Robotic Poultry Meat Unloader with Vision-Guided Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The rising cost of labor and shortage of meat processing plant workers necessitate automation in unloading cut and trimmed poultry meat from waterjet cutting machines, as existing solutions require manual separation of trim and cut pieces, leading to inefficiencies and labor-intensive processes.
Innovation Solution
An automated unloading machine equipped with a robotic picking device and electronic controller, which uses position and orientation data from a laser scanner to pick and arrange cut and trimmed poultry meat pieces on an exit conveyor or packaging machine, eliminating the need for manual labor by incorporating a trim removal system with air nozzles and scrubber brushes to separate trim from the meat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual labor is used to separate trim from cut pieces and arrange meat on conveyor, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but labor cost increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses vision-guided robotic picking devices that automatically detect, grasp, and place meat pieces without human intervention. The robotic end effectors are equipped with sensors and controllers that enable them to autonomously navigate, identify target pieces, and execute placement operations based on real-time positioning data from vision systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical operations are replaced with automated robotic systems. The robotic picking devices use controlled mechanical motion guided by vision systems and controllers to perform tasks previously done by hand, including picking, transporting, and placing meat pieces on the conveyor belt.
2Loss of time
If workers manually separate and arrange meat pieces, then quality control is possible, but labor cost increases and processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates vision systems that continuously capture images of meat pieces on the conveyor belt, process the visual data to determine position and orientation, and provide real-time feedback to the robotic picking devices. This closed-loop control enables the robots to accurately locate and manipulate each piece based on its actual position rather than predetermined coordinates.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic picking devices are designed with universal end effectors that can handle various types of meat pieces through standardized gripping mechanisms. The vision system and controller work together to adapt to different piece configurations, making the system versatile for handling different cuts and arrangements without requiring specialized tools for each case.
3Productivity
If automation is introduced to reduce labor, then productivity increases, but initial investment and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated system is divided into distinct functional modules: vision systems for detection and tracking, robotic picking devices for manipulation, controllers for coordination, and conveyor integration for material flow. This modular segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates easier maintenance and replacement of individual subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
Vision systems serve as intermediaries between the physical meat pieces and the robotic controllers, converting visual information into actionable positioning data. The controllers act as intermediaries that translate vision data into robotic motion commands, coordinating the complex interactions between multiple robotic devices and the conveyor system.
Data Source
AI summary
An automated unloading machine for unloading cut and trimmed raw poultry meat pieces from an upstream poultry meat cutting machine. The automated unloading machine is operably associated with a feed conveyer configured to support the cut and trimmed poultry meat pieces provided by the meat cutting machine. The automated unloading machine comprises one of an exit conveyor movable in a second direction and a packaging machine, an electronic controller configured to receive and process position and orientation data of the poultry meat pieces located on the feed conveyer, and a robotic picking device operatively associated with the electronic controller and configured to pick the poultry meat pieces from the feed conveyer and place them onto one of the exit conveyor and the packaging machine so that the cut and trimmed poultry meat pieces are arranged on one of the exit conveyor and the packaging machine in a desired orientation.