EP3993631A2 - Method and system for processing products - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method for processing products, in particular for processing fresh meat, on a processing line having a plurality of work stations, the products are transported along a transport route in one or more lanes from work station to work station, and at at least one work station at least one parameter that is taken into consideration at another point on the processing line is determined.

Description

Method and system for processing products

The invention relates to a method for processing food products to be sliced and / or divided, in particular for processing fresh meat and / or bacon, in a processing line with several work stations, with the products in one or more lanes from the work station along a transport route Workstation to be transported.

The invention also relates to a system for processing products, in particular for processing fresh meat.

To process products, especially fresh meat, a large number of different processing steps are often necessary in order to obtain the desired result. Such processing can be aimed, for example, at producing portions from a slice or several slices of this product from a natural or fresh meat product. In addition to creating the slices and creating the portions, further, previous processing steps are often necessary in order to prepare the products for cutting. Correspondingly, in such methods for processing products or in systems for such processing, the products can be transported along a transport path and processed step by step at several work stations, each of the work stations being provided and designed for at least one special processing step. In principle, the transport section can also be designed with multiple lanes in order to be able to generally increase the product throughput by processing several products in parallel and at the same time.

However, the operation and control of such a processing line are often extremely complex, since each of the multiple work stations has to be specially operated and adjusted. In addition, it should be noted in the control that a certain setting of a work station, due to the step-by-step processing, can have a direct influence on the processing of the products at the other work stations, in particular at downstream work stations. This requires a high level of expertise and experience on the part of the user in the operation of each of the workstations and an in-depth understanding of how they interact in the processing line, in that, for example, each of the workstations must be precisely adjusted to the properties of the products to be processed in a subsequent batch before operation starts . In particular, when the processing line is used flexibly for processing products of different types or types, for which different processing and possibly even different processing steps may be required, a large amount of information must be taken into account in the control.

Furthermore, a user must be able to recognize any incorrect settings that can lead to inadequate processing of the products during operation and to be able to correct them. This requires an extensive and detailed product inspection during or after processing in order to determine such defects. Likewise, a user must be able to assign any deficiencies found in the processed products to a possible incorrect setting of one of the workstations and be able to optimally correct its setting, taking into account the influence on other workstations. Particularly in the case of more complex problems or basically due to the interaction of the settings of the individual workstations with one another, even for experienced users, this can mean that different settings of different workstations have to be changed several times and the result then has to be checked again. However, this can lead to significant operational disruptions and possibly an undesirably large product scrap if processing is not carried out optimally over a longer period of time.

The processing of fresh meat is also particularly challenging because, in addition to the large number of precise processing steps that are usually required, the processing of fresh meat is subject to strict specifications, with strict hygiene regulations and temperature specifications, under which processing may take place, must be observed. Especially the processing of fresh meat along a The processing line therefore often requires a high level of expertise and experience on the part of a user in order to be able to optimally set each of the workstations and, if necessary, adapt the settings flexibly during operation, taking into account the applicable specifications.

It is therefore an object of the invention to create a possibility to simplify the operation of such a processing line and to be able to carry it out as optimally as possible adapted to a special product without the need for special expertise or many years of experience on the part of a user.

This object is achieved by the method with the steps of claim 1 and in particular in that at least one parameter is determined at at least one work station, which is taken into account at another point on the processing line.

By taking into account the parameters determined at one workstation at another point on the processing line, the individual workstations can be networked with one another and thus an intelligent operation of the processing line can be achieved. For example, it is possible to take into account the parameter determined at a work station in such a way that the following processing step is adapted as a function of the determined parameter. Information that was obtained about the product by means of the parameter can thus be used to adapt the following processing step, so that this can be carried out specifically and optimally adapted to the respective product.

The parameter can also be taken into account retrospectively so that a previous processing step is adapted based on the parameter determined at the workstation. It can thereby be achieved that a non-optimal pre-processing of the products recognized by means of the parameter is adapted for the following products, so that they reach the relevant work station in the desired state. The parameter can thus specify a measure of the results of previous processing steps in order to be able to check these processing steps during operation and, if necessary, adapt or optimize them.

Determining at least one parameter at a work station and taking it into account at another point on the processing line allows particularly flexible processing of the products, since the consideration of the parameter is not limited to the work station in question, but also during further or other processing of the products is considered. In principle, processing can even be geared specifically to individual products, even within a batch, as the parameter can be determined for each product and specifically taken into account for each product.

The options described above and in the following, which result from the consideration of a certain parameter at another point in the processing line, are not restricted to possible adjustments or changes being made solely on the basis of a single certain parameter. Rather, a large number of parameters can also be taken into account at one point on the processing line, the parameters taken into account being able to have been determined in principle at one or more of the workstations. In particular, it is possible that, for example, a processing step is adapted as a function of a single or a plurality of parameters that have been determined at a particular or at a plurality of work stations. Consideration of parameters that were determined at the relevant work station executing the processing step itself is not excluded. In this respect, all of the measures described above and below can in principle take place both as a function of one and also of a large number of parameters.

The specific parameter can be product-related and relate to a property of the product, such as its size, weight, shape or temperature, for example. Alternatively or additionally, a machine-related parameter can also be determined, which can in particular relate to a value of a manipulated variable of the work station. For example, a set cooling temperature can be determined at a work station if the products are cooled there during processing. In particular, the specific parameter can be taken into account at another work station so that, for example, a manipulated variable of an upstream and / or downstream work station is changed. It is also possible here for the settings of different workstations to be coupled, so that a parameter-related change in a manipulated variable of one workstation also directly necessitates adjustments to manipulated variables of other workstations. This can, in particular, take into account the complex interaction of the workstations with one another during the processing of the products and ensure that setting one of the workstations does not negatively affect further processing steps.

Possible embodiments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims, the description and the drawings. The following statements relate in principle both to the method according to the invention and to the subsequently explained system according to the invention for processing products, which is preferably designed to carry out the method according to the invention. Accordingly, the cited developments of the invention also relate to both the method according to the invention and the system according to the invention for processing products.

The parameter can relate to a property of the product. For example, the size of a product, its weight, shape or temperature can be determined. The temperature profile can also be determined in relation to a surface of the product in order, for example, to detect deviations from a constant cooling or temperature. The surface quality or surface structure of a product or the degree of freezing of a surface can also be determined and taken into account during further processing.

A product-related parameter can also represent a product property or be derived from a product property, so that, for example, a value can be assigned to a certain type of surface quality or shape of a product. However, it is also possible for the parameter to be determined as a tuple of values, for example in order to be able to specify a temperature profile at certain intervals on the surface of the product along one direction through the parameter and to be able to take it into account at another point on the processing line.

