EXPERT PROCESS PLANNING SYSTEM FOR CUTTING MEAT BY WATER-JET TECHNIQUE

The employment of ultra high-pressure water-jets as a cutting tool has recently been increasing. Most applications of this technique have been directed at harder materials which uses abrasive particles as aidfor cutting. howeverfor relatively soft materials such as food. paper. foam. and linoleum. solely water is usedAn expert process planning system for water-jet cutting (WJC) of soft materials.particularly animal carcasses. is described. A procedure for material selection of the end product. that is meat. such as pork, beef. lamb and chicken. is explained. Various operations within the water-jet cutting process in relation to these specified meat end­ products are investigated Finally, the cutting process variables. such as water-jet pressure. traverse speed. the diameter of the nozzle and its stand-off distance from the animal carcass. are identified The findings are then related to experiments on WJC of beef. chicken; Iamb. and pork. These tests revealed that WJC may be successfully applied to beef and pig meat. although further trials are necessary to explore the potential advantages of this technique to industry, especially for CUllingthrough bone. (it might be noted these meats are harder than chicken. When the latter underwent WJc. both the meat and its bone were readily cut). The process planning system so developed has considerable relevance to automation in meat CUllingindustry. especially in relation to productivity. total cost through elimination of labor-related costs. and the attractions of WJC as a hygienic method of processing offoodproducts.

Keywords:

Water-jet cutting , process planning , meat products , expert systems