Add-on shearing technologies
Creating new and safer shearing technology is focused on better handpieces, anti-lock safety devices, shearing shed design, mobile crutching trailers and other useful technology to make wool harvesting as safe and as cost effective as possible.
Introduction
Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI) is developing new 'add-on' shearing technologies to make current and future wool harvesting equipment safer and more effective.
This is a core part of the company's strategy to cut sheep shearing costs and improve efficiencies in the wool harvesting sector.
Add-on technologies being investigated include:
Improvements to handpieces, better shearing shed designs and implementation of other shearing technologies should benefit woolgrowers, shearers and wool handlers by:
- improving wool harvesting efficiency;
- cutting the costs of shearing;
- improving clip preparation quality and value; and
- making shearing and wool handling safer and more attractive professions.
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Handpieces
A big part of this AWI project is research into improving existing shearing handpieces and finding better alternative cutting technologies.
This will address many OH&S issues in the shearing shed.
Handpiece research focuses on:
- 'dead man' safety cut-off switches;
- lightweight electric drive mechanisms; and
- improving cutters and combs to reduce heat, vibration and wear-and-tear.
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Shearing shed design
AWI is promoting best practice shearing sheds that improve wool harvesting productivity, OH&S and workflow both for conventional shearing and new harvesting technologies.
The company has collated information about building new or improving existing shearing sheds and has made this available to industry as an online resource.
Via the Shear Express project, AWI has developed and patented a mobile, collapsible sheep shelter (PDF 426Kb) that has now been made freely available to the wool industry.
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Crutching trailers
AWI and the Kondinin Group have published a comparison of available crutching systems (see Kondinin website to download), as well as a best design guide for manufacturers and operators (PDF 351Kb).
These comparisons and guidelines cover productivity, OH&S and animal welfare aspects of commercially available crutching cradles.
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Animal restraints & other technologies
Via the Shear Express project or other shearing platforms, some very innovative technologies have been developed. These have now been made freely available to the wool industry, rather than being limited by a patent.
Restraints
Animal handling systems
Fleece handling systems
Resources
Contact
Mr Joe Sullivan
Program Manager - Wool Harvesting
Tel: + 61 2 8295 3100
Contact via email
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