The parameter can also relate to a manipulated variable of one work station. A manipulated variable denotes a variable or adjustable variable of the respective work station so that the parameter can in particular be a value to which the relevant manipulated variable can be set or to which it is set.

Such a manipulated variable can be, for example, a basic machine setting, such as its bandwidth, stops in the sense of limit values, both with regard to moving components and other manipulated variables such as a cooling temperature, or forces applied during processing and their direction. Likewise, currently set target value specifications can be determined as parameters and taken into account in the further processing of the products.

It can be provided that a further processing step that is not carried out regularly is carried out on the basis of the parameter. If, on the basis of the parameter, it is determined that a product has not been processed as requested or the product cannot be used for further processing or requires further processing that was not originally intended, a further processing step can be interposed. For this purpose, the product can, for example, be treated manually or automatically guided via a route adjacent to the transport route to a work station not belonging to the processing line, where it is specially treated. The product can then, for example, be returned to the processing line at an appropriate point or, in principle, intended for a modified processing and supplied to another processing process.

Correspondingly, the parameter can also be made available to an ejection mode or an ejection algorithm and can function as an input parameter of such, based on the calculation of which the product is then sorted out or a separate processing is initiated. In some embodiments, a signal that can be perceived by a user can be generated as a function of the parameter. Such a signal can be perceptible optically or acoustically so that a user is aware of it. For example, an alarm can be generated that indicates the need to intervene in operation and, in particular, to adapt the processing process. In this case, such alarm or warning signals, for example in the form of an alarm tone, a tone sequence or an illuminated lamp, can be generated directly at a respective work station at which adaptation or intervention is necessary. This can facilitate the operation of the processing line to the effect that a user is informed about an incorrectly set workstation and can adapt it without having to check the process himself and independently assign or locate workstations that are not optimally set. In principle, such a signal can also be generated by an external device or system that is connected to the processing line and triggered in a control room, for example.

It can also be provided that the signal perceptible to a user is generated as a display on a screen which, for example, can provide a specific indication of a poorly functioning workstation or a direct instruction or setting recommendation for the adjustment to be made. The user can thus receive direct information on the control or adaptation of the processing line, so that he only needs to be familiar with the basic setting and operation of the individual workstation. This can take place, for example, on a central controller, which in particular can be arranged in direct proximity to the screen or which can be operated directly on the screen.

By displaying direct instructions for controlling the processing line in this way, a user also does not have to keep an eye on the interaction of the individual workstations with one another and thus the effects of an adjustment of a manipulated variable on a workstation on the further processing process, since this is already done when evaluating the parameter can be taken into account. Such communication with the user can make the processing line much easier to operate, so that the desired processing of the products can be ensured with the most permanent operation possible, even when the system is operated by a user without many years of experience.

It can be provided that the parameter determined at one work station is taken into account when processing the products at at least one other work station. This consideration can take place both at a work station upstream in relation to the transport route and at a work station downstream in relation to the transport route. For example, depending on the parameter, a signal can be generated for this purpose, on the basis of which a user makes an adjustment to one of the workstations. It can also be provided that the parameter is automatically evaluated and, if necessary, a manipulated variable is adapted at another work station in order to adapt the processing at this work station taking into account the information obtained by means of the parameter.

If the determined parameter is taken into account at an upstream work station, an adjustment can be made, for example, if products arrive at the work station at which the parameter is determined not optimally prepared. This retrospective consideration thus enables, in particular, optimized operation in that the previous processing steps are checked using the specific parameters and these are adapted in an optimizing manner.

The consideration of the parameter at a downstream work station also enables product-specific operation even within a batch. In this way, basic settings of the downstream workstation can first be adapted, for example in the event of a batch change detected on the basis of the parameter, in order to adjust them to the type of product processed in the respective batch. Furthermore, however, it is also possible to determine the parameter for each of the products to be processed individually, so that the parameter for the respective special product can be taken into account at a downstream work station and the processing can take place individually for the product. In this way, particularly flexible processing can be achieved in which the special properties of individual products are taken into account. In principle, it is also possible for the parameter to be taken into account at several of the other workstations. On the basis of the parameter, an adaptation can therefore take place, in particular, both at an upstream workstation and at a downstream workstation. As a result, subsequent products can optimally reach the workstation at which the parameter is determined, while product-specific subsequent processing can also take place.

If the parameter is taken into account at another work station in this way, however, it is not absolutely necessary for a work station to be adapted immediately to each parameter determination. Rather, the parameter can also only be used to check the settings of the workstations, with these not being adapted if the parameter is in a predefined or predefinable range.

In some embodiments, an instruction for adapting at least one manipulated variable of at least one other workstation can be generated as a function of the parameter. This instruction can, for example, be transmitted to a user so that he can make the necessary adjustment to the manipulated variable. In principle, however, it is also possible for the instruction to be transmitted directly to the work station in question and for the adaptation to be carried out automatically. Such a direct transmission can achieve automatic operation so that a user only has to monitor it without having to make adjustments himself or having to be familiar with the settings of all workstations.

In addition to an instruction for an adjustment of a manipulated variable that changes the processing of the products at the workstation in question, such an instruction can also result in the processing at this workstation being suspended. An instruction can consequently also be generated to the effect that a manipulated variable of a work station is set to a zero value, so that the products are guided or passed through this work station without processing taking place. Such settings can also be made, in particular, on a product-by-product basis, for example if it is determined on the basis of the parameter that processing a specific, individual product at one of the work stations is not necessary or possible.

Provision can be made for an instruction to suspend processing at another workstation to be generated as a function of the parameter. This instruction can therefore specifically aim not to process a certain product or products of a certain type at one of the workstations. As explained above, this can take place, for example, by means of an instruction for setting a manipulated variable to a zero value, so that the products are merely transported or passed through the workstation without any processing taking place there.

If processing at a work station is suspended, the product can effectively be forwarded from one work station to a work station that is not directly downstream, for example to the next but one work station. In this case, the suspension of processing does not necessarily have to be provided at one of the work stations at which the parameter is determined, downstream or immediately downstream work station. Rather, processing at any work station can be suspended due to the parameter. For example, the processing can also be suspended at an upstream work station if it is recognized that the products are optimally prepared for the processing step at the work station at which the parameter is determined, even without processing at this.

The possibility of such a suspension of processing at certain workstations allows flexible adaptation of the processing line so that, for example, different types of products can be processed and the processing steps can be adapted to the respective product without the need to convert the processing line. In principle, different products can be processed at the same time even in a multi-lane processing line, with the processing of the products in each lane being individually tailored to the respective product, for example by using one of the workstations in one of the Tracks processing is suspended. Furthermore, it is also possible to process the products within a batch and thus a product type, specifically adapted to the individual product.

