GB2472007B - A processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

Boneless beef primals from a paced de-boning system (2, fig 1) enter a primal trimming system (3, fig 1). Primals are weighed on a dynamic scale (60, fig 6) so that the de-boning yield can be derived. Weighed primals are transported on an intelligent conveyor (42, fig 1) and diverted into one of eighteen trimming stations (61, fig 1). At each trimming workstation the operator receives cut identification and butchery information and trims the primal to the indicated specification. The individual products from the trimming station are weighed on a dynamic weigh scale 95 and registered into the line control system to provide real time yield and production speed control to a quarter. Trimmed primals are diverted to a membrane skinning line 80 and are either automatically fed into a continuous skinning machine 81 or are fed to a manual skinner 82. Skinned pieces exit the skinner and are led by a conveyor 81 a to a main conveyor 83 to workstations 85 where the lean cuts are inspected and final trimming such as removal of any membrane not removed by machine is performed. A final weighing step occurs before all skinned cuts are transported on the conveyor 84 to the final packing station 88.