John Bean Technologies Corporation

Arthur William Vogeley, Jr

George R Blaine

David A Below

John R Strong

Craig E Pfarr

Richard Daniel Stockard

Robert L Bottemiller

David Pfanstiel

Daniel Holmes

A processing system () and a corresponding method are provided for processing work products (WP), including food items, to locate and quantify voids, undercuts and similar anomalies in the work products. The work products are conveyed past an X-ray scanner () by a conveyance device (). Data from the X-ray scanning is transmitted to control system (). Simultaneously with the X-ray scanning of the work product, the work product is optically scanned at the same location on the work product where X-ray scanning is occurring. The data from the optical scanner is also transmitted to the control system. Such data is analyzed to develop or generate the thickness profile of the work product. From the differences in the thickness profiles generated from the X-ray scanning data versus the optical scanning data, the location of voids, undercuts and similar anomalies can be determined by the control system. This information is used by the processing system () to process the work product as desired, including adjusting for the locations and sizes of voids, undercuts and similar anomalies present in the work product.

Determining the thickness profile of work products

A method and system are provided for automatically portioning workpieces, such as food products, by simulating portioning the workpieces in accordance with the one or more desired shapes of the final piece(s) as a directly controlled physical characteristic (parameter/specification) as well as one or more resulting indirectly controlled physical characteristics (parameters/specifications). The desired shape(s) of the final piece(s) are defined by a plurality of manipulatable reference coordinates. A workpiece is scanned to obtain scanning information, then portioning of the workpiece is simulated in accordance with the desired shape(s) of the final piece(s) defined by the directly controlled reference coordinates, thereby to determine the one or more indirectly controlled physical characteristics of the one or more final pieces to be portioned from the workpiece. The simulated portioning of the workpiece is performed for multiple combinations of directly controlled shapes as defined by the modified or edited reference coordinates and indirectly controlled physical characteristics until an acceptable set of a directly controlled shape and resulting one or more indirectly controlled physical characteristics is determined.

Method and system for portioning workpieces using reference shape as a directly controlled characteristic

A method and system are provided for automatically portioning workpieces, such as food products, into both shape and other user-defined specification(s). Workpieces are portioned both to shape and weight, such as to a weight-specific uniform shape, by adjusting (e.g., scaling up and down or slightly modifying) a desired template shape until the desired weight is achieved depending on the varying thickness of each workpiece. For example, from a thicker workpiece, a smaller-sized piece having a predefined shape and weight is portioned, while from a thinner workpiece, a larger-sized piece having the same predefined shape and weight is portioned. The system permits a user to scan in and edit a desired (reference) shape to be used as a template in the portioning process.

Method and system for portioning workpieces to user-entered shape and other specifications

Sprockets () and () are engaged with a conveyor belt () itself or a chain () coupled to the belt. An encoder is used to determine the differential of the rotation of the sprockets. From that information, the instantaneous pitch of the conveyor belt located between the first and second rotational axes can be determined, and from that information the speed of the belt can be determined. This information can be used to control work tools or other devices that act on work products being carried by the conveyor belt.

Determination and correction of conveyor belt speed/location

A method is provided for classifying incoming products (e.g., chicken butterflies) to be portioned into two or more types of end products (e.g., sandwich portions, strips, nuggets, etc.) to meet production goals. The method includes generally five steps. First, information on incoming products is received. Second, for each incoming product, a parameter value (e.g., the weight of an end product to be produced from the incoming product) is calculated for each of the two or more types of end products that may be produced from the incoming product. Third, the calculated parameter values for the incoming products for the two or more types of end products, respectively, are normalized so as to meet the production goals while at the same time achieving optimum parameter values. Fourth, for each incoming product, the end product with the best (e.g., largest) normalized parameter value is selected as the end product to be produced from the incoming product. Fifth, each incoming product is portioned to produce the end product selected in the fourth step.

Classifying workpieces to be portioned into various end products to optimally meet overall production goals

Method and system for portioning workpieces to directly-controlled and indirectly-controlled specifications

A system and method for determining how food products might be portioned includes a scanner for scanning the food product and then using a computer to analyze the scanning data to develop a volume distribution of the food product. The computer operating scanning software carries out modeling to determine potential sets of end products achievable from the initial work product, taking into consideration the possibility of adjusting the thickness of the food product, either before or after cutting of the food product occurs. The computer evaluates the potential yield provided by the potential sets of end products and then one of the potential sets of end products is selected. Thereafter, the present system or a further portioning system is used to cut and optionally adjust the thickness of the food product, either before or after the cutting occurs, thereby to achieve the selected end product set.

Predetermining portioning yield

A method is provided for sorting incoming products (e.g., chicken butterflies) to be portioned into two or more types of end products (e.g., sandwich portions, strips, nuggets, etc.) to meet production goals. The method includes generally four steps. First, information on incoming products is received. Second, for each incoming product, a parameter value (e.g., the weight of an end product to be produced from the incoming product) is calculated for each of the two or more types of end products that may be produced from the incoming product. Third, the calculated parameter values for the incoming products for the two or more types of end products, respectively, are normalized so as to meet the production goals while at the same time achieving optimum parameter values. Fourth, for each incoming product, the end product with the best (e.g., largest) normalized parameter value is selected as the end product to be produced from the incoming product.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Arthur William Vogeley, Jr