In some embodiments, an instruction for adapting the transport route can be generated as a function of the parameter. By adapting the transport route in this way, a certain product can be guided past a work station, for example, by being transferred to a functional route adjacent to the transport route. Accordingly, there is no processing of the product at this work station, the product possibly subsequently being returned to the transport route and being able to be processed further at a subsequent work station. In particular, if the products are passed through the workstations in quick succession in order to achieve a high product throughput, such passing can be provided for certain products, so that no adjustment of the manipulated variable leading to an interruption of the processing has to take place again for the immediately following product would have to be reversed.

An adaptation of the transport route can also lead to the product, for example also on a functional route adjacent to the transport route, being returned to an upstream work station and being processed there again. Products that are not processed satisfactorily can then be processed again in order to achieve the desired result, so that a consistently high quality of processing can be guaranteed. Such a return to an upstream work station can optionally also take place several times until the desired processing is determined.

Furthermore, it is possible for a product to be guided into a removal and / or control area by adapting the transport route in order to be checked there by a user. The operator can then, for example, feed the product to the processing line at a processing step that is deemed necessary or determine the product to be rejected due to poor quality or processing. It is also possible for the removal and / or control area to correspond directly to a reject area, so that defective products are automatically sorted out without a check being carried out by a user. Automatic feeding of the products from the removal and / or control area to a separate processing process can also be provided so that products which appear unsuitable for processing along the processing line can nevertheless be used and processed elsewhere.

In principle, this adaptation of the transport route can also take place automatically or a corresponding instruction can be transmitted to a user who, for example, manually returns the products to an upstream workstation, guides them past a subsequent workstation or determines them for scrap.

In general, it can therefore be provided in principle that a subsequent step of the product processing is adapted as a function of the parameter.

In some embodiments, the generated instruction can be adapted taking into account previous instructions that have already been executed. Accordingly, an instruction that is generated on the basis of a particular specific parameter can be optimized by taking into account the results of instructions that have already been generated and executed. For this purpose, the instruction can be generated, for example, by a self-learning algorithm which, in addition to the specific parameter, also takes into account information on whether an adaptation of the processing process carried out on the basis of an instruction has led to a desired result.

For example, a manipulated variable adjustment or the instruction for such an adjustment can be changed if, in spite of the adjustment usually made on the basis of the parameter, results that are not completely satisfactory are recognized or recorded by determining the parameter. This enables particularly flexible control and flexible operation and use of the processing line, since, due to the retroactive consideration of the results of adjustments, external conditions with regard to the environment of the processing line can also be implicitly taken into account. The adaptation cannot therefore can only be done individually for successive products, but the instruction determining this adaptation can be continuously optimized during operation.

It can be provided that the generated instruction is executed automatically. As a result, the processing of the products can be carried out completely automatically, since, for example, any necessary adjustments to manipulated variables or the transport route can be made automatically and the operation only has to be monitored by a user. Due to the networking of the workstations with one another, flexible and product-specific operation can be achieved without a user having to have special expertise in controlling the processing line or the individual workstations.

With such an automatic operation, any adjustments can also be made immediately without any action on the part of the user being necessary. The product processing can therefore vary even within a batch and thereby be individually and directly adapted to the respective product, which is often not possible when a user has to adjust it due to the rapid succession of products at the workstations.

In particular, if the generated instruction is adapted before the automatic execution taking into account the preceding instructions, an intelligent and self-optimizing control of the operation can take place. With such a control, preset limit values for manipulated variables of workstations, for example on the basis of trends and / or statistics, can basically also be shifted in order to be able to react automatically, flexibly and optimally to certain operating situations or different products to be processed.

It can be provided that the automatic operation or the automatic execution of generated instructions can be enabled by a user so that the control of the processing line in a basic setting is incumbent on the user. If necessary, it can be provided that the generated instruction, which can be adapted on the basis of previous instructions, is communicated to the user in this basic setting, for example by displaying this instruction as an indication of a necessary adjustment on a screen. In this way, a user can freely decide to what extent he would like support in controlling the processing line. In particular, a function of an adaptation or shifting of limit values taking place during operation can also have to be activated beforehand by a user.

In some embodiments, a sorting and / or aligning device, by means of which the products are handled as a function of the at least one parameter, can be arranged in front of at least one workstation with respect to the transport route. In general, the products can be pre-aligned in such a sorting and / or aligning device in order to supply them to the downstream work station in an optimally aligned manner. This can be done, for example, by rotating or tilting the product in order to set it in the correct orientation before processing in the downstream work station. Furthermore, there can be a track distribution in the handling of the products so that, for example, two tracks are loaded as evenly as possible with regard to the weight of the products carried on them or the products can be distributed over different tracks depending on their quality.

It can be provided that the orientation of the products is changed by means of the sorting and / or aligning device. The orientation in particular denotes the orientation of a product and can be corrected, for example, by rotating or tilting the product to one side.

By changing the orientation, the product can be fed to the downstream work station in the optimal orientation for the following processing step. In principle, the orientation can be changed before and / or after processing at a workstation, the parameter being determined in each case before the change made. In particular, such a pre-alignment can be relevant if the products are compressed or shaped in the course of processing at one of the work stations, so that the forces can act as desired through the alignment. Furthermore, the products to be processed, especially fresh meat products, can optionally have bones. Correct alignment of such a product can, for example, prevent the bone from breaking or splintering during compression or molding. Following such processing, a further change in the orientation of the product can optionally take place in order to facilitate further transport or to align the product for processing at a subsequent work station. This subsequent change in orientation can take place on the basis of the same parameter on the basis of which the orientation of the product was changed before compression, while it is also possible that after compression or shaping, another parameter is determined on the basis of which the new change takes place .

In principle, it is also possible that such a function for changing the orientation of the products is provided, but can be switched off so that there is basically no change in the orientation for certain products or batches. Such a shutdown can for example be done by a user or automatically based on a specific parameter.

It can be provided that the products are distributed over several lanes by means of the sorting and / or aligning device. The products can, for example, be distributed over several lanes of the transport route in such a way that each of the lanes is loaded with products of approximately the same total weight. Furthermore, the products can be sorted according to their quality in that products of higher quality or better processed products are transported on in a certain lane, while products of less high quality are distributed to another lane. This means that sorting according to product quality can already take place during processing, so that this no longer has to be checked in detail after processing. Depending on their quality, the processed products can thus be further handled immediately or various customers can be supplied as requested. It can also be provided to distribute or sort the products depending on their volume on different tracks, so that the processed products can be transferred from the processing line for further handling already sorted according to their volume or their size.

