Vision-Based Conveyor Control for Food Treatment Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor freezing or chilling equipment in the food industry lacks real-time monitoring and automatic control of operating conditions, leading to inefficient use and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A sensor device equipped with cameras and processors that capture and process images to detect product presence, type, and characteristics, providing real-time data to control conveyor speed and coolant dispensation, optimizing equipment operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If real-time monitoring and automatic control systems are implemented, then equipment efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by capturing images of the conveyor, processing them to detect product presence and characteristics, and using this information to automatically adjust conveyor speed and coolant dispensation. The controller continuously receives image data and modifies operating parameters in real-time, creating a closed-loop system that optimizes efficiency while managing complexity through automated decision-making algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual monitoring and control operations with an automated vision-based system. Instead of mechanical sensors or manual inspection, the system uses image capture and processing to detect product characteristics, substituting complex mechanical measurement devices with optical sensing and computational analysis, thereby improving efficiency while keeping the added complexity manageable through software-based solutions.
2Loss of energy
If manual monitoring and control are used, then device complexity is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control by continuously adjusting conveyor speed and coolant dispensation based on real-time product detection. The system adapts operating parameters to match actual production needs, accelerating the conveyor when products are present and reducing or stopping coolant flow when the conveyor is empty, thereby minimizing energy consumption while the automated control manages the complexity of dynamic adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes operating parameters (conveyor speed, coolant flow rate) dynamically based on detected product presence and characteristics. The controller modifies these parameters in real-time according to image analysis results, optimizing energy efficiency by matching resource consumption to actual production demand, while the automated parameter adjustment system manages the complexity of real-time control.
Data Source
AI summary
A processor of a sensor device receives a plurality of images capturing a scene that depicts at least a portion of a conveyer entering a treatment area of a food processing system. The processor processes one or more images, among the plurality of images, to detect one or more characteristics in the scene. Processing the one or more images includes detecting presence or absence of a product on the at least the portion of the conveyor depicted in the scene, and classifying the scene as having one or more characteristics among a predetermined set of characteristics. The sensor device provides characteristics information indicating the one or more characteristics detected in the scene to a controller. The characteristics information is to be used by the controller to control operation of one or both of the conveyor and the treatment area of the food processing system.