Waterless mechanical lamb Frenching – Stage 3 - Alpha prototype

This project aimed to develop and trial a prototype machine for Frenching lamb racks. The goal was to create a design suitable for future commercial production.

The key problem to be addressed was the need for an automated Frenching process to improve product consistency, reduce labour requirements, and lower costs for the Australian lamb industry.

The proposed machine concept targeted a production rate of 10 racks per minute, incorporating clamping, intercostal removal, and delivery mechanisms.

The approach included:

•    Reviewing previous research, including Automated lamb Frenching 
•    Testing hand tools and early-stage prototype rigs in both workshop and processing environments

The trial results showed inconsistent performance. The strength and variability of the intercostals emerged as a major barrier, with multiple contributing factors explored but not resolved in the project, however, further development pathways remain.