Furthermore, by means of the sorting and / or aligning device, the products can be distributed to functional routes arranged next to the transport route, on which the products can, for example, be returned to upstream workstations, guided past a subsequent workstation or taken to a removal and / or control area. This also enables flexible handling of the products, in that an unsatisfactory processing can be carried out again, certain processing steps can be omitted or products can be sorted out.

Such a distribution of the products over several lanes can be done, for example, by lateral pushing, vertically pivoting rockers or adjustable switches.

It can be provided that the products are guided in at least one of the lanes into a removal and / or control area. On the basis of the specific parameter, products recognized as insufficient or unsuitable for subsequent steps can thus be discharged and checked by a user in the removal and / or control area. If necessary, he or she can return the products to the processing line at a desired point or sort out unusable products or send them to a separate processing process. In principle, it can also be provided that the removal and / or control area is used directly as a reject area, without a control being carried out by a user. This can be provided in particular with an optimized and automatic control that reliably detects products to be rejected and nevertheless minimizes product scrap.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the products from the removal and / or control area are automatically fed to a further process, so that these products are otherwise than on the processing line are processed. Products that are unsuitable for processing along the processing line can still be used and processed in a separate process.

In some embodiments, the products can be guided past at least one of the subsequent work stations in at least one of the lanes. Such bypassing can make it possible, for example, to process products of different types simultaneously and in each case in an adapted manner. In this way, products of one type can remain on the transport route and be guided through all work stations, the processing being carried out on these products and, if necessary, on each product individually. However, products of the other type can be guided past a workstation in a lane if a certain processing step is not intended or necessary for this. These products can thus be guided past the relevant work station without the processing of the products of the other type processed therein being disturbed. If necessary, when products are led past a work station, the lane, which is then in principle free at this work station, can also be used for products to be processed in order to thereby increase the product throughput.

Furthermore, the products that are led past a subsequent work station can in principle also be led into a removal and / or control area.

In some embodiments, the products in at least one of the lanes can be returned to a workstation upstream of the sorting and / or alignment device or to a functional unit upstream of the processing line. Such a return to an upstream work station can, for example, correct unsatisfactory processing. If necessary, the return can also take place several times if, despite the renewed processing using the parameter, it is determined that again no satisfactory result could be achieved. Furthermore, the parameter, on the basis of which the product is returned to an upstream work station, can also require an adjustment of a manipulated variable of this work station in order to achieve improved processing.

In some embodiments, at least one functional unit upstream of the processing line and / or at least one functional unit downstream of the processing line can be provided, a manipulated variable of the respective functional unit being adapted as a function of the at least one parameter and / or at least one further parameter being determined on the respective functional unit which is taken into account at at least one point on the processing line.

Such functional units upstream or downstream of the processing line can be, for example, a product store and a packaging machine, to which products are transferred, possibly automatically, after processing. These functional units can be adapted as a function of a parameter determined at a work station, for example by changing the cooling temperature of a product store if such a change appears appropriate on the basis of the determined parameter. Another parameter that is taken into account when controlling the processing line can also be determined on the functional units. There is thus communication beyond the processing line in that upstream and downstream functional units are also included in the network and their status is taken into account. With this additional information, the operation can be further optimized.

In particular, information about the batch status, such as the expected end of processing of an entire batch or the time required to process a batch, can be determined through the upstream and downstream functional units. For example, the end of operation or processing of a batch can be specified by a certain number of processed and packaged products, with the processing status being determined by the number of packs already filled or the number of finished products transferred to a downstream packaging machine can.

Provision can be made for the products to be cut into slices in a final step on the processing line and to be formed from these portions which are transferred to a packaging machine. The packaging machine can communicate with the processing line, for example, in such a way that the slice thickness is adapted within a tolerance range based on the number of already packaged portions that can be determined on the packaging machine. In this way, a desired number of portions can, if necessary, still be achieved with the products already located within the processing line and the product feed from the upstream product store can be interrupted. By including the packaging machine in this way, it can in particular be prevented that, after the desired number of packaged portions has been reached, large product residues remain in the processing line and may have to be sorted out. By using up the products in the processing line as completely as possible, possible conversions for subsequent batches or cleaning the processing line can also be facilitated and accelerated.

Furthermore, on the basis of the parameter determined at a work station or the recorded batch status, the stocks can also be checked or conversions or sorting can be carried out in a product store for subsequent batches. A pending refilling of the store or a pending change of a roll of material in a packaging machine can also be taken into account at the workstations or during transport, for example by slowing it down briefly in order to enable such a change with nonetheless continuous operation.

Provision can be made for the at least one further parameter determined at a respective functional unit to be taken into account in the same way as the at least one parameter determined at the work station at a point on the processing line. Accordingly, on the basis of the further parameter, a signal that can be perceived by a user can also be generated, in particular also a warning signal, and direct instructions or information can be transmitted to a user. In principle, automatically executed control signals can also be generated depending on the further parameter. An adaptation of the transport route or a change in the orientation of the products can also take place on the basis of taking into account a further parameter ascertained on an upstream and / or downstream functional unit. It is also possible to take into account one or more further parameters determined at an upstream and / or downstream functional unit at one point on the processing line together with parameters that were determined at other points on the processing line. Possible changes in the processing process can therefore also be made on the basis of combinations of different parameters or specific parameters at different points.

In some embodiments, a product store upstream of the processing line in relation to the transport route can be provided, in which the products are stored, a manipulated variable of the product store, in particular a cooling temperature, being adapted taking into account the at least one parameter and / or in which Product storage at least one further parameter, in particular a cooling temperature, is determined, which is taken into account at one point on the processing line. For example, the cooling temperature of a product store can be adjusted if the determined parameter suggests the need for more cooling of the products. This can be done, for example, when the products are cut at one of the workstations during processing and strong fluctuations in the cutting forces are registered, which may result in an undesired variation in the cutting quality.

Furthermore, the cooling temperature of the product store can also be taken into account on the processing line by adapting the processing steps as a function of this cooling temperature. In particular, it can be provided that intermediate cooling of the products takes place during processing, the residence time of the products in this intermediate cooling being able to be set taking into account the cooling temperature in the product store.

In some embodiments, a packaging machine downstream of the processing line in relation to the transport path, in particular a thermoforming packaging machine, can be provided by means of which the processed products are packaged, with at least one manipulated variable of the packaging machine being adapted as a function of the at least one parameter and / or with the packaging machine at least one further parameter is determined, which is taken into account at at least one point on the processing line.

