Automated Bovine Banjo (FQ) processing. What can we learn from Pork? Development companies required. [Part 1]

Theme Articles: Part 1 (Innovation Challenge and Background), Part 2 (development plan), and Part 3 (draft funding application).

Pork Industry FQ/Banjo processing

Read this Article for additional background information on how the Red Meat processing sector can look towards the pork processing sector for innovation ideas - Automated Bovine Butt (HQ) processing.

Mayekawa has developed both a butt (HQ) and banjo (FQ) automated pork deboning system known as HAMDAS and WANDAS respectively. Video of the WANDAS system can be seen below.

At the commencement of this automated cell, there is operational staff preparing the butt for processing. At the end of this processing cell, there is also staff that are then required to break the deboned banjo into the required butt primal components.

A small footprint X-Ray/DEXA is also a key enabler for this solution. Refer to AMPC's Innovation Challenge on the development of small footprint DEXA which could be leveraged by providers without x-ray capability for this deboning innovation challenge. Hence as an interested provider, you do not need to also bring x-ray development know-how to the table to apply for this following innovation challenge.

AMPC Innovation Challenge

AMPC is seeking submissions from interested development companies to commence the development of a beef automated banjo/FQ processing cell similar to the one operating in the pork sector. There are many development stages that this innovation will progress through (including the parallel development of a small footprint DEXA). This will be a 3-5 year development cycle, with evolution and adoption following the development cycle.

Stage 2 (the next stage to be funded) will enable providers to evaluate and understand what the cutting lines and material handling requirements might be (along with sensing) to design and cost an automated solution. Stage 2 will also identify what human operator pre and post-work are required for any automated cell to be successful.

AMPC will provide industry experts to work alongside development companies to assist in development companies coming up to speed with the deboning process and other relevant meat processing knowledge required.

If you are a solution provider or developer and would like to be financially supported by the Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC) to demonstrate and evolve your thinking of a solution for automated bovine banjo deboning, and demonstrate it in meat processing environments please reach out to myself on LinkedIn or my AMPC colleague Stuart Shaw & Amanda Carter.

About AMPC

AMPC is an industry body that facilitates industry and researchers/providers in undertaking/adopting innovation and R&D for the Australian red meat processing sector. We do this by having access to an industry levy (aka an industry tax) and matching Aust. Fed. Govt. R&D funds (50% from the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment - The Hon. David Littleproud MP & Andrew Metcalfe AO). We invest in others undertaking R&D. Note we do not undertake any of the R&D ourselves. 

Think of AMPC as innovation investment managers (without taking equity).

Possible Providers (others welcome):

Mayekawa (Kenneth Tumlinson), Intelligent Robotics (Clyde Campbell), Chris Hopkins, Scott Technology (Andrew Arnold), Bosch (Peter Rindt), DMRI (Niels Madsen), Frontmatec - SFK (Alexandre Lemieux), ABB (Peter Bradbury), Kuka (Cameron Fisher), USQ (Craig Baillie), Nuctech (Wang Zheng), Hitachi (Derrick Thompson), Greg Sale, Staubli (Marcelo Magdaloni), HDT Global (Julio Santos-Munne), Northwestern University (Ed Colgate), Orion Automation (Jeff Fordham), ATS Global (Armin Fahnle), Robust AI (Rodney Brooks), Foodmach (Peter Marks), Automation & Robtic Technologies (Mike Urban), Fast Automation (David Askew), HMPS (Mark Emmett), John Hart (Nicholas Rehfisch), Applied Robotics (Paul Wong), Strategic Engineering (Richard Aplin), Universal Robots (James McKew & Kaare Spangsberg), Hanwha Robotics (Rhyan Park), Fanuc (Michael Cicco), SoftBank (Harold Walsh), University of Sydney (Salah Sukkarieh & Sandra Margon), Georgia Tech Research Institute (Doug Britton), QUT (Peter Corke), Boeing (Tristan Perez), Quantum Robotics (Andrew Aston), DiverseCo (Jason Ferguson), The Robot People (Matthew Tisdale), Mobile Automation (Brian Emberson), Australis Engineering (Peter G), Robotic Automation (Colin Wells), Automation Systems & Controls (Tony Bowyer), Aubo Robotics (James Zhang), RNA Automation (Stuart Brettell), Yasakawa (), Southern Engineering Solutions (Warren Rice), Sage Automation (Adrian Spencer), Callaghan Innovation (Vic Crone)

AMPC: Stuart Shaw & Amanda Carter

AMPC Executive & Board: Chris Taylor, John Berry, Melissa Fletcher, Dean Goode, James Hardwick (c/o Luke Hardwick), Leanne Heywood, Noel Kelson, Tom Maguire, Bruce Rathie & Brad Teys

AMIC: Patrick Hutchison, Terry Nolan, Jamie Ralph (c/o James Ralph) & Claire House

Australia's and CSIRO's Lead Scientists: Cathey Foley & Larry Marshall