Low-temperature meat processing
In the meat processing industry, stability and continuity in the production process are essential. Changes in raw materials or process conditions can have a direct impact on the performance of machinery and cutting tools.
For one of our customers, a major meat processor, we have been supplying and sharpening blades for, amongst other things, mincers and stuffing tubes for many years. A change has recently been made to the recipe within the production process. The meat is now pre-processed at a lower temperature than before. Whereas the temperature used to be around -15 °C, it is now between -20 °C and -25 °C. This lower temperature means that an extra process step can be omitted: the meat no longer needs to be brought to room temperature before further processing. This results in significant cost savings for the customer in terms of time, energy and handling. At the same time, this change places higher demands on the cutting tools used in the process.
Blades breaking in mincers and meat grinders
Following this change, a problem arose with the blade holders fitted with interchangeable blades. Before the recipe change, the customer could produce for approximately two production days without any issues using the same blade holders. However, following the adjustment, the replaceable blades began to break after just one production day. The customer had already discovered that the problem occurred less frequently when the machine was running at a lower speed. However, this proved not to be a viable solution, as the required production capacity could not then be achieved.
Analysis of the cutting process
To investigate the problem, our Technical Support colleague Eric Timmer was asked to help devise a possible solution. Following an analysis of the production process, a meeting took place between account manager Daan van Leeuwen, Technical Support and our Product Development department. During this meeting, various possible causes and potential solutions were discussed.
Alternative blade as a solution
The analysis revealed that, in this situation, it would be better to produce using an alternative blade without replaceable blades. This alternative blade was subsequently proposed to the customer. The customer decided to order a single blade to carry out a practical test in production. Due to the presence of a specific pre-cutter in the machine, a minor modification to the standard blade proved necessary. We carried out this modification at short notice.
Test in the production environment
The modified blade was then installed in a test setup within the machine, in collaboration with the customer and under the supervision of Eric Timmer and Daan van Leeuwen. After the initial start-up of production, it quickly became apparent that the blade was functioning stably. After approximately one hour of production, it was decided to leave the blade in the machine and continue production with it for the remainder of the production day.
Result: stable production and reduced downtime
The first day of production was completed satisfactorily. The following day, the same setup was reinstalled in the machine. The results remained stable throughout this production day as well. Based on these test results, the customer decided to replace the current blades with the new, modified and tested blade.
Thanks to this solution, the customer can now continue to produce using deeper-frozen meat. As a result, the meat no longer needs to be brought to room temperature first, which saves an extra process step and the associated costs, whilst maintaining production capacity.
Working together on cutting technology solutions
By jointly analysing the production process and testing a customised solution, the problem of breaking replaceable blades was resolved without compromising production capacity.
Do you also have a cutting technology issue within your production process? We would be happy to help you find a suitable solution.
