Common Issues That May Impact Meat Processing Efficiency and Yield

The equipment you use matters when it comes to meat processing and manufacturing efficiency. However, that’s not the only factor that impacts the efficiency and yield of your operations. 

Unfortunately, there are some situations where production may become “congested” due to issues you aren’t even aware of. Keep reading to learn what some of the most common issues that impact efficiency and yield are when it comes to meat production. 

Underperforming Grinders 

Usually, grinders begin having issues related to underperformance because of dull knives and plates, and other worn-out parts. You can adjust the HP/RPM/Pitch to help increase machine capacity. Also, if proper maintenance isn’t provided to your grinders, the pin and busing can wear at the grinder’s head, and as time passes and the issue isn’t resolved, you will notice a throughput problem. 

The most common cause of dull blades and plates is if you run your grinder dry. You must ensure proper lubrication is applied. It may also be beneficial to use level sensors to turn off the grinder before drying. 

Over Blending

If you over blend a product, it is a waste of efficiencies and production time. In some situations, the blender will be overfilled to help increase overall production. However, the consequences of doing this include an extended load and discharge time as well as blend cycle times. Even just a slight increase in the total batch size can cause losses in your production rate. It will also result in you sacrificing accuracy and quality. 

Manual Unloading

If your mixer or blender has to be unloaded manually, it means you are losing several minutes (or more) of production. You must turn the equipment off, the operator has to manually remove the product from near the doors, then close the doors before turning the equipment back on. 

To help resolve this issue, you can plan to add pump feeders, metering screws, or screw conveys to the system. These can help with process automation, even if you add them as a retrofit. 

Excessive Demand on Mixers

The mixers are the workhorse of any blending or grinding line. You must keep them feeding the downstream operations. You can help keep your mixer running without stopping by automating the unloading operations with pump feeders and metering screw conveyors. 

Another potential issue relates to horsepower specifications. Using CO2 in your process will result in hardening and may add too much stress to the motor and agitator. In some cases, it can damage the mixer if it isn’t right for the application. 

Improving Efficiency and Yield of Your Meat Production Equipment

Knowing the potential issues is a step in the right direction for improving the yield and efficiency of your meat production equipment. If you discover your items are no longer performing well, and the fixes above don’t help, it may be time to purchase new or new-to-you equipment. You can restore efficiency and yield to your production efforts with quality equipment.