Adaptive Food Piece Cutting for Low-Giveaway Weight Batching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing batching systems struggle to generate batches of food pieces with minimal overweight when the pieces vary significantly in weight, size, and shape, leading to excess weight and reduced yield.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that dynamically adjusts the cutting process to adapt the weight distribution of food pieces to predefined targets, using control signals to switch between cutting rules and ensure batches meet specific weight and type criteria, incorporating 2D or 3D profiling and real-time weighing for accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed cutting rule is used to produce food pieces, then the cutting process is simple and stable, but the batches cannot adapt to different weight targets and produce minimal overweight
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting rule is made dynamic by allowing automatic switching between different cutting rules based on the selected batch weight target. The system transitions from static fixed cutting rules to dynamic adaptive cutting rules that change according to production requirements, enabling minimal overweight across different batch sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the cutting parameters (cutting rule) based on the batch weight target parameter. By linking the cutting rule selection to the batch weight target, the system adapts its cutting behavior to match different production requirements, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
2Loss of substance
If food pieces with varying weight and size are used in batching, then material utilization is high, but achieving minimal overweight becomes significantly more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-defining multiple cutting rules that are optimized for different batch weight targets. Before the batching process begins, the appropriate cutting rule is selected based on the target weight, ensuring that the food pieces are pre-cut with weight distribution characteristics that will minimize giveaway in the final batch.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the batch weight target to automatically select and adjust the cutting rule. This closed-loop control ensures that the cutting process adapts to the batching requirements, maintaining optimal giveaway performance even when processing food pieces with varying weights and sizes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the batch weight target is changed, then production flexibility is improved, but the cutting process requires adjustment time and may cause interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables dynamic switching between cutting rules without requiring physical reconfiguration. The automatic selection and transition between pre-defined cutting rules based on batch weight targets minimizes interruption time and allows flexible production changes.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple cutting rules are pre-defined and prepared in advance for different batch weight targets. When a batch target change is required, the system simply switches to the pre-prepared appropriate cutting rule, avoiding the need for time-consuming rule creation or system reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system is provided for generating batches of food pieces, and includes: conveying incoming food objects through at least one cutting device, where the at least one cutting device is configured to cut the incoming food objects into plurality of food pieces according to at least one first cutting rule, conveying the resulting plurality of cut food pieces to at least one batching system where at least one batch is generated fulfilling at least one first criterion including at least one first weight target. The at least one first cutting rule is selected in accordance to the at least one first weight target such that the resulting weight distribution of the plurality of food pieces entering the batching system fulfils at least one first pre-defined weight target distribution adapted to the at least one first weight target.