AN INNOVATIVE MACHINE FOR AUTOMATED CUTTING OF FISH

The ''Iron Butcher,'' which is commonly used in the fish-processing in dustry for head cutting of fish, is known to be inefficient and wastef ul, and the resulting product quality may be unacceptable for high-end markets. This paper describes an innovative machine for fish cutting that has been developed by us, employing advanced sensor technology, i mproved control techniques, and properly designed and integrated compo nents. The new machine eliminates many of the drawbacks of the ''Iron Butcher.'' The components of the machine, their design, and selection are described, Integration of the components, and development and oper ation of the overall system are presented. An economic analysis is giv en, in order to indicate the cost advantages of the new machine in com parison with the ''Iron Butcher.''