Caprine and Ovine Cubing System (Two Concept Evaluations post IFFA)

Problem: Australian processors, as a collective, have largely ceased producing bone-in cubed or diced caprine and ovine products. Historically performed on a bandsaw, even with modern safety measures, this task is deemed too dangerous to be undertaken in Australian processing locations, especially under Australian WHS regulations and their associated consequences. The downside of this is that Australian caprine and ovine processors are losing supply chain value due to the cessation of bone-in cubed or diced product processing. Meanwhile, destination countries are performing this task on ‘non-safe’ bandsaws, putting individuals in poorer regions at risk of severe injuries, including digit loss and life-changing damage to hands and arms. JBS has worked with several mainstream vendors, including Mainali, CBS Food Tech, Graselli, Magurit and Marelec, among others, but has found no cost-effective solutions with guaranteed outcomes. Consequently, JBS would need to purchase existing equipment without a guarantee of performance from the vendors. Solution: This project will assess two different cutting and material handling methods to develop a fit-for-purpose cubing solution for caprine and ovine processing. A review of IFFA 2025 has enabled JBS to further discuss options with the above vendors and new vendors. The solution will likely require a bandsaw blade (or a rotating or reciprocating toothed blade). However, some vendors suggest that their guillotine blades may provide a suitable alternative with minimal to no bone splintering. JBS would now like to embark on a two-pathway parallel approach to find and/or evolve a cost-effective bone-in cubing system for the Australian industry. One approach will be to purchase the most affordable guillotine machine available at IFFA from a Chinese vendor. The second approach will involve evaluating an internal JBS design, which could be fully automated. Still, it will commence with a manual approach to prove the material holding and cutting aspects. Impact: Both approaches have their risks associated with them. The outcome of this dual approach will then enable a comparison of the overall solution and determine whether a guillotine or saw cutting approach is preferred. The goal is to automate the bone-in cubing process for caprine and ovine processing while. If successful, the findings from these parallel approaches will inform recommendations for Australian processors on final solution design and selection, enabling the development of a long-term machine system implementation to restore bone-in cubing operations within Australia.