SaniVac
Description
The SaniVac (also called Vac San) system is a robotic system for sterilising either the forequarter (Front SaniVac) or the hindquarter and anus area of a sheep/lamb (Rear SaniVac).
The system replaces the manual operation of using a handheld vac san wand and consistently vac sans an area with a fixed path that will vary with the length and thickness of the hind legs.
Benefits
The system aims at replicating the actions of a manual operator. Manual operators were studied and it was noted that some look for impurities to vac san, while others do a consistent path and some of the carcasses are not covered at all.
The benefits of the SaniVac system include:
- Reduced labour costs
- Increased yield by reducing contaminated meat
- Food safety improvements
- Increased processing efficiency
- Improved OH&S conditions for workers
While more detailed analysis is still required, a preliminary cost/benefit study completed in September 2009 at an Australian processor indicated a $0.03 net benefit per head and an estimated payback of around 1.9 years for a two shift processor plant.
Availability
Front and Rear SaniVac systems are commercially available from Machinery Automation & Robotics (MAR).
Brochures outlining the Forequarter SaniVac and Hindquarter SaniVac systems are also available.
For further information or to view video footage contact MAR.
More information
The Australian red meat industry has indicated that the sheep SaniVac project is an area that would provide substantial benefit in terms of contamination elimination, therefore yield loss due to contaminated product.
The issue of contamination spread from the ovine pelt through to the carcass is one that is costing the industry in terms of product quality, extra processing, and yield loss.
One of the major areas for this contamination transfer is in the initial cuts such as the Y cut where a knife has to penetrate the pelt, which is prone to contamination, and not to touch the edible meat. As the knife passes through the pelt, contaminants can be dragged through.
With robotic sensing and programming level of accuracies, better control over positioning can be achieved to allow for a SaniVac system which vacuum cleans the cut line before cuts are made. Thereby the risks of drag through of the contaminant are minimised.
Addressing variations in carcases and differences between operators in the existing manual application, the automated SaniVac operation can guarantee a fixed path over the carcase region and consequently, this vac san process is an ideal candidate for automation.