IFFA: the world’s biggest innovation forum for slaughtering and processing

The next IFFA will open its doors in Frankfurt am Main from 8 to 13 May 2010. Everything at the leading international trade fair for the meat-processing sector revolves around innovative solutions for all aspects of meat processing. The spectrum ranges from traditional, handicrafts-oriented sausage making to industrial slaughtering, including processing, cooling, storage, packaging and transport. IFFA is the ideal forum to find out about the latest trends and future-oriented technologies in the meat-processing sector. One of the most important trends is the growing use of automatic machinery along the entire processing chain – a trend that is closely linked to the growing use of information technology. The following examples give a foretaste of what can be expected at IFFA 2010 and the multi-faceted aspects of automation.

Traceability along the entire meat-processing chain is of vital importance in terms of quality management. The future belongs to continuous inline monitoring of all processes, including a permanent record of information on the origins and production of all articles. This includes subsequent processing, packaging and delivery to the customers. The prerequisite for this is intelligent, computer-controlled production and logistics systems that can communicate with each other and exchange process data. Transponder chips make it possible to link relevant data to the superordinate process and merchandise management system.

Quality has top priority in the meat-processing business and the standard of quality achieved depends to a large extent on an unbroken cold chain. Therefore, cold stores and logistics are key subjects, particularly in view of the fact that optimising the cold-store logistics can bring about a significant increase in energy efficiency. Concept design, engineering and production of customer-specific logistics solutions call for great expertise. Programmable controls and fully-automatic systems for receiving, stacking and issuing products from cold stores ensure an optimum flow of materials. Operating terminals permit storage input / output orders to be selected as required.

Automation in the dismembering plant will be one of the leading subjects of discussion at IFFA 2010 and the spectrum of plant and machinery to be seen correspondingly broad. The future in this connection belongs to robot-based dismembering lines. For many years, robots have proven their worth at the end of the process chain where, controlled by camera, they sort, pack and palletise meat and sausage products. Now, they are moving into upstream processes, such as dismembering, where 3D scanners firstly ascertain the exact topology of the animal and send the information to the control software of the dismembering robot, which then calculates the cutting details and robot trajectories required. Robots can process up to 600 pigs per hour and carry out complex tasks, such as grasping the front trotters, removing the rectum, opening the abdominal wall and separating the pelvic bone and the breastbone. Studies show that using robots results in a significant reduction of production contamination. Thanks to the greater productivity and meat yield, investing in robots pays off quickly.

There is also a variety of other, completely different reasons in favour of robot-aided automation. Monotonous and repetitive tasks cause workers to tire quickly and their concentration to decline. Both are factors that rank among the most frequent causes of quality fluctuations in industrial production and accidents at work. In turn, repetitive physical labour is the cause of many occupational illnesses and results in enormous social costs. A great problem is that many more people suffer from eczema and other skin diseases. This means they do not meet the hygienic criteria for working in this field. Hence, it is more difficult for slaughterhouses and meat-processing companies to find qualified and suitable personnel.

The automation, IT and robot trends outlined are playing an increasingly important role along the enter value chain of the meat-processing industry. Only the use of innovative technologies can guarantee energy-efficient, safe, hygienic and, in particular, effective meat processing.