Annular Knife Sensor for Real-Time Fat Layer Thickness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual trimming of meat pieces using annular knives results in variability in fat layer thickness due to biological differences among animals, leading to inconsistent product quality and lower prices, as operators rely on visual estimation and experience to remove skin and fat.
Innovation Solution
An annular knife equipped with a sensor that determines the knife's position and angling in real-time, allowing for precise calculation of cutting depth, which is communicated to a processor for real-time analysis during the trimming process, using a system that includes an orientation sensor, depth gauge, and data processing to ensure consistent fat layer thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual trimming is performed based on visual estimation and operator experience, then the trimming process can be performed quickly, but the fat layer thickness varies and product quality becomes inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where a sensor mounted on the annular knife measures the cutting depth in real-time during the trimming process. This measurement is fed back to a control system that can adjust the knife position or provide visual feedback to the operator, ensuring consistent fat layer removal while maintaining high trimming speed. The sensor continuously monitors the cutting depth and provides data for real-time corrections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual visual estimation method with an automated sensor-based measurement system. Instead of relying on operator experience and visual judgment, the system uses electronic sensors to precisely measure cutting depth and fat layer thickness, substituting mechanical human perception with electronic measurement and control systems.
2Ease of operation
If a fixed guide is used to determine cutting depth, then the operator can easily remove strips of fixed thickness, but the cutting depth cannot be adjusted for varying fat thickness across different meat pieces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static fixed guide system into a dynamic adjustable system. The sensor-mounted knife can adapt its cutting depth in real-time based on measurements of the actual fat layer thickness. The system dynamically adjusts the cutting parameters to match the varying fat thickness across different meat pieces, replacing the rigid fixed guide with a flexible adaptive control mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the cutting depth parameter dynamically during the trimming process based on sensor measurements. Instead of using a fixed geometric guide, the system adjusts the cutting depth parameter in real-time according to the measured fat layer thickness, allowing adaptation to varying meat characteristics while maintaining ease of operation through automated control.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the knife angle is adjusted manually to cut at different depths, then flexibility is achieved, but the cutting depth varies and consistency cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feedback control where the sensor measures the actual cutting depth and this information is fed back to a control system. The control system then adjusts the knife angle or position to maintain the desired cutting depth consistency, eliminating the variability introduced by manual angle adjustment while preserving the ability to adapt to different cutting requirements.
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to an annular knife (1) with a sensor (5) for determining the cutting depth and a method for determining the cutting depth. When trimming meat such as at abattoirs a customer may require a fat layer of a given thickness, however the natural fat layer of animals vary between different carcasses and within the individual carcass/meat piece. By determining the fat layer thickness and variation hereof of a meat piece before trimming the meat piece an operator may be presented with such information and be able to remove fat in different areas to obtain the required thickness. The trimming may be performed with a system calculating in real time how much fat is to be removed when some fat has already been removed by an operator.