The automatic blue cheese piercing machine (BCPM) is designed to aid the blue cheese maker to evenly and efficiently pierce the cheese wheels prior to curing. The unit is fitted with an automatic loading conveyor and can be fitted with an unloading conveyor or similar device.

 

The cheese wheels are placed on the conveyor that feeds the indexing head. An electronic eye senses the presence of cheese in the first station. It is indexed to the top pierce station and on to a waiting station, a bottom pierce station and finally an offload station where it is picked up by an exit conveyor.

 

The unit is quite simple and effective employing pneumatic cylinders and mechanical linkage drive. The BCPM is easily maintained and safe to operate.