Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud.baader Gmbh + Co Kg

John Bean Technologies Corporation

Ihfood A/s

Alexander Steffens

George R Blaine

Jon Almon Hocker

Carsten Paulsohn

Eigil Mølvig Jensen

Ulrik Nielsen

Niels Tjørnly Rasmussen

A method for processing food products () includes transporting the food products by a first conveyor (), an X-ray unit () positioned between the intake end and the discharge end of the first conveyor to acquire a first set of product-specific data relating to the food product transported. At least one first optical camera (), assigned to the first conveyor, is used to acquire a second set of product-specific data relating to the food product. A control unit () is used to receive and integrate the first and second data sets to analyze the composition of the food product and determine parameters for the food product. Based on the determined parameters of the food product, the food product is cut with a cutting unit, under the control of the control unit.

Method for processing products of the food processing industry

A processing system () and corresponding method () 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 (). An X-ray scanning station () is located on an upstream conveyor section () 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 () at which is located an optical scanner () 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 () 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) (). The food item may also (or alternatively) been portioned by the cutter(s) ().

Method for processing food item

The invention relates to an apparatus (), designed and configured to acquire and analyse product-specific data for products () of the food processing industry, comprising a conveyor (), which is gap-free in the transport plane, for transporting separated products () in transport direction T from an intake end to a discharge end, an X-ray unit () having at least one X-ray source () and at least one X-ray camera () for acquiring product-specific data, wherein X-ray source () and X-ray camera () are assigned to the conveyor () in such a manner that the products () can be guided along between the X-ray source () and the X-ray camera (), as well as a control unit () which is connected to the X-ray unit () and is designed and configured to receive and analyse the product-specific data, forming a first data set, acquired by said X-ray unit (), which is characterised in that at least one optical camera () is assigned to the same conveyor () between its intake end and discharge end, by means of which, in addition to the X-ray unit (), product-specific data of the products () transported on said conveyor () can be acquired, wherein the optical camera () is connected to a control unit () which is designed and configured to receive and analyse the product-specific data, forming a second data set, acquired by the optical camera (). The invention also relates to a system () comprising such an apparatus () as well as a method for processing products () of the food processing industry.

Apparatus for acquiring and analysing product-specific data for products of the food processing industry as well as a system comprising such an apparatus and a method for processing products of the food processing industry

Cutting/portioning using combined X-ray and optical scanning

The present invention relates to an apparatus for optical inspection of the opened abdominal cavity () of gutted fish (), comprising a conveying device () configured for conveying the fish () along a processing line in the longitudinal direction, pivotable ventral flaps holding elements () configured for holding open the abdominal cavity () of the fish, at least one optical imaging system () arranged along the processing line, said optical imaging system being designed and configured to take at least one sequence of images of abdominal cavity regions of one of the fish () in each case, said sequence comprising a plurality of single images, at least one illumination device () configured for illuminating the abdominal cavity regions in each case with light of a predetermined spectral composition, in each case at the times the single images are taken, an evaluation unit () configured to evaluate the image sequence according to prescribed quality parameters, said evaluation unit being designed to activate an ejection device to remove the relevant fish () from the processing line by ejecting it, should the evaluation reveal any deviation from the prescribed quality parameters. The invention further relates to a corresponding method.

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Lübeck, Germany

Alexander Steffens