Early Detection of Looseness in Bovine Hides Using Ultrasonic Imaging

Abstract

The processing of bovine hides to leather results in a significant proportion of defective leather known as loose leather. It has not previously been possible to recognize hides that may produce loose leather. Hides were processed through to leather with samples retained at the pickle, wet blue and crust leather stages with material that resulted in loose leather compared with that resulting in tight leather, using ultrasonic imaging. The loose precursor is characterized by a lower density of material in the mid grain layer. The looseness is quantified by amplitude differences in ultrasound line scans or cross-sectional area scans between loose leather and tight leather with 2-4 times the amount of low intensity area in loose leather at all three process stages. This enables detection of hides that will result in loose leather and may enable unsuitable hides to be diverted to other process streams to save substantial processing costs.