Method for processing food item
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food processing systems face inaccuracies in cutting and portioning due to the transfer of food products from X-ray permeable conveyor belts to metallic grid belts, leading to shifts and distortions that mismatch the location and configuration detected by X-ray scanners with downstream cutters.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing both X-ray and optical scanners, with a processor that compares data sets to verify the identity and translate positional changes of food items across conveyor belts, ensuring accurate removal of undesirable components and portioning by adjusting for directional, rotational, scaling, and shear distortions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If food products are transferred from X-ray permeable conveyor belts to metallic grid belts for waterjet cutting, then the cutting process can be performed effectively, but the food products may shift or distort causing inaccuracies in cutting location
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses optical scanners to continuously monitor the position of food products on the metallic grid belt and feeds this information back to the control system. The control system compares the actual position with the planned cutting path and makes real-time adjustments to compensate for shifts or distortions, ensuring accurate cutting despite belt transfer issues
Solution Approach 2:
An optical scanning system serves as an intermediary between the X-ray detection system and the waterjet cutting system. The optical scanner captures the actual position and configuration of the food product on the metallic belt, creating a reference that mediates the transfer of positional information from the X-ray system to the cutting system, enabling accurate cutting path generation
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If X-ray scanners are used to locate undesirable materials in food products, then internal defects can be detected, but the conveyor belt must be X-ray permeable which is incompatible with waterjet cutting requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection and cutting functions are separated into distinct stages with different conveyor belt types. The X-ray permeable belt is used only for the inspection stage, while the metallic grid belt is used for the cutting stage. This segmentation allows each stage to use the most appropriate belt type without compromise
Solution Approach 2:
The optical scanning system acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the X-ray inspection system and the waterjet cutting system. It captures the position and configuration of the food product on the metallic belt, enabling the cutting system to operate accurately without requiring the belt to be X-ray permeable
3Ease of manufacture
If different types of conveyor belts are used for X-ray scanning and waterjet cutting, then each process can be optimized, but the transfer between belts causes food product position changes
Solution Approach 1:
The optical scanner continuously monitors the food product position on the metallic grid belt and provides feedback to the control system. This feedback enables real-time calculation and adjustment of the cutting path to compensate for position changes occurring during belt transfer, maintaining cutting accuracy despite the use of different belt types
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary optical scanning to detect the actual position and configuration of the food product before cutting begins. This preliminary information is used to pre-calculate the appropriate cutting path adjustments, ensuring accuracy is maintained from the start of the cutting process
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the accuracy of cutting and portioning by maintaining the correspondence of food item data across different conveyor belts, reducing errors and maintaining the integrity of the food product during processing.
Implementation Method 1
an X-ray scanner positioned over a first X-ray permeable conveyor belt for scanning food items to ascertain a location and configuration of the food items
Data Source
AI summary
A processing system (10) and corresponding method (158) are provided for processing workpieces (WP), including food items, to cut and remove undesirable components from the food items and/or portion the food items while being conveyed on a conveyor system (12). An X-ray scanning station (14) is located on an upstream conveyor section (20) to ascertain size and/or shape parameters of the food items as well as the location of any undesirable components of the food items, such as bones, fat or cartilage. Thereafter the food items are transferred to a downstream conveyor (20) at which is located an optical scanner (102) to ascertain the size and/or shape parameters of the food items. The results of the X-ray and optical scanning are transmitted to a processor (18) to confirm that the food item scanned by the optical scanner is the same as that previously scanned by the X-ray scanner. Once this identity is confirmed, if required, the data from the X-ray scanner is translated or transformed onto the data from the optical scanner. Such translation may include one or more of the shifting of the food items in the X and/or Y direction, rotation of the food item, scaling of the size of the food item, and sheer distortion of the food item. Next, the location of the undesirable material within the food item is mapped from the X-ray scanning data onto the optical scanning data. Thereafter, the undesirable material is removed by a cutter(s) (28). The food item may also (or alternatively) been portioned by the cutter(s) (28).