Robotic butcher for ovine carcass dressing

摘要

A new robot has been designed and built for use in a wide range of food processing applications. The specific focus for this application has been for use in abattoirs for key operations associated with the pelt removal of sheep and lamb carcasses. The robot is manufactured from stainless steel and its lightweight construction results in high performance characteristics allowing it to operate from an overhead pose for an inverted dressing system to increase productivity. The rpototype can readily be reconfigured in terms of tooling and programming for other dressing operations and it introduces innovative technology to the meat processing industry. The prototype robot that has emerged is unique in terms of its configuration and application and has been trialled at a meat export processing plant in New Zealand.