Studying the Feasibility of Automatic Poultry Handling and Transfer Techniques in the Poultry Processing Industry

摘要

A project to determine the state-of-the-art in U.S. poultry processing equipment and to identify functions which could benefit by improved mechanization or automation is reported. The project is composed of three tasks: (1) to survey 12 broiler processing plants to determine current handling procedures, space limitations and constraints; (2) to evaluate the economic feasibility of alternate handling systems; and (3) to define the most practical and cost effective approach. Results suggest that many plants could be improved significantly by modernized equipment, tighter quality control, better training procedures for processing line personnel and a more dynamic personnel program. Specific handling concepts generated by the study deal with giblet stuffing equipment, a centralized monitoring system, an inventory control system, shackle identification, conveyor designs, hermetic seal applications, and a gamma ray weighing device. New releases describing the project together with numerous tables are included.