The processed products can thus be transferred directly to a packaging machine, with the products being able to be placed or placed directly on provided packaging locations, for example hollows drawn into a film or provided trays. It can also be provided that the products are transported to and transferred to the packaging machine by means of further transport devices, in particular so-called inserts.

For example, the dimension or size of the packaging positions on the packaging machine can be determined and transmitted to one of the workstations that affects the size of the products or shapes them during processing. A manipulated variable of this work station can be set in such a way that the products are sufficiently compressed to enable the finished products to be packaged in the intended packing stations. In particular, it can be provided that the products are cut into slices in a final processing step, portions of these slices being transferred to the packaging machine. By compressing the products before cutting, the size of the slices can be influenced, so that it can be ensured that the created portions can be packed. Furthermore, a specific shaping of the products to be cut can also take place at such a work station, for example in order to give subsequently created slices a desired contour or to adapt them specifically to the shape of the respective packaging.

Conversely, for example, the size of the products can be determined at one of the workstations of the processing line and transmitted to the packaging machine, which can flexibly adapt the dimensions of the troughs or the selection of trays to the expected size of the processed products. This can possibly even make it possible to adapt the size of the packaging individually to a special product within a batch in order to be able to save packaging material, for example. Furthermore, evacuation and / or gassing processes can also be adapted to the portion size or the expected filling volume of a pack during the drawing of depressions in a film web.

In some embodiments, a marking device can be provided in which the products are marked, wherein the processing line can comprise an identification device in which the marked products are recorded.

In particular, such a marking device can be located upstream of the processing line, so that products, if necessary, already labeled, can reach a product store upstream of the processing line. In this identification device, for example, barcodes can be applied to the products or a chip can be inserted so that the product can be clearly identified later in an identification device. This means that a large amount of information about the respective product can be made available automatically and immediately, and processing can be tailored specifically to this product. This information can relate, for example, to specific product characteristics such as the type, weight, product dimensions or the structure of the product.

For this purpose, the identification device can be provided as a separate device and in particular at the beginning of the transport route, so that the information available through the identification of the product can be used during the entire processing and each of the processing steps can be carried out taking this information into account. It is also possible for the identification device to be integrated as a unit in one or more of the workstations or some other device arranged on the processing line.

It can be provided that at least one manipulated variable is adapted to at least one workstation as a function of the detected product. By identifying the product, the workstation can thus be specifically set and adapted to the product detected, with those available through the identification Information about the properties of the respective product can be used. In particular, it can also be provided that manipulated variables of several or even all work stations are adapted simultaneously as a function of the detected product, for example in order to bring the work stations to the basic settings for a certain product type.

In some embodiments, at least one work station with regard to the transport route can be preceded by an examination device by means of which at least one product feature is determined. This product feature can to a certain extent be understood as a product-related parameter and relate, for example, to the weight, size, quality, location or orientation, temperature, fat or meat content of a product or its surface texture.

Provision can be made for the product feature to be taken into account when processing the products at at least one work station downstream of the examination device. Accordingly, a device can also be provided separately from a work station, which is used specifically to determine product features, and these can also be taken into account when processing the products. By considering the product feature in a downstream work station, this can be optimally adjusted to the product to be processed.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the product feature is taken into account when the products are processed at at least one workstation upstream of the examination device. The product feature can thus be taken into account retrospectively and, in particular, serve to check and report back the result of processing by a workstation. By checking the results of the processing in this way, any adjustment made to the manipulated variables of the workstation in question can be changed and optimized on the basis of a specific parameter by making both the specific parameter and the subsequently determined product feature available to a self-learning algorithm for controlling the processing line will. This makes it possible to operate the processing line which is constantly being optimized.

It can be provided that the at least one product feature is taken into account in the same way as the at least one parameter determined at the work station at another point on the processing line and / or that the at least one product feature is taken into account in the same way as one that is upstream of the processing line or downstream functional unit determined further parameters at another point of the processing line is taken into account.

Also, based on the product feature, a signal that can be perceived by a user can in principle be generated, which can be, for example, an acoustically or optically perceptible warning or alarm signal or an instruction displayed on a screen, with automatically implemented instructions for adjustments of Control variables can be generated by workstations. The transport route can also be adapted on the basis of the product feature so that certain products can be guided past a subsequent workstation, returned to an upstream workstation or taken to a removal and / or control area, with this instruction also being transmitted to a user as well can also be run automatically.

Furthermore, because of the product feature, the processing at at least one of the work stations can also be suspended if a specific processing step is not required for this product or, if applicable, a series of successive products.

In some embodiments, one of the workstations of the processing line can be a cooling device at which the products are cooled at a predefined or predefinable cooling temperature or at which the products are cooled to a predefined or predefinable temperature. In principle, such a cooling device can include pre-cooling and / or intermediate cooling, the cooling device generally serving to control the temperature of the products in order to make them suitable for a subsequent processing step or the prepare for the following processing steps. The cooling temperature of the cooling device and the dwell time of the products on this device can be set or fixed, while it is also possible to cool the products on the cooling device until they have a desired temperature, so that the cooling takes into account the respective product temperature and can be adapted to it. A plurality of cooling devices can also be provided, which can be arranged before or after further work stations, while the other work stations can in principle also have means for cooling the products.

It can be provided that the cooling temperature and / or the dwell time are determined as parameters on the cooling device. Through this determination, the cooling temperature and / or the residence time can thus be taken into account at another point on the processing line. The dwell time indicates in particular the duration during which the products are in the cooling device and cooling takes place. With a constant movement of the products along the transport route, this can be predetermined by the transport speed and thus correspond to the transit time of the products through the cooling device. However, it is also possible to stop the products in the cooling device in order to achieve the desired cooling.

It can be provided that the cooling temperature and / or the dwell time are adapted as a function of at least one parameter determined at another work station. For example, the dwell time of the products at the cooling device can be increased if, on the basis of the parameter determined at another work station, it is established that the products are not sufficiently cooled at this work station. If, for example, a work station is provided at which the products are cut into slices, the cutting forces occurring during cutting can be used to check whether the cooling is adequate.

In some embodiments, one of the workstations of the processing line can be a pressing and / or molding device at which the products are compressed and / or shaped. In particular, the products can also be shaped at such a work station, the dimensions of the product being changed in a targeted manner. At such a station, irregularities in the shape of the product can be compensated for, so that the fully processed products have a uniform size and quality, as well as the same weight as possible.

