How Sausage Clipping Machines Work: A Deep Dive Into Pneumatic and Automatic Systems
How sausage clipping machines work: a detailed look at pneumatic and automatic systems
Anyone who has ever made sausage, even at home, knows that details are important. And in the meat processing industry, the smallest details are even more important. It is important to have a perfect cut and clipping, the right tension and colour of the casing, and precise trimming of each sausage—these are not just technical steps, but critical control points that ensure quality, safety, and consistency.
This is where sausage clippers play an important role—the last barrier between raw materials and finished, packaged products ready for sale.
At KOMPO North America Inc., we design and supply sausage clippers and consumables to processors across Canada and the US to maintain speed, hygiene, and repeatability in everyday operations.
But how do these machines actually work — and what makes one more suitable for your plant than another? What choice should you make based on your specific needs?
Let's take a closer look at pneumatic and automatic sausage clipping machines, their differences, and what you can expect from today's commercial systems.
Pneumatic clipping machines: precision and control
In a nutshell, pneumatic clipping machines are powered by compressed air and are often the first step for sausage makers moving from manual trimming and increasing production output. These machines provide controlled, repeatable trimming with minimal operator effort - a deal for medium-sized production facilities.
How it works
Operator loads the casing in to the Vacuum Stuffers, inserts the product and activates the trimming with a foot pedal or sensor. Machine applies constant pressure to seal the sausage with a metal clip and loop. Result is a uniform closure, regardless of the type of sausage or casing.
Why processors choose pneumatic systems:
- More uniform clamping compared to manual
- Adaptable to different casing types and sizes
- Easy to maintain and operate
- Ideal for natural casings thanks to soft control
KOMPO pneumatic clamping machines, such as the KN series, are widely used in North America for the production of sausages, smoked meats, and fresh sausage products.
Automatic clipping machines: high speed, high volume
This type of machine is in a league of its own. When your business produces thousands of sausages per hour, automatic clipping systems are the obvious choice, although it would be more accurate to say that they are a necessity. These machines perform the clipping process from start to finish - apart from loading the hopper and selecting the program, no manual intervention is required.
How it works:
Product is filled directly into the casing by a vacuum stuffer. Automatic clipper detects when the casing is full, cuts the sausage, inserts a loop (if required) and applies a precise double clip – all in one continuous movement.
And all this at high speed, allowing 80-100 sausages to be produced per minute.
What makes them powerful:
- Fully programmable interface (clamp size, distance, pressure)
- Devices for inserting loops for hanging sausages
- Minimal human intervention = maximum hygiene
- Designed for integration into high-performance production lines
In large plants in Canada and the US, processors rely on these machines to produce consistent sausages, reduce labour costs, and ensure predictable production cycles.
Key features and benefits of Kompo North America Inc. clipping machines:
- Manual, pneumatic, and fully automatic models available
- Compatible with natural and artificial casings
- Hinge insertion systems (optional)
- Adjustable pressure and clip size
- Stainless steel construction for food safety
- Designed for integration with meat grinding equipment
Benefits:
- Streamlines final packaging stage
- Reduces operator fatigue and labor cost
- Prevents clip failure and casing burst
- Fast changeovers between product lines
- Clean, consistent sausage ends every time
- Fully supported in Canada and the USA
Which sausage clipper is right for you?
At KOMPO North America Inc., we help food manufacturers choose the best clipping solution for their production volume, casing type, and workflow. Every sausage manufacturer in Canada and the US has unique needs, and not all solutions are right for every company.
You may be a family business in Ontario or Alberta, or you may be a large sausage factory in Miami or Los Angeles—we will find the best solution for you. This solution will suit you in terms of quality, speed, price, and we will also select the best of our consumables (clips, loops, and sausage casings) and offer you the best price for everything.
Our technical support team will guide you through every step of the process, from ordering to installation in your workshop. We will train your operators and technical specialists. And if you need remote technical support in the future, it will be completely free for as long as you work with us.
And there's one more advantage we don't want to keep quiet about: our specialists have been working with more than just our clippers for 13 years. It's common for a customer to have other clippers in addition to KOMPO clippers, and we help set them up when needed. Whether you run a family smoke house in Ontario or a USDA-inspected plant in Wisconsin, we have the equipment and local support you need.
I would also like to mention that we have been manufacturing sausage clips and loops at our factory in Europe for over 30 years. For sausage clips, we use a specially selected aluminum alloy that allows us to achieve the best quality at an affordable price. We also manufacture sausage loops ourselves using the most advanced European technologies, and an important point is that the price of the loops does not change depending on the colour. If you need green, blue, purple, or other coloured loops, the price will always be the same.
Sausage casings are sourced from leading European manufacturers. Any type, size or colour - we have it all. If we don't have it in stock, we can order it for you. We will always find a solution for you.
Important fact. Our warehouse is located in London, Ontario. We always keep a constant supply of lumps, clips, and casings for our customers so that none of them have to worry. In addition, we always have extra stock for testing and new customers, and we always maintain a supply of consumables.