Automatic Singulation System for Poultry Processing

The poultry processing industry faces the challenge of efficiently separating bulk meat batches to meet retailer requirements for fixed-weight or piece-count trays. To address this operational issue, the SingleFeed system handles the automation of the singulation process for boneless fillets and other poultry pieces.

System Architecture and Separation Principle
Manual meat separation operations typically require the intervention of two to six operators, depending on line speed. The dual-lane SingleFeed system automates this task by feeding products from a storage hopper via a gooseneck conveyor. Counter-rotating conveyor belts then guide the meat into two continuous-belt lanes operating on the vacuum principle. This design enables individual feeding of downstream equipment such as graders, SensorX systems, RoboOptimizers, or RoboBatcher cells. For example, bulk supply batches of 1,000 kilograms can be precisely separated to feed packaging lines producing 600-gram retail trays. The equipment processes a wide variety of boneless products, including breast fillets, strips, and thighs, while maintaining a compact physical footprint within the plant.

Water Management and Market Adaptability
Poultry markets differ in their chilling methods, which impacts the moisture tolerance of the products. While water-chilled markets tolerate direct spraying to facilitate vacuum placement, air-chilled markets impose strict restrictions on additional water intake. To meet this technical constraint, the engineering of the SingleFeed incorporates a humidification mechanism that only slightly moistens the conveyor belt without spraying the meat. This targeted application of water ensures that the finished products remain practically dry throughout the process, thereby preventing the accumulation of purge water in the retail trays.

Digital Control and Line Synchronization
Operational control is carried out via a touchscreen human-machine interface (HMI). The internal software automatically synchronizes the speed of the upstream and downstream conveyor belts with the SingleFeed, preventing mechanical overloads or flow delays on the production line. Operators can adjust kinematic parameters, such as separation speed, lane offset, and product spacing, to exactly match the speed of the downstream grader. The system also integrates diagnostic alerts directly onto the HMI screen for fault identification and offers remote access connectivity to facilitate global industrial support.

Additional Context
This section details technical specifications and competitive benchmarking not included in the original product announcement.

The automation of bulk product separation has become a technical priority in the meat processing sector to reduce reliance on manual labor and increase yield. Modern singulation systems are evaluated on their ability to isolate protein elements smoothly without damaging fragile muscle tissues. Competing separation technologies have historically relied on mechanical vibrations or massive water flows, which can alter the visual quality of the product and compromise the packaging process. The integration of vacuum gripping systems coupled with localized moisture management represents a standard evolution to meet stringent hygiene requirements while ensuring throughput rates compatible with X-ray inspection systems and high-speed robotic packaging lines.

Edited by Maria Brueva, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

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