Automatic Intelligent Transfer System
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Georgia Tech researchers are developing an intelligent live-bird transfer
system that promises to automate this labor-intensive, quality-impacting
function using bird response and high-tech design elements.
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Research Focus
The intelligent transfer project team continued to make good progress in
developing an automated system for transferring live birds from a moving
conveyor belt to a moving shackle line.
The research team investigated
the effects of size variation and bird reflexes on the performance
of automatically shackling (in an upright position)
a sequence of singulated live birds, performed a parametric study
for integrating a humane-killing (HK) system as a part of the inversion
process, and then
proceeded to develop an integrated system design that employs singulating,
orienting, grasping, shackling, stunning, inverting, and killing
mechanisms.
Two specific tasks were addressed over the past 12 months.
First, researchers developed a motion control algorithm and the mechanisms
to
allow sequential
shackling of multiple birds (in the upright position), which also
provides some flexibility to vary the transfer rate and to accommodate
birds with
weights over 4 pounds. Experiments on sequentially shackling three
successive birds have shown that the computer- controlled inverter
on the shackling
mechanism has the capability to shackle and invert live, forward-facing
birds sequentially at a cycle time on the order of one per second.
Next, researchers
studied methods of incorporating electrical stunning and neck-
cutting into the transfer process. Based on parametric studies and
experiment results obtained in collaboration with Bruce Webster (University
of Georgia)
and
Jeff Buhr (USDA/ARS), the project team has confirmed that it is
feasible to integrate the HK system as a part of the upright shackling
and
body-inversion process.
Potential benefits that could be drawn
from adding a HK system include the elimination of any potential
trauma from inverting a conscious
bird together with helping reduce wing flapping during the inversion
process
that can lead
to wing breakage; and the infusion of decapitation into the transfer
process could ensure that no bird revives from being stunned
before entering the
scalder. An experimental study with live birds has shown that
the HK process can be completed within 5 seconds, including decapitation
immediately after
the inversion.
Acknowledgements
The project team wishes to recognize the collaboration of Bruce Webster
with the University of Georgia’s Poultry Science Department and Jeff
Buhr of the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service-Poultry Processing
and Meat Quality Research Unit.
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