Improved workplace safety
Chapter
Clyde Campbell,
CEO of ABB
Partner MAR
Clyde Campbell founded MAR
in 1987. Campbell says, “Our
association with ABB provides us
equipment that serves as a basis for
us to develop innovative solutions
for industry. With robotics, we
can improve productivity levels,
streamline manufacturing processes
and provide safer working
environments.”
The brisket cutter makes one well-placed, sanitary cut.
Clean cut
Machinery Automation & Robotics, a leading robotics integrator,
transformed a dangerous work environment at a meat processor
with three safe and sanitary robotics solutions.
Text: Garry Fabian Photos: MAR
M
eat processing is a labor-
intensive, hands-on indus-
try that requires extensive
safety protocols to protect
the health and safety of operators—not
to mention the health and safety of con-
sumers, too. Recently, an international
meat processing company based in Aus-
tralia needed to raise its operations to a
safer and more productive level.
The company sought help from Ma-
chinery Automation & Robotics (MAR), a
firm that designs, builds and integrates au-
tomated manufacturing and industrial solu-
tions across a wide range of industries. The
meat processor hoped MAR could address
12
ABB robotics 2|10
not only its occupational health and safety
issues, but also the lack of reliable skilled
labor (particularly in the area of brisket cut-
ting) that was threatening the company’s
ability to stay competitive.
MAR’s team of experienced engi-
neers analyzed the abattoir’s production
and came up with three innovative solu-
tions that have transformed productivity,
safety and sanitation at the facility.
Making the cut
Clyde Campbell,
“Traditionally, the
meat processing
operate a heavy,
CEO at MAR, says.
brisket cutting part of
requires a person to
industrial-size hydrau-
lic knife device called a brisket shear,” he
says. “This practice combines a danger-
ous tool with a physically demanding task
that commonly results in wrist and back
injury. Our solution eliminated the need to
endanger employees altogether.”
MAR’s robotics installation features
an IRB 4600 industrial robot from ABB
and an advanced sensing system to en-
sure accurate, reliable operation. A cir-
cular cutting saw, fitted with a dustless
micro-toothed knife blade and center-
ing guides, makes one clean cut at the
center of the brisket. This has drastically
improved quality with fewer instances of
internal organ puncturing and other dam-