Automated Food Portion Folding and Packaging System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for processing food products, particularly meat and bacon, face limitations in product throughput and flexibility due to manual folding of L-boards and restricted design widths, which hinder efficient packaging and processing.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a folding device to automatically fold portion supports along a defined bending line, and an insertion device to align the bending line parallel to the packaging machine's transport direction, allowing for automated processing and increased throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual folding of L-boards is used, then the marginal section can be folded down to cover the portion upper side, but the product throughput is limited due to manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The portion support is designed to fold automatically along its bending line without manual intervention. The marginal section self-folds down to cover the portion upper side through the inherent structure and gravity, eliminating the need for manual folding operations and thereby increasing product throughput while maintaining the protective and display functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The bending line is pre-defined in the portion support structure during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation of the folding geometry allows the marginal section to automatically fold down in the correct position and orientation without requiring manual intervention, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and productivity.
2Device complexity
If the transport apparatus is designed with limited tracks, then the system structure is simpler, but the portion throughput is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a single-track or dual-track transport arrangement to a multi-track parallel arrangement. By adding more tracks in the lateral dimension, the transport apparatus can simultaneously move multiple portions through the packaging machine, thereby increasing portion throughput without significantly increasing the overall system footprint or operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The transport apparatus is segmented into multiple independent tracks, each capable of transporting portions separately. This segmentation allows parallel processing of multiple portions simultaneously, increasing throughput while maintaining relatively simple individual track designs that are easy to manufacture and maintain.
3Productivity
If packaging spaces are provided next to one another in a cycle, then multiple portions can be packaged simultaneously, but the packaging machine width increases
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging machine utilizes the longitudinal dimension (transport direction) more effectively by providing packaging spaces in a cyclic sequence along the transport path rather than solely expanding laterally. This allows multiple portions to be packaged simultaneously in different cycles at different positions along the transport direction, increasing throughput without proportionally increasing the machine width.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for processing food products comprises a cutting apparatus for cutting off slices from the food products and for forming portions from the slices, a packaging machine, and a transport apparatus that transports the portions from the cutting apparatus to the packaging machine. Furthermore, the system comprises a provision device for providing portion supports for the transported portions, and a folding device that is configured to fold a portion support along a bending line. The system further comprises an insertion device by means of which the portion supports with the portions can be brought onto a packaging space such that the bending lines of the portion supports are aligned in parallel with a transport direction of the packaging machine.