High-Pressure Fish Descaling Machine QL-150

Scales are the first thing that has to come off a fish and the easiest thing to get wrong. Mechanical scraping presses into the fish, and every mark it leaves is a place where the flesh bleeds and the fillet loses value two stages later. The QL-150 takes the scales off with water instead.

How high-pressure descaling works

The machine drives a high-pressure water jet across the fish as it passes through. The force lifts the scales from the skin rather than dragging a blade across it, so the skin and the flesh underneath stay unmarked.

That difference is visible after filleting. Fish that have been scraped mechanically show bruising and ragged edges along the flank; fish that have been descaled with water cut cleanly, and the trim loss at the filleting stage is lower.

Water descaling also removes the scale debris as it works, so fewer scales end up in the wash water and on the downstream equipment.

Built for a line, not a bench

The QL-150 is designed as a line stage. Fish is fed in, passes the jet, and is discharged ready for gutting or head removal. Running continuously at 40-50 fish per minute, it keeps pace with the stages either side of it instead of becoming a manual station.

The frame is stainless steel, and the water system is arranged so the unit can be washed down between shifts.

Specifications

Where it sits in the line

Descaling is the opening stage. On most plants it runs directly after the fish is washed and sorted, and immediately before gutting or a combined scaling and belly-opening unit.

Where a plant descales and opens the belly in one pass, the rest of the fish processing line picks up from that point. Note that descaling is a fresh and chilled process; hard-frozen fish is sawn before any of these stages.

FAQ

Does high-pressure descaling damage the flesh?

No, and that is the point of the method. Water lifts the scales instead of scraping them off, so the skin and flesh stay intact.

What fish sizes does the QL-150 take?

Fish up to 150 mm high. Larger fish need to be measured against the machine's opening before ordering.

What throughput should I plan for?

40-50 fish per minute. Match this to the gutting or head removal stage that follows, and to the size of the fish you actually run.

Does it need a lot of water?

It uses a high-pressure water circuit. Water supply and drainage should be planned at the installation stage.

Can it be added to an existing line?

Yes. It is a standalone stage with its own frame, so it can be placed ahead of existing gutting or cutting equipment.