Provision can be made for the temperature of the products and / or forces occurring during pressing, in particular pressing and / or restoring forces, and / or restoring paths to be determined as parameters on the pressing and / or molding device. The temperature can be measured before, during and / or after pressing and the respective measured values can be taken into account at another point on the processing line. In principle, it is also possible to provide only parts of these measuring points or to determine parts of these measured variables and take them into account. In particular, the pressing forces can be used, for example, to adjust a cooling temperature of a cooling device upstream of the pressing device, if, for example, undesirably large pressing forces are necessary in order to achieve a desired compression.

Furthermore, the volume of the products can be determined at the pressing and / or forming station. For this purpose, in particular the positions of elements that compress and / or shape the products can be checked, and the product volume can be determined from their positions. Alternatively or additionally, forces acting on these elements, such as pressing or restoring forces, can also be used to determine the volume.

It can be provided that a manipulated variable of the pressing and / or molding device is adapted as a function of a parameter determined at another work station. For example, the presence or position of a bone in a fresh meat product can be determined at a work station upstream of the pressing and / or molding device, so that the pressing forces or their direction in the pressing and / or the shaping device can be adjusted accordingly in order to avoid breaking or splintering of the bone.

In some embodiments, one of the workstations can be a cutting device, in particular an automatic slicer, at which the products are cut into slices. The slice thickness can be variably adjusted so that thicker pieces, for example thicker pieces of a fresh meat product, are also referred to as slices. It can also be provided that the products are divided or chopped into regular or irregular pieces by means of the cutting device. This alternative possibility can in principle always be provided if cutting and in particular cutting into slices is described below and the alternative possibility is not explicitly mentioned.

As a result, portions can be formed from these cut slices which consist of at least one slice. In particular, the product processing along the processing line can be concluded with such a formation of portions and the portions can be transferred to a downstream functional unit, in particular a packaging machine.

It can be provided that the temperature of the products and / or the degree of freezing of the products and / or the cutting forces are determined as parameters in the cutting device. The determination of the temperature and / or the degree of freezing can be rich in a feed area of the cutting device, in a direct area of the cutting device immediately in front of or behind which the products are sliced, and in a portioning area provided behind the knife in relation to the transport route take place, both of these measuring points and only parts of them can be provided. Accordingly, it is possible to measure the temperature and the degree of freezing on the cut surface before cutting, on falling slices and on the severed slice, immediately after cutting or in the further course of handling.

These parameters can also be taken into account at the other workstations on the processing line. In particular, for example, the cooling temperature of a cooling device or of a pressing and / or molding device that also cools the products can be adapted on the basis of the determined cutting forces.

It can be provided that at least one manipulated variable of the cutting device is adapted as a function of a parameter determined at another work station. For example, the surface properties or the temperature profile along a product can be determined in a pressing and / or molding device, with the cutting process and in particular the cutting forces or the cutting angle being able to be adapted as a function of these parameters.

According to a further aspect of the invention, this relates to a system for processing food products to be sliced and / or divided, in particular for processing fresh meat and / or bacon, with a processing line, preferably for carrying out a method as disclosed herein, which has several work stations and comprises a single or multi-lane transport device for transporting the products along a transport route from workstation to workstation. In this case, at least one of the work stations has a means for determining at least one parameter, the means being connected to an evaluation and control device which is designed to generate a control signal as a function of the at least one parameter.

The specific parameter is thus transmitted to the evaluation and control device, which evaluates it and generates a control signal as a function thereof. In principle, the generated control signal can also depend on a number of parameters and thus be adapted taking into account a large number of parameters or information. This signal can be transmitted to a further device so that, for example, an alarm can be triggered to draw the user's attention to a malfunction or an incorrect setting of a part of the processing line. Depending on the device receiving the signal, an instruction or a visually perceptible notice can also be generated, so that a user can be informed about a necessary adaptation of one of the workstations. If necessary, the control signal can also be transmitted directly to one or more workstations and their setting can be adjusted automatically.

The control signal can thus flow into the processing of the products directly or indirectly, through notification or activation of a user, and bring about an adjustment. The operation of the processing line can thus be made significantly easier and more flexible, since the control signal generated offers possibilities to achieve optimal operation even when operated by a user without many years of experience in controlling and setting the workstations.

The specific parameter can be product-related and relate to a feature of the product as well as specifying a value of a manipulated variable of the respective work station.

Thermal imaging cameras, scanners, scales, laser thermometers, a camera for surface analysis, image recognition programs or X-ray devices, by means of which in particular the position of a bone in a fresh meat product can be recorded, can be provided as means for determining the parameter. Furthermore, force profile measurements can be carried out during processing, which means that breaking or splintering bones can be recognized in a device in which the products are compressed or shaped during processing.

In some embodiments, the evaluation and control device can be connected to a warning device which is designed to generate a warning as a function of the control signal. This warning can for example be perceptible optically or acoustically by a user and in principle be provided as a mere warning signal in the form of a tone, a tone sequence or one or more lighting up lamps. If necessary, such a warning signal can also be triggered directly at a relevant workstation, so that a user is made aware of the workstation that is to be adapted.

In principle, however, specific instructions for action, for example for setting one of the workstations, can also result from the warning.

It can be provided that the evaluation and control device is connected to a display device, the display device being designed to display an instruction to adapt at least one manipulated variable at least one workstation as a function of the control signal.

This instruction can relate to the workstation at which the parameter is determined as well as to a workstation upstream or downstream of it. The displayed instruction can be a direct reference to a specific adjustment to be made to a manipulated variable of one of the workstations in the form of a manipulated variable. In principle, however, only warning messages or indications can be displayed that one of the workstations is possibly working incorrectly or not optimally and that this should be checked by a user.

Provision can also be made for settings for all workstations to be proposed on the basis of the control signal generated, which is generated as a function of the parameter. Such overall settings of the processing line can be stored, for example, as predetermined programs in the evaluation and control device, which a user can select before the start of operation or before the start of processing a batch. The optimal program can accordingly be proposed after the first product of a batch has been recorded and parameters have been determined, so that the user does not need any experience whatsoever for such a setting either.

Furthermore, such an instruction can also indicate a suspension of the processing of the products at one of the work stations, so that the products are merely passed through this work station without processing. This means that the processing line can be flexibly adapted to the products to be processed. where only the necessary processing steps are carried out with optimal setting of the respective work stations.

An input device connected to at least one of the work stations, in particular to all work stations, can be provided, by means of which the settings of the at least one work station and in particular the settings of all work stations can be changed. In particular, this input device can be integrated into a display device which is designed to display an instruction for adapting manipulated variables of the workstations as a function of the control signal. By means of such an input device, which can also be connected to the evaluation and control device or can correspond to it, a user can consequently control the processing line or at least individual work stations. Since this input device can in particular be integrated into a display device, for example in the form of a touch screen, the user can directly execute instructions for adjusting settings of the workstations displayed on the display device in a particularly simple manner and the processing line can be on a Location can be both monitored and controlled.

