The Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC) has put collaborative robots into production trials at a red meat processing plant. The trials are evaluating the use of these robots to pick and pack beef primal cuts into cartons, in a production environment. AMPC is working with JBS Australia and technology provider, TME Systems on this project.
The project is part of a focus by AMPC to understand how collaborative robots may be deployed within the Australian red meat processing industry. The aim is part of AMPC’s strategy to reduce manual handling and improve safety of employees.
Collaborative robots are intended for direct human-robot interaction within a shared space. They also minimise the need for traditional robot safety guarding.
AMPC Program Manager Stuart Shaw said, “A significant part of this development includes AI-enabled sensing systems interfaced with the robot which are used to identify the correct product. The development also includes product orientation which ensures correct placement within cartons. The benefit is improved accuracy.”
The trials are in production at JBS Scone processing plant in NSW.
JBS Head of Innovation and Industrial Engineering (Southern), Sean Starling said, “So far, the trials have shown great accuracy. JBS continues to look forward to working with TME Systems and AMPC to see how far this technology can be pushed. There are already high-level designs for how this single evaluation deployment could be integrated into the entire pick and pack area with multiple vision and pick and pack cells working around current employees. TME Systems has been very accommodating and flexible in fitting in and working with the JBS facility.”
TME Systems Robotics Engineer Volker Brendel said, “AI advancement in the last couple of years have been a key factor to achieving this result, identifying primal cuts would not have been possible previously.”
Stuart said, “Working with TME Systems we will be looking at deploying additional robots within JBS and taking the development to the wider red meat processing industry.”