Dynamic Carcass Cutting System for High-Throughput Slaughterhouses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cutting systems in slaughterhouses, which use circular rotating saws, require a minimum distance of 750 mm between carcass parts for height adjustment, limiting throughput due to the need to wait for cut pieces to pass before adjusting the saw for subsequent carcasses.
Innovation Solution
A cutting system with a detection device to determine cutting positions and a moving mechanism to control the cutting device's position, combined with a carcass displacement mechanism that allows for height adjustment between adjacent carcass parts, enabling shorter distances between cuts and increased throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a circular rotating saw with diameter 750 mm is used for cutting carcass parts, then the cutting device can effectively cut through the carcass, but the distance between adjacent carcass parts must be at least 750 mm to allow height adjustment, which decreases the throughput of the cutting process
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting device is made dynamically adjustable in height during operation. The control system enables real-time height adjustment of the circular saw based on detected carcass dimensions, allowing the cutting position to be optimized for each carcass without requiring fixed spacing. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction by enabling effective cutting while reducing the minimum distance between adjacent carcass parts.
Solution Approach 2:
A detection device scans incoming carcass parts to determine their dimensions and characteristics. This feedback information is used by the control system to automatically adjust the height and position of the cutting device before each cut. The feedback loop enables precise positioning that maximizes throughput while maintaining safe and effective cutting operations, eliminating the need for conservative fixed spacing between carcasses.
2Productivity
If the height of the circular saw is adjusted after the carcass part has been cut and while the circular saw is located between adjacent carcasses, then the cutting position can be optimized for subsequent carcasses, but the distance between adjacent carcass parts must be increased to at least 1000 mm, which further decreases throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The detection device performs preliminary scanning of incoming carcass parts before they reach the cutting zone. The control system uses this advance information to pre-position the circular saw at the optimal height and location before each cut occurs. This preliminary action eliminates the need to wait for carcasses to pass by for measurement, allowing continuous high-speed cutting operations with reduced spacing between carcasses.
Solution Approach 2:
Real-time feedback from the detection device enables the control system to continuously optimize cutting parameters. The system receives ongoing information about carcass dimensions and automatically adjusts saw height and position in response, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains optimal cutting conditions without interrupting the flow of carcasses through the processing line.
Data Source
AI summary
A cutting system is provided for cutting carcass parts while the carcass parts are carried by carriers connected to and moved by an overhang transport system. A detection device is provided for determining a cutting position of an incoming carcass part. At least one cutting device having an upwardly and downwardly facing surface structure is provided and a moving mechanism is mechanically connected to the at least one cutting device for controlling the position of the at least one cutting device on the basis of the determined cutting position. A carcass displacement device is arranged to initiate displacement of the carcass part away from the at least one cutting position while the carcass part or a resulting sub-part carried by a carrier and is located between the upstream cutting edge and the downstream edge.