Portioning breast fillets for QSR products requires precise positioning before cutting. Only then it is possible to create the high-yield base products that form the foundation of QSR menus: sandwich fillets, strips, and cubes. JBT Marel’s new RoboOptimizer takes over this crucial step by robotizing the loading of the portion cutter. It ensures perfect positioning, reduces giveaway, saves labor, and paves the way towards an operator-free environment.
RoboOptimizer is a vital component in the breast meat process. It eliminates the need to arrange fillets manually before cutting. As each fillet has its own unique shape, RoboOptimizer analyzes it and determines the best orientation, for example to create strips of precise length. A larger fillet will be angled differently to prevent strips from becoming too long. This complete control brings considerable yield improvements and higher product quality.
No more manual handling
Thanks to this robotized positioning of every fillet, it becomes easier to meet strict specifications. For this, detecting left and right fillets is key. As JBT Marel’s Product Specialist Morten Dalqvist explains:
“The difference between left and right fillets is crucial for product acceptance, rejection or downgrade. For chicken sandwiches, left and right detection ensures the correct shape. For strips, cutting with the meat fibers prevents over-stretching and keeps product quality high during tumbling and coating.”
Rejecting faulty products
Thanks to its built-in smart software, RoboOptimizer also prevents faulty products from disturbing the smooth product flow. Loose trimmings, offcuts, overlaps, or out-of-range products are automatically rejected through the fast-acting belt gap. “RoboOptimizer’s intelligence knows exactly when to skip a product. This unique feature prevents wrong products from entering the process and ensures reliable operation at all times,” adds Morten Dalqvist.
Integrated solution for QSR lines
RoboOptimizer shows its true strength in an integrated setup. A processing line combining JBT Marel’s RoboOptimizer and I-Cut 122 TrimSort systems opens up a lot of opportunities for creating a wide variety of high-quality whole-muscle breast meat products. The portion cutter receives only products with consistent length, width, height, and weight. This unique line can then produce one sandwich fillet, two fillets, a fillet with strips, or several strips from a single fillet.
“It’s all about maximizing yield through higher levels of automation, while still creating a product that meets the requirements of QSR brands,” Morten Dalqvist concludes. “The RoboOptimizer positions the large, raw fillets perfectly so the sandwich fillets fit the bun, and the strips and cubes stay consistent in size. This gives QSR consumers the same experience every time.”
For more information about the RoboOptimizer, please visit: marel.com/robooptimizer
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