Robotic Sheep Brisket Cutter

Summary

This project investigates the development of a prototype Robotic Sheep Brisket Cutting system. The existing manual brisket cutting task was investigated and the results of that investigation enabled a specification to be set for the robotic cutting process.

The information gathered from the site visits allowed the specification of the cut to be established. The cutting tool and robot were selected, and an adaptor designed and manufactured to allow the full movements of the robot as required for the cutting process.

A feature-based measurement system was developed to provide the co-ordinates of the xiphoid cartilage to be translated to a robot position. Robot paths were developed to produce a brisket cut that was comparable to that achieved by manual brisket cutting.

Objectives

The objective of the project was to modify and install a commercially available sheep brisket shear onto a ABB4400 industrial robot and develop a prototype Robotic Sheep Brisket Cutting machine. As part of this, it is aimed to develop a measurement system combining laser based 3D profiling with image based analysis to provide a complete and robust measuring system to locate the xiphoid cartilage as a reference in sheep carcases.

Key findings

The Robotic Sheep Brisket Cutting project has developed a specification of the brisket cut such that the final automated system has an established benchmark for comparisons.

A commercially available sheep brisket shear can and has been adapted and mounted on a standard foundry robot and the requirements of the adaptor have been studied to allow full robot movement without the occurrence of robot singularities.

A robotic brisket cutting process has been developed to cut a carcass at a rate of 1 every 6 seconds at a traverse speed of 150mm/s, including some for of sterilisation.

The cuts produced by the automated system are superior to the results being obtained by manual cutting methods. 

Benefits to industry

Benefits to be achieved by utilization and continued development of the Robotic Brisket Cutting System include:

• Improvements in OH&S;
• Elimination of risk of operator strain injury from the size, weight and repetitive tasking
• Elimination of dangerous operational practices
• Consistency;
  • Robotic mounting and control of the Brisket Cutting process improves accuracy and repeatability over manual systems
  • Improved sensing technology (laser) and software allows carcase variations to be identified providing a platform to implement variable robot positioning and paths.
• Labour cost, the system will replace 1 unit of labour per shift.
• Species, the Robotic Brisket Cutting System is suitable for use in lamb, sheep and goat processing

MLA action

The first commercial automated brisket cutter system was developed and installed by MAR at Peel Valley Exporters in June 2008 following learnings from this project. A second system was installed at Burrangong Meat Processors and a third installed at Gundagai Meat Processors. The system installed at Hardwick’s Meat Works in Kyneton Victoria (previously located at Castricum Bros) was the fourth system developed. The costs for moving the system from castricum was covered under P.MDC.0012.

The automated brisket cutter systems were part of a four stage approach to finalising the development of a fully functional automated system in preparation for commercialisation.

Ex ante and ex post cost/benefit studies were undertaken under projects P.PSH.0474 and P.PSH.0579. A separate CBA was undertaken under project A.CIS.0027 to review a New Zealand based brisket cutter design.  This gave similar paybacks to the MAR designed system, but the New Zealand system has not been further commercialised.

The brisket cutter is now fully developed, has been reduced in price via value engineering and is available for sale.