The world’s first-ever automated duck deboning system!

New FHF-D ensures labor-saving, consistent duck breast meat quality

The FHF-D system is truly a world’s first: an automated, modular system to debone duck front halves with a capacity of up to 2,500 dph. Built on decades of experience, the legacy of PMJ, acquired in 2020, and the largest installed base in duck processing, the FHF-D delivers a filleting solution that performs exactly as needed.

How is the duck market?

Except for France, where Barbary and Mullard ducks prevail, Pekin ducks are the main breed processed worldwide. Although selling whole birds is still the primary business in the duck industry, cut-up and filleting are gaining ground. JBT Marel Global Duck Product Specialist Jos Spaan says, ”Even processors who sell most of their Pekin ducks as whole birds still manually cut up and debone their B-quality birds. With the FHF-D, this filleting process can now be automated.” 

From manual to automation 

Until now, duck filleting relied on skilled labor, resulting in varying end product quality. On a cone line with a 2,500 dph capacity, an average of nine operators handles their own specific task, such as cutting and harvesting. But at the end of the day, fatigue and lower concentration mean performance will be compromised. The automated FHF-D puts an end to this, delivering consistent high yield, high quality hour after hour, day in day out without getting in the least bit tired. The FHF-D deboner saves considerable, expensive and skilled manpower, which is welcome in times when labor is scarce around the world. Only two operators are needed to load front halves onto the FHF-D product carriers. At a capacity of 1,250 ducks per hour, even one operator is enough. Because there is much less human contact, hygiene and food safety levels go up. 

Unique modules

“Due to the anatomy of the duck and the specific final product requirements, the FHF-D system has very little in common with the FHF for broilers. The new developments have their roots in the PMJ legacy, led by duck specialists,” says Jos Spaan. “We had to consider that the duck fillet is much more firmly attached to the carcass than the broiler fillet, which makes the breast deboning process completely different. There is no skinner involved, the wishbone remains in place, and the tenderloin stays attached to the fillet. We had to develop new, unique modules from scratch, which required an entirely new approach for some of them. Designing the new product carrier also took time to achieve the perfect shape and fit.” 

Step by step 

The process begins with an incision and a rolling motion that opens the breast and scrapes the fillet loose, leaving the carcass completely clean. In the following steps, an innovative knife cuts through the first joint into the fillet, opening up the front of the breast. A further step opens the joint and cuts the remaining tendons. At this point, the breast fillet is sufficiently loosened, and the final module simply cuts it off. Finally, the remaining carcass is unloaded from the carrier. All of this is fully mechanically controlled, and the result is at least as good as manual work. 

Input and output 

The starting point of the FHF-D is a duck front half without wings, as produced by the ACM-NT cut-up line. The default setting of the FHF-D system is to harvest a skin-on half breast fillet together with the tenderloin. The FHF-D is specified for 6-week-old Pekin ducks. During commissioning of the system, the expected weight range from the duck farms confirms the best default settings for the modules. The system then allows custom fine-tuning for the successful processing of every flock within that weight range.