The evaluation and control device can be connected to at least one other workstation, wherein the evaluation and control device can be designed to automatically adapt at least one manipulated variable of the at least one other workstation by transmitting the control signal. This can enable fully automatic operation of the processing line, which is always adapted to the respective operating situation during processing on the basis of the determined parameter. The control signal can be used to adapt both a manipulated variable of an upstream workstation and a manipulated variable of a downstream workstation. When an upstream work station is controlled, the products can be optimally pre-processed and arrive at the work station at which the respective parameter is determined, and retroactive corrections can be made. By transmitting the control signal to a downstream work station, this can already be set specifically for the following product and even product-specific processing can be made possible.

It can be provided that the evaluation and control device comprises a processor which is designed to execute a self-learning algorithm. With such a self-learning algorithm, the control and operation of the processing line can be continuously optimized by adapting the control signals output by the evaluation and control device, taking into account manipulated variable adjustments that were carried out in the past. In particular, statistics or possibly registered trends in relation to the results of previous manipulated variable adjustments can be taken into account in a subsequent adjustment. In principle, it can also be provided that preset limit values for certain control values of a workstation can be adapted if it appears necessary to exceed this limit value, for example on the basis of a registered trend.

It can be provided that both the automatic operation and the generation of signals are enabled by a user using a self-learning algorithm. In a basic setting there is accordingly no automatic operation of the processing line and a user can control and adjust the workstations as desired. In particular, the approval to adjust preset limit values if necessary can also be given explicitly by a user.

The processing line can include at least one testing device for determining at least one product feature, the testing device being connected to the evaluation and control device, wherein the evaluation and control device can be designed to generate a further control signal as a function of at least one product feature . This control signal can be treated in the same way as a control signal triggered on the basis of a parameter determination at a workstation. Correspondingly, depending on the processing of the control signal and the connection of the evaluation and control device, it can also be used to control a warning device, a display device or an automatic control of workstations. A specific product feature can be, for example, the weight, size, quality, location or orientation or the temperature of a product. Furthermore, the temperature profile along a product, its fat or meat content or the surface quality and structure of a product can be determined. For this purpose, the examination device can have, for example, a thermal imaging camera, a laser thermometer, a camera and an image processing device for analyzing the surface structure, a scale, a scanner or an X-ray device.

It can be provided that the processing line comprises a sorting and / or alignment device that is connected to the evaluation and control device, the sorting and / or alignment device being designed to change the orientation of the products as a function of the control signal and / or to distribute the products on different tracks.

The orientation of the products particularly refers to their orientation, which can be changed, for example, by rotating or tilting the product to one side. This can be used in particular to bring products into an optimal alignment for this processing or this workstation before processing at one of the workstations, this optimal alignment being determined based on the parame ter and a corresponding control signal being generated.

Furthermore, depending on the parameter, the products can be distributed to different lanes of the transport route, for example, in order to achieve an approximately equal total weight on the different lanes. The products can also be sorted in the individual lanes according to their quality, so that the processed products leave the processing line already sorted according to their quality and this facilitates further handling or the delivery of the processed products as required.

As an alternative or in addition, it can be provided that the transport route is provided with lanes arranged next to it, in which the products can be returned, for example, to an upstream work station in order to correct inadequate processing and to achieve a desired result. In the same way, lanes can be provided in which the products are led into a removal and / or control area or are led past at least one of the work stations. For a product brought onto such a track, there is consequently no processing at the work station in question, while processing is not generally suspended so that subsequent products continue to be processed there.

In some embodiments, the processing line can comprise at least one functional path branching off from the transport path, on which the products can be returned to an upstream point of the transport path and / or on which the products can be guided and / or performed in a removal and / or control area which the products can be returned to a functional unit upstream of the processing line. Such a transfer of the products to the functional line can for example take place by a sorting and / or alignment device, wherein the workstations can also have means for conveying products from a transport line to the functional line. For example, it can be provided that the products are compressed and / or shaped at one of the workstations, wherein such a workstation can have an element extending in the longitudinal direction along the transport path for compressing the products, by means of which the products can also be pushed forward can be transported from the transport route to a functional route.

Products that have not been processed satisfactorily can thus, for example, be returned to an upstream workstation on the functional section and processed there again in order to enable processing as desired. Such a return can also take place several times if the desired result was not achieved despite the renewed processing.

In a removal and / or control area, the products carried there can be checked by a user and, if necessary, fed back to the processing line or removed. In principle, it is also possible that no control is carried out by a user in the removal and / or control area. det, but this area acts as a direct reject area or the products are directly and automatically fed from the removal and / or control area to a further process. By feeding the products to a further process, products that appear unsuitable for processing along the processing line can also be used and further processed accordingly.

The mentioned return of the products to an upstream work station does not necessarily mean that the products have already been processed at this work station. Rather, it is also possible that a work step that was initially not carried out and subsequently recognized as necessary is made up for by returning the products to the relevant work station. This need can be recognized in particular on the basis of the determined parameter.

In some embodiments, at least one functional unit can be provided upstream of the processing line, which is connected to the evaluation and control device, and / or at least one functional unit can be provided downstream of the processing line, which is connected to the evaluation and control device. The evaluation and control device can be designed to automatically adapt at least one manipulated variable of the functional unit by transmitting the control signal to the respective functional unit and / or the respective functional unit can have a further means for determining at least one further parameter, the further means with the evaluation and control device is connected, and wherein the evaluation and control device is designed to generate a corresponding control signal as a function of the further parameter.

This corresponding control signal can also be treated in the same way as the control signal generated on the basis of a parameter determination at a work station or on the basis of a product examination. Accordingly, this control signal, which is generated on the basis of a parameter determined on a functional unit upstream or downstream of the processing line, can in principle also be used for user communication by, for example, generating a warning by means of a warning device or an instruction on a display device. Furthermore, this control signal can in principle also be used to automatically control the workstations or to sort the products.

Such a connection of the evaluation and control device with a functional unit upstream and / or downstream of the processing line can consequently enable communication and networking of the operation beyond the processing line. This allows the greatest possible amount of information to be taken into account when controlling the operation and thus to optimize it.

In some embodiments, one of the workstations of the processing line can be a cooling device for cooling the products. In such a device, the products are generally tempered, with pre-, post-cooling or intermediate cooling being possible. Such cooling can, for example, compensate for insufficient cooling of the products in a product store, which can arise if a product is stored at the edge of the product store or the cooling is disrupted due to a refilling of the product store. Such a cooling device can consequently ensure that the products reach the other work stations at the correct or desired temperature.

