Sausage Portion Transfer Control for Stable First-Hook Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sausage production methods face issues where too many or too few sausage portions are transferred to the first hook of the hanging machine, leading to production disruptions due to twisting or falling, respectively, at the start of a production phase.
Innovation Solution
A control system is implemented to manage the drives of the hanging machine, looper tube, and compartment belt drive to ensure a defined number of sausage portions are transferred to the first hook, preventing unwanted twisting and falling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a looper tube is used to transfer sausage portions to the hanging machine, then the sausage portions can be transported efficiently, but too many or too few portions may be transferred to the first hook causing twisting or falling
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs preliminary counting and tracking of sausage portions as they are formed on the compartment belts, so that when the looper tube transfers portions to the first hook, the exact desired number has already been prepared and positioned for transfer, preventing both overfilling and underfilling
Solution Approach 2:
The control system continuously monitors the number of portions transferred to each hook and provides feedback signals to adjust the looper tube operation, ensuring that the first hook receives precisely the desired number of portions while maintaining efficient continuous production
2Quantity of substance
If too many sausage portions are transferred to the first hook, then the hook is well-loaded, but the twists unwind due to back torque from casing elasticity
Solution Approach 1:
The control system calculates and prepares the exact number of portions that should be transferred to the first hook based on the desired weight and portion dimensions, preventing overloading before the transfer occurs, thereby avoiding back torque that would cause twist unwinding
Solution Approach 2:
The control system adjusts the number of portions transferred to the first hook as a controlled parameter, optimizing this number to prevent both twist unwinding from overloading and falling from underloading, ensuring stable production phase continuation
3Quantity of substance
If too few sausage portions are transferred to the first hook, then the hook is lightly-loaded, but the portions fall off due to insufficient gravitational force
Solution Approach 1:
The control system determines the minimum required number of portions for the first hook based on gravitational force requirements and portion weight, preparing this exact number in advance to ensure portions remain stable on the hook without falling
Solution Approach 2:
The control system optimizes the number of portions transferred to the first hook as a critical parameter, ensuring it is sufficient to generate adequate gravitational force to prevent falling while avoiding excess that would cause twisting
4Loss of substance
If manual intervention is used to catch falling portions, then portions can be saved, but operator safety is compromised and reliability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs preliminary calculations to determine the exact number of portions needed on the first hook, preventing portions from falling in the first place by ensuring adequate gravitational force, thereby eliminating the need for manual intervention and associated safety risks
Solution Approach 2:
The control system automatically manages the portion transfer process to the first hook, making the system self-regulating and eliminating the need for operator intervention to catch or retrieve falling portions, thus removing safety hazards while preventing loss
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method and a device for providing portions from pasty food mass provided in a casing, in particular sausage portions, in which a) portions (P) from pasty food mass contained in a casing are provided by means of a portioning device (4) with compartment belts (20, 22), which has a compartment belt drive (24) and a looper tube (16) which can be driven by means of a drive (18), b) the portions (P) are transferred by means of the looper tube (16) of the portioning device (4) to hooks (14) of a hanging machine (6), c) after portions (P) have been transferred, the hooks (14) are transported further.According to the invention, at least the drive (26) of the hanging machine (6) and/or drive (18) of the looper tube (16) and/or a compartment belt drive (24) of the portioning device (4) is controlled by means of a controller (30) in such a way that a defined number (N) of portions (P) is transferred from the portioning device (4) by means of the looper tube (16) to a first hook (14) of the hanging machine (6) at the beginning of a production phase.