Flexiv, supplier of general-purpose robotics, has begun offering a solution for shaping fish fillets.

Fully automated by the Rizon 4 adaptive robot, the solution utilizes a combination of computer vision and force-control to identify and shape breaded fish fillets, so that consumers receive portions of a uniform size and shape.

Developed for one of Asia’s leading seafood producers, this task was traditionally performed by manual labor, where employees had to carefully shape each fillet to ensure a consistently sized end product. Maintaining the concentration necessary for manual shaping proved exhausting for workers, leading to a high staff turnover rate and operational challenges for supervisors trying to keep the station running.

Flexiv’s solution transforms the shaping process by combining custom end-of-arm tooling and computer vision, to enable precision and efficiency far beyond human capabilities. The system accurately detects the location of each fillet on the production line. Then, operating in sync with the speed of the conveyor line, Flexiv’s Rizon 4 robots shape the portions without lifting them, using force-control to apply the precise amount of pressure needed to from the fillets without causing damage.

“We were told that the shaping stage was difficult for the client to staff, so we used our adaptive technology to not only solve the problem but improve how it’s completed,” says Liang Mao, Flexiv's new market solution director. “Our fillet shaping solution ensures consistency, speeds up production and maintains the highest standards of quality, all while completing a manual labor type task that no one wants to do.”

Able to operate with a consistency and speed impossible for human workers, the solution boosts productivity without compromising quality. Fully automated, it also includes a self-cleaning feature, ensuring any food debris that adheres to the end-of-arm tool is automatically removed.

Flexiv’s fish fillet shaping solution can be integrated into an existing production line in under half a working day, and requires no specialized training or prior experience in robotics.