Automated Lobster Deshell Processing Line with Vision Robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of deshelling lobsters is labor-intensive and time-consuming, requiring significant manual effort to extract meat from multiple pieces, increasing production costs and time.
Innovation Solution
An automated processing line comprising a steam station for sanitization and meat separation, a butchering station with vision-guided robots for part separation, a cutting station with water knives for shell removal, an extraction station for meat retrieval, a batching station for packaging, and a retort station for final preparation and preservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual labor is used to deshell lobsters and pick meat, then the process can be performed with simple equipment, but the production time and labor costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The processing line is divided into distinct functional stations: steam station for sanitization and meat separation, butchering station with vision-guided robots for part separation, cutting station with water knives for shell removal, extraction station for meat retrieval, batching station for packaging, and retort station for final preparation. Each station handles a specific task in the deshelling process, enabling parallel processing and significantly increasing throughput while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical operations are replaced with automated systems including vision-guided robots for butchering and meat extraction, water knives for precise shell cutting, and automated conveyors for transporting lobster parts between stations. The vision systems capture location and dimensions to guide robotic actions, eliminating the need for manual inspection and handling while dramatically increasing processing speed and consistency
2Productivity
If multiple lobster pieces are processed manually, then each piece can be handled individually, but the total processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processing line maintains continuous operation through automated conveyors that transport lobster parts between stations without interruption. The steam station continuously sanitizes and separates meat, the butchering station continuously separates parts, the cutting station continuously removes shells, and the extraction station continuously retrieves meat. This continuous flow eliminates idle time between operations and enables batch processing of multiple lobsters simultaneously, reducing total processing time while maintaining high batch capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The steam station performs preliminary sanitization and meat separation before the lobster reaches the butchering station. This preliminary action softens the shell and begins separating the meat from the shell, making subsequent butchering and extraction operations faster and more efficient. By preparing the lobster in advance, the system reduces the time required for manual handling and processing of each piece
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The automated process significantly reduces manual labor, increases efficiency, and lowers production costs by streamlining the deshelling and meat extraction process, enabling faster production of prepared lobster meat.
Implementation Method 1
The steam station uses high temperature short time pasteurization to sanitize the shells and meat, and also causes the meat to separate from the shell
Implementation Method 2
a water knife cuts the shell
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for deshelling shellfish, particularly lobsters. An automated processing line conveys shellfish through a plurality of stations that sanitize, butcher, cut, and extract the meat, and then packages and prepares the package for sale. Vision systems with multi-axis robots guide and manipulate the shellfish through the processing line. Customized breaking blocks are used to sever parts of the shellfish, for example, the tail, knuckles and claws of a lobster, and a customized gripping device is provided for securing the severed parts in position on a conveyor. A water knife is then used to precisely cut the shell of the severed part.