FMC FoodTech Automates Pork Trimming to Maximize Yield, Reduce Labor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 29, 2007 Houston, Texas, November 29, 2007 -

Sophisticated pork belly processing system inspects, trims, sorts

FMC FoodTech has automated a process historically done manually by highly skilled workers. The DSI™ 612 Pork Belly Processing System employs sophisticated software combined with a machine vision system and high-pressure waterjets to consistently and accurately trim and sort pork bellies.

With a return on investment of just over one year based upon labor and yield savings alone, the DSI 612 is designed for processors seeking improved profitability.

“The DSI 612 system provides superior cutting performance and trimming flexibility,” says Jon Hocker, business development manager for FMC FoodTech. “With two-axis cutters, the system has complete control of cutter speed, providing the highest-quality cuts while maximizing yield.

Ideal for integrated pork facilities with in-house bacon production, the DSI system makes trimming and sorting simple for both skin-on or skin-off bellies. The pork bellies are loaded shoulder forward onto a conveyor belt where the DSI 612 scans each to determine geometry including width, length and thickness. The scan also identifies positions of fat and lean, and locates defects like holes or “snowballs.”

After scanning, the DSI 612 assesses and optimizes the belly by automatically detecting whether it is a left or right belly and evaluating multiple cut scenarios for it. Once it identifies the highest yield solution, the optimal cut is selected and the DSI system trims the belly following the chosen cut path. After the optimal cuts have been made, the system sends a sort category signal to the downstream sorter. Process data is automatically stored in an integrated statistical process control system.

The DSI 612 not only offers the ability to run multiple programs simultaneously, it makes changing the sorting and cutting parameters easy, even during operation; whether to maximize yield or to switch from weight grading to thickness grading. With hundreds of proven DSI installations worldwide and more than 20 years of experience in the meat industry, DSI offers a 99-percent uptime guarantee.

For more information about the DSI 612 Pork Belly Processing System, call (800) 447-2630 or visit www.fmcfoodtech.com.

About FMC FoodTech

FMC FoodTech is a business of FMC Technologies, Inc. and is headquartered in Chicago, Ill., USA. A market leader in the supply of technology solutions for the global food industry, FMC FoodTech offers integrated solutions across the entire food processing continuum from meat, seafood and poultry, to fruits and vegetables, beverages, juice and milk and convenience foods.

Wherever food is cooked, frozen, packaged, portioned, preserved, processed, squeezed or sterilized, FMC FoodTech provides superior technologies and services to the world's food processors – small and large. The company represents more than 30 highly respected product brand names including Frigoscandia Equipment, Stein, DSI, Citrus Systems, Food Processing Systems and FranRica.
For more information on FMC FoodTech, visit the company’s Web site at www.fmcfoodtech.com.