Automation and AI Transform Poultry Vent Cutting for Greater Efficiency and Reliability

Until now, poultry processing has largely relied on the skill of the operator. However, technological advancements are now making vent cutting more efficient and reliable, notes PigPoultry.

A Perfect Example

A prime example of this innovative progress, representing a significant leap forward, is Marel’s VC-i—the world’s first intelligent vent cutter that utilizes artificial intelligence.

Vent cutting is a crucial step in poultry processing, involving the removal of the cloaca and its correct positioning over the back of the broiler carcass. This process must be executed with extreme precision to ensure the highest standards of hygiene and product quality.

Until recently, vent cutting depended heavily on the operator’s skill, making it a labor-intensive process with inconsistent performance and quality, especially when handling different flocks. Technological advancements, such as Marel’s VC-i, have made vent cutting more efficient and reliable.

Maintaining high performance during vent cutting is essential, as it is the first operation inside the carcass at the processing plant, occurring immediately after defeathering. If this initial step is not executed at the highest quality, subsequent processes and machinery down the line cannot correct it.

Accurate vent cutting prevents contamination and ensures final product quality. Achieving the right drilling depth to release the cloaca without damaging the intestines requires a delicate balance to avoid contamination and maintain product integrity.

Why Does This Process Need Digitalization?

In the fast-paced and demanding poultry processing industry, relying solely on human skills to adjust machines is no longer sufficient.

By integrating Pupil AI, the internal SmartBase software, advanced mechanical designs, and an HMI touchscreen control system, the VC-i offers numerous advantages.

These include minimal human error, enhanced overall performance, real-time insights, user-friendly operation, and seamless interaction between recipe control and mechanical components. This digital transformation brings consistency, precision, and efficiency to the vent cutting process.

Enhanced Technology and Design

The VC-i features 20 newly developed units capable of handling line speeds of up to 15,000 birds per hour (bph). Its advanced technologies ensure precise drilling and accurate product positioning while maintaining high standards of quality and hygiene.

The open structure of the units, which includes a robust sliding rod, contributes to lower ownership costs by facilitating easy cleaning and reducing the risk of contamination from residue. Additionally, unit replacements have become faster and more straightforward for ease of use.

Consistent Performance Across Flocks and Shifts

The VC-i automatically adjusts its settings based on predefined recipes selected via the HMI touchscreen.

This eliminates the need for manual adjustments and guesswork, ensuring consistent and reliable performance with minimal contamination risks across different flocks and shifts.

The ability to automatically maintain optimal parameters, such as drilling depth and product positioning within the units, significantly enhances process reliability.

Prioritizing Hygiene

Since vent cutting is the first operation inside the carcass, maintaining the highest hygiene standards at this stage is critical.

The VC-i’s design prioritizes hygiene, incorporating features such as a vacuum system that removes initial fecal matter at the start of the evisceration process to prevent contamination.

As demonstrated, precise and careful drilling is the most effective way to maintain hygiene and prevent any form of contamination.

AI-Based Performance Measurement

Pupil (Precision Unified Processing with Intelligent Learning), the integrated AI vision technology, uses deep-learning algorithms to measure the performance of the VC-i.

This system provides real-time insights into machine performance and settings, eliminating the need for highly skilled operators to manually recognize and count cloacas correctly positioned on the back of the carcasses, which move at incredibly high speeds.

Objective and unbiased measurements ensure accurate and reliable performance data.

Actionable Insights with SmartBase

The internal SmartBase software provides real-time insights into machine health and performance, displayed on accessible dashboards viewable via touchscreen or remotely.

Early warning alerts, both at the machine and unit levels, enable proactive adjustments and maintenance.