Mayekawa debuts poultry deboning robot: Toridas Mark 2

Mayekawa USA has announced the debut of the Toridas Mark 2, a new robotic deboning machine.

About 30 years ago, a food processing company in Japan requested: “Can anyone invent an automated deboning machine, instead of manual deboning of a whole chicken leg?” Mayekawa Japan Headquarters invented the first model 20 years ago. And now, 30 years since the question was posed, Mayekawa has introduced its second model: the Toridas Mark 2.

The Mark 2 can debone up to 1,000 chicken whole legs per hour. The robot separates the bone and leg meat, and Mayekawa claim that the yield ratio is as good as that done by a skilled human. By removing the human element from the deboning process, the Toridas Mark 2 stabilises product quality and yield, while improving hygiene was well.

Robotising meat processing is not easy. Meat processing robots must be capable of sensing the subtle differences between each subject such as shape, size and firmness. Mayekawa has developed robots and achieved high quality and efficient automated systems.

Operation
The Toridas Mark 2 operates by placing a whole chicken leg in clamp that then turns, exposing it to a sensor that measures the length of the bone and checks the position of the joint automatically. The blades move around the bone and the meat is stripped off gradually. The meat and bone are fully separated. The speed of this process is about four times quicker than manual deboning. The success of this deboning action is dependent on the special sensor able to distinguish the delicate small differences in the length of the tendon and the position of the ankle.

More than 650 units of Mayekawa’s chicken deboning machine have been installed worldwide, including some units in the United States.

Toridas Mark 2 has the following features:

High reliability
High yield
Stable productivity
High quality
Stable management cost
Easy handling and safety
Labor saving
Easy installation

Mayekawa was established 1924 as an ice manufacturing and cold storage company. This company has changed by developing food freezing technology and adapting to changes in markets.