

[0026] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A fully automated beef processing production line, characterized in that: The production line includes several functionally defined and independently set areas, which are arranged in the following order according to the process flow: blanching and pre-cooking area, cooking area, cooling area, feeding area, and material storage area, forming a closed-loop process flow. The raw material conveying line in the blanching and pre-cooking area has a first blanching machine at its output end for preliminary blanching of the beef. A second blanching machine is connected to the outlet of the first blanching machine for secondary deep blanching of the beef. A feeding conveying line is installed at the outlet of the second blanching machine, and a dedicated feeding station is set at the end of the feeding conveying line. The end of the feeding conveying line is further connected to a carrier conveying line, where the blanched beef is placed in a carrier. Multiple feeding stations are arranged at intervals on the carrier conveying line, and each feeding station is connected to a beef input line. The output end of the beef input line is equipped with a transfer machine, which can move the beef between the cooking area, cooling area, and unloading area according to a preset path. The transfer machine is used to accurately grab and stack the carriers containing the beef. Several cooking pots are neatly arranged in the cooking area. These cooking pots are respectively arranged on both sides of the transfer track of the transfer machine for high-temperature cooking of beef. The cooling zone is equipped with a vacuum cooler, which is located in front of the cooking pot in the cooking zone and is also set on both sides of the transfer track of the transfer machine, for rapid and uniform vacuum cooling of the cooked beef. A destacking machine is installed in the unloading area. The output end of the destacking machine is connected to an unloading conveyor line. The end of the unloading conveyor line is equipped with an unloading tilting machine. The output end of the unloading tilting machine is further equipped with an empty vehicle input line. The beef is automatically unloaded through the unloading tilting machine. At the same time, the empty vehicle is completely tilted 180 degrees and placed upside down. Then it is orderly conveyed to the empty vehicle input line.

2. The fully automated beef processing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a material storage area, with the empty vehicle input line directly connected to it. The material storage area is equipped with a vehicle cleaning machine. The output end of the empty vehicle input line connects to the input end of the vehicle cleaning machine. An empty vehicle output line is installed at the output end of the vehicle cleaning machine, and an empty vehicle tilting machine is installed at the output end of the empty vehicle output line. The tilting machine straightens upside-down empty vehicles, restoring them to their normal upward-facing position. A stacker crane is connected to the output end of the tilting machine for neatly stacking the cleaned empty vehicles. The stacker crane's output end is connected to an inbound conveyor line, which is equipped with an inbound elevator. This elevator receives stacks of vehicles from the lower inbound conveyor line and smoothly and vertically lifts them to the support height of each layer in the storage warehouse. The system also includes a storage warehouse for receiving, storing, and automatically transporting stacked vehicles to designated outbound workstations according to instructions from the central control system.

3. The fully automated beef processing production line according to claim 2, characterized in that: An outbound elevator is installed at the outbound workstation of the temporary storage warehouse. The outbound elevator is used to receive the stacks of containers from the upper storage position and safely and vertically lower them to the lower working height required by the production line. An outbound conveyor line is arranged corresponding to the output end of the outbound elevator and is connected to the container conveyor line.

4. The fully automated beef processing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The temporary storage warehouse is equipped with multi-layered and independently controlled storage shelves. Each layer is equipped with a chain or roller conveyor with bidirectional power drive. These devices can achieve fully automated inbound and outbound management and material scheduling according to the instructions of the central control system.

5. The fully automated beef processing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conveyor line is also equipped with a vibrating screen mechanism to effectively vibrate and flatten the beef placed in the carrier.

6. The fully automated beef processing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that: Multiple cooking pots and vacuum coolers are provided, all of which adopt an upward-opening door structure design.

7. The fully automated beef processing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conveyor line uses one or more combinations of belt conveyors and roller conveyors to achieve flexible material transport according to process requirements.

8. The fully automated beef processing production line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vehicle cleaning machine includes a pre-wash section, a main wash section, a rinsing section, a cleaning section, an air-drying section, and a drying section, forming a complete cleaning and drying process.

9. A production method using the fully automated beef processing production line as described in claims 2-8, characterized in that: The following detailed steps are included: Beef is continuously fed into the first blanching machine via a raw material conveyor line for initial blanching. After initial blanching, the beef immediately enters the second blanching machine for secondary, intensive blanching. The beef, having completed secondary blanching, is then transported to the loading station via a feeding conveyor line. A carrier conveyor line transports carriers to the loading station for quantitative loading of beef, and then transfers them to various loading stations. A transfer machine picks up individual carriers, stacks them sequentially into neat stacks under program control, and transfers them to the cooking pot for timed and temperature-controlled cooking. After the cooking process is completed, a mobile machine automatically picks up the stacked beef. The beef is moved forward to the cooling zone and placed in a vacuum cooler for rapid cooling. After the cooling process is complete, the conveyor moves smoothly forward along a preset track, transferring the fully cooled beef to the input end of the destacking machine. The destacking machine efficiently separates the stacked carriers one by one to form independent units, which are then continuously transported forward through the unloading conveyor line to the unloading and turning machine. The unloading and turning machine unloads the beef from the carriers and simultaneously turns the empty carriers 180 degrees completely over, placing them upside down and conveying them to the empty carrier input line for the next processing stage.

10. The production method according to claim 9, characterized in that: It also includes the following sequential steps: the empty vehicle input line continuously feeds used empty vehicles into the vehicle washing machine; the vehicle washing machine performs multi-stage processing on the vehicles passing through in sequence, including pre-washing, main washing, rinsing, cleaning, air drying, and baking; the cleaned and dried vehicles are transported to the empty vehicle turning machine via the empty vehicle output line, where the turning machine straightens the upside-down empty vehicles, restoring them to their normal state with the opening facing upwards; subsequently, the stacker crane neatly stacks the clean empty vehicles into stacks, and transports them to the inbound elevator via the inbound conveyor line, where the inbound elevator receives the vehicles. The system receives and stores the stacked carriers from the lower level conveyor line, and automatically transports the stacked carriers to the designated support heights of each level of the temporary storage warehouse according to the instructions. When production requires outbound shipment, the temporary storage warehouse receives the instructions and automatically transports the stacked carriers to the designated outbound workstation. The outbound elevator receives the stacked carriers from the upper level and lowers them vertically to the lower working height required by the production line. The outbound conveyor line then connects with the carrier conveyor line to complete the cycle.

Images