CUSTOMISED SOLUTIONS FOR HAM PROCESSING

Industrial automation for the food industry

A.I.M.E. Srl provides industrial automation solutions for the food industry, with a strong focus on designing pork processing equipment. In particular, our ham presses are our most popular range of solutions for automating production in this segment.

Automatic ham presses can be made with multiple moulds and with different types of mould on a single machine. What is more, they can be integrated into a complete production line designed specifically to satisfy the client’s requirements, while still conforming with traditional ham processing standards.

Automated warehouse for 20,000 hams

This warehouse forms part of a complete line for pressing and storing up to 20,000 hams. The line implements a complex production process starting with our “brick” presses, using 6 pneumatic presses, each of which can process multiple hams at a time. Once pressed, the brick-shaped hams are inserted into forming tubes which are then stored in the automatic warehouses located inside the freezer cells. This yields a perfect final form which is ideal for the next steps in processing. The racks are made of steel, the hams are handled by automated shuttles and conveyors, and the total installation takes up just 300 sq.m.

AIME SRL - Brick ham automated warehouse
AIME SRL - Complete brick ham press line

Brick ham press

Among the machines we make for the pork processing industry is this automatic single-mould press, which can press up to four boneless hams at a time, thus assuring an even density of meat and obtaining a brick-like shape of the desired size. The press is ideal for standalone or in-line applications, and can be connected to an automatic press loading/unloading unit. The vertical movement of the mould is designed to be driven solely by large pneumatic cylinders, to prevent any drops of oil falling on the product should leaks occur.

AIME SRL - Brick ham press

Ham press with automatic loading and unloading

This pneumatic press with 9+2 moulds presses the boneless ham to fill the voids, making the structure of the meat uniform and obtaining the classic tear-drop shape. As specified by the client, the press has 11 stations, 9 of which have automatic loading and 2 of which are loaded manually by the operator. Automatic loading is handled by an innovative system of shuttles connected directly to the existing production line.

The machine is driven by large cylinders which apply enormous pressure to the moulds for a set time, after which they discharge and the cycle repeats. A special system for multiplying the pneumatic pressure achieves the necessary force without the need for a hydraulic power pack: this eliminates the risk of contaminating the product with hydraulic fluid resulting from long term use of the power pack and also considerably reduces power costs. Depending on production requirements, the operator can set the pressing time and the total time available for the machine to perform the series of pressing cycles.

AIME SRL - “Tear-drop” ham press with automatic loading and unloading

Tear-drop ham press

This pneumatic press with 12 moulds presses the boneless ham to fill the voids, making the structure of the meat uniform and obtaining the familiar tear-drop shape. The machine is driven by large pneumatic cylinders which run at very high pressure to apply enormous force to the moulds for a set time, after which they discharge and the cycle repeats.

A special system for multiplying the pneumatic pressure achieves the necessary force without the need for a hydraulic power pack: this eliminates the risk of contaminating the product with hydraulic fluid resulting from long term use of the power pack and also considerably reduces power costs. Depending on production requirements, the operator can set the pressing time and the total time available for the machine to perform the series of pressing cycles.

AIME SRL - Automatic tear-drop ham press