Goat cubing system development

Summary

This project aimed to evaluate methodologies, test, trial and design a prototype system to automate the hot goat cubing process, capable of cutting Warm/Hot Goat product of cube dimension from 50mm to 100mm. 

The outcome of this project could have enhanced the hot cut processing of sheep and goat meat by developing an automated cubing system that will be fed from the Automated 6 Way Cut system.  The first step in this auto cubing development process it to establish the best cutting method for hot sheep and goat meat.

This project was terminated by the processor partner before any results were obtained.

Objectives

The project intended to build a prototype cubing machine and test cutting methods proven after evaluation to have the best chance of creating an automated concept for future development.

Benefits to industry

Several concepts are required to provide potential for automating the cubing process and address the need of eliminating this highly dangerous bandsaw operation and provide the market opportunities of cubed goat product.

To achieve the benefits of cubing, the product should be cut hot and unfortunately it is for this reason processors do not perform this value add.  The manual process is time consuming, presents very high workplace safety risks due to proximity of cuts to bandsaw and manual cutting of hot meat on bandsaws, which do not produce good cuts with meat being torn rather that cut.

MLA action

MLA is seeking a new processing plant partner for this project.