Remote Food Processing Monitoring for Early Fault Response

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional food processing systems require physical presence of personnel to monitor and control operations, leading to informational gaps and inefficiencies in diagnosing and resolving operational issues, which can result in reduced system performance and increased costs due to potential equipment failures in caustic environments.

Innovation Solution

An automated monitoring and control system that uses a distributed computing network to remotely monitor and control food processing systems, including sensors, controllers, and a graphical user interface for real-time data visualization and event logging, allowing for automated detection of operational issues and adjustments to system configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If personnel are physically present at processing facilities to monitor equipment and processes, then operational issues can be directly observed and addressed, but system complexity increases and response time is limited by personnel availability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem monitoring reliabilityVSAvoidmonitoring system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-monitoring through automated sensors and controllers that continuously track equipment parameters and detect issues without human intervention. The food processing systems monitor themselves by comparing actual performance against expected parameters and automatically generating alerts when deviations occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Physical presence of personnel is replaced with an automated electronic monitoring system comprising sensors, controllers, and communication networks. The mechanical system of human observation and manual record-keeping is substituted with automated data collection, transmission, and analysis capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Loss of information

If personnel are assigned to specific divisions to manage operations, then localized expertise is maintained, but information flow between divisions is restricted creating operational gaps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecross-functional information flowVSAvoidoperational efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The centralized monitoring system serves multiple divisions simultaneously through a unified platform that collects, processes, and displays data from various food processing systems. The system provides universal access to operational information across all divisions, enabling comprehensive oversight without siloing data by department or location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Separate monitoring functions across different divisions are merged into a single integrated system. Data from multiple sources including sensors, controllers, and equipment across various divisions are combined and presented in a unified interface, eliminating information gaps between previously separate operational areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Loss of time

If conventional monitoring systems are used with personnel at facilities, then direct control over operations is maintained, but response time to equipment failures is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse time to operational issuesVSAvoidequipment reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of potential equipment failures by continuously monitoring parameters and comparing them against expected ranges. Issues are identified early in their development stage, allowing preventive action to be taken before actual failures occur, thus reducing both response time and maintaining equipment reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Real-time feedback loops continuously monitor equipment performance and immediately communicate status changes to operators. When parameters deviate from expected ranges, the system provides immediate feedback through alerts and notifications, enabling rapid response to emerging issues while maintaining overall system reliability through continuous oversight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11213040B2Automated monitoring and control of food processing systems

Publication Date: 2022.01.04 SAFE FOODS CORP

AI summary

Systems and methods for automated monitoring and control of food processing systems are disclosed. Data from one or more controllers of a food processing system is received during operation of the food processing system at a remote food processing facility. Values of one or more operating parameters of the food processing system are monitored, based on the received data. At least one event of interest occurring during the operation of the food processing system is detected, based on the monitored values of the one or more operating parameters. Control signals for adjusting a configuration of the food processing system are transmitted to the one or more controllers, based on the detected event.