Automated Bandsaw Portioning with Visual Cut-Depth Calculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods lack an efficient and automated system for assessing uncut meat and calculating optimal cut depths and cutting portions, leading to suboptimal meat processing and potential waste.
Innovation Solution
An automated saw system equipped with a bandsaw blade, controller, visual sensor, and meat positioning assembly, which calculates cut depth by dividing cut portion weight by uncut meat weight and multiplying by length, then aligns a cutting plane to perform precise cuts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual assessment and cutting methods are used, then operational simplicity is maintained, but meat processing efficiency and precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the meat processing task into distinct functional modules: visual sensing for assessment, controller for calculation and control, meat positioning assembly for alignment, and bandsaw blade for cutting. This segmentation enables automated high-precision processing while keeping each module relatively simple and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-assessment through the visual sensor that automatically evaluates the uncut meat's characteristics, and self-positioning through the meat positioning assembly that automatically aligns the cutting plane. This eliminates the need for manual measurement and positioning, significantly improving processing efficiency.
2Manufacturing precision
If automated calculation and positioning systems are implemented, then cut precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary calculation of the cut depth based on the fraction of cut portion weight to uncut meat weight before the actual cutting operation. The meat positioning assembly also performs preliminary alignment to position the cutting plane at the calculated depth. This preliminary action ensures high cutting precision while using relatively simple computational and positioning mechanisms.
3Measurement precision
If visual sensors and controllers are added, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual visual assessment and measurement with an automated visual sensor and controller that calculate cut depth based on weight fractions. This substitution provides more precise and consistent measurements while using standard commercial off-the-shelf components rather than complex custom-built systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An automated saw for assessing an uncut meat and calculating one or more of a cut depth and cutting one or more cut portions. The automated saw comprises a bandsaw blade, a controller, a visual sensor and a meat positioning assembly. The controller comprises a computer comprising an address space, and a processor, a memory. The controller stores a device application in the memory and runs the device application on the processor. The meat positioning assembly comprises a pusher and a tray configured to move the uncut meat relative to the bandsaw blade. The tray is configured to hold the uncut meat. The pusher is configured to slide the uncut meat through the tray. The meat positioning assembly is configured to move the tray in a forward direction and a rearward direction relative to the bandsaw blade.