In some embodiments, one of the workstations of the processing line can be a pressing and / or molding device which comprises at least one movable contact element, in particular at least one punch, by means of which the products can be compressed and / or shaped. For this purpose, the contact element can interact in particular with a counter-element in order to compress and shape the products by pressing against this counter-element, which can be designed, for example, as a wall or as an element movable in the opposite direction to the contact element.

Such a compression can change the size and shape of the product and adapt it to the following processing steps or to a desired size of the processed products. If the products are cut into slices in a subsequent step, for example using a cutting device, th, the surface size of these disks can already be given by the pressing and / or molding device. Furthermore, it can also be provided to change the shape of the products in a targeted manner by means of the pressing and / or molding device and to adapt it as desired.

In particular, the pressing and / or molding device can also be designed to produce desired, predetermined or predeterminable shapes of the products.

The movable contact element can extend in the longitudinal direction along the transport path or across it. In order to compress the products or to bring them into an intended shape, the contact element can press them against an opposing counter element, which can be provided as a wall, for example. This counter-element can, however, also be designed to be movable and correspondingly be provided as a contact element which can be moved in opposite directions.

In particular, the pressing and / or forming device can have at least one contact element extending longitudinally and at least one transversely with respect to the transport path, so that a product can be compressed in both directions or the shape of the product can be acted upon from both directions.

The pressing and / or molding device can comprise a servomotor with which the at least one contact element can be driven. This allows a precise setting of the contact element so that the pressing or shaping can take place particularly precisely and product-specifically, taking into account the respective product properties.

The pressing and / or forming device can have at least one counter-element with which the at least one contact element interacts to compress and / or shape the product, wherein the counter-element and / or the contact element can be designed to be at least partially variable in shape.

The counter-element can for example be designed as a wall, against which the product is pressed by means of the contact element, while it is also possible to provide the counter-element also movable so that it can also function as a contact element.

Since the counter-element and / or the contact element can be designed to be at least partially variable in shape, the respective element can adapt to a contour of the product. Particularly in the case of a fresh meat product which has a bone, the shape-changeable design allows for the position and shape of the bone to be taken into account in order to prevent this bone from breaking or splintering during the compression of the product. For this purpose, the element in question can adapt to the contour of the bone during the compression process and rest against it or reproduce its shape.

Furthermore, the formation of the pressing and / or forming station with such a shape-changeable element can make it possible to have a targeted effect on the shape of the products during compression and to create the desired contours on them. In particular, not only straight contours, but basically any contours or shapes of the products can be generated by compressing the products by a method of the contact element relative to the counter element and using the respective shape-changeable element for shaping.

In order to enable adaptation to the contour of a product by changing its shape, the respective element can be made of an elastic material, for example, or have a cushion filled with gel or a gas, in particular air, which is deformed by a pressure occurring during compression can be. Furthermore, it can be provided that only partial areas of the relevant element are designed to be elastic, these partial areas also being able to be distributed over several elements arranged next to one another, for example several stamps. Such a pressing and / or forming device with a contact element and / or counter-element designed to be variable in shape can thus enable particularly product-specific processing, with special contours or properties of the respective products being able to be taken into account.

In this respect, the present invention also relates, independently of the explained system for processing products with a processing line, to a pressing and / or molding device for compressing and / or shaping products, which has at least one movable contact element and at least one counter-element that interacts with it in order to compress and / or shape a product, where the counter-element and / or the contact element are at least partially designed to be variable in shape.

It can be provided that the counter element and / or the contact element are variable in shape in response to a control signal from the evaluation and control device. The change in the shape of the relevant element can thus be actively controlled, for example if the position and contour of a bone is recognized on the basis of a parameter determined at a work station or on the basis of a product feature. Correspondingly, the shape of the respective element can already be adapted to this contour, so that the element reproduces the structure of the bone and any breaking or splintering of the bone during the compression can be prevented.

Alternatively or additionally, the desired shape or contour of the product after compression can be actively influenced by such a directly controllable shape-changeable element, so that, for example, slices of the product shaped as desired can be cut in a subsequent step. Such an adaptation can also take place as a function of a parameter determined at one of the workstations or another functional unit. For example, it can be provided that on a packaging machine downstream of the processing line, the shape of the packaging places provided for the finished products, for example depressions or trays drawn in a film web, is determined and the shape or contour of the products in the pressing and / or Forming station is adapted to the respective packaging locations by controlling the shape-variable element.

It can also be provided that the counter element and / or the contact element can be changed in shape due to pressure. Correspondingly, a passive change in shape can also take place, so that the respective element automatically adapts to a specific shape or contour of the product during the pressing.

In some embodiments, a cutting device for cutting the products into slices, in particular an automatic slicer, can be integrated into the pressing and / or shaping device. This enables a particularly compact design, with the products being fed directly into the cutting device. The thickness of the slices can vary depending on the respective processed product, so that thicker pieces that can be produced, for example, when processing fresh meat, can also be understood as slices. In particular, the slicing of the products can represent a final step of the processing along the processing line, with portions being formed from the slices which comprise at least one slice and can subsequently be handled further on a downstream functional unit if necessary.

This pressing and / or molding device consequently allows a particularly compact design in that two workstations, which are to be provided separately, are directly connected to one another and integrated into one another. In this respect, the present invention also relates, independently of the explained system for processing products with a processing line, to a pressing and / or forming device for compressing and / or forming products, in which a cutting device for cutting the products into slices, in particular an automatic one Slicer, is integrated.

It can be provided that the pressing and / or molding device has a feed means which is designed to push the products into a cutting plane of the cutting device in which the Products are cut into slices by means of a knife, in particular a rotating circular knife or sickle knife.

In particular, a contact element or a stamp of the pressing and / or molding device can be provided for this purpose. This contact element can advantageously fulfill a double function in that it serves both to compress a product and to advance it into the cutting plane. Correspondingly, the cutting device can be located directly downstream of the press, so that a particularly compact design can be achieved.

It can be provided that a gripper for holding the product is integrated into the feed means. This gripper can be designed with barbs or claws, for example, so that it can be automatically inserted into the product while it is being pressed. Furthermore, it is possible that the gripper is designed to be movable or movable, so that the product can first be compressed and / or shaped and the gripper can only subsequently be brought into an active position in which the product is gripped by it and during the Feed is held.

The pressing and / or shaping device can have a means for cutting the products to size before the compression and / or shaping. By means of this means, the size of the products can be adapted in particular even before the compression or shaping if they cannot be brought into a sufficiently reduced shape by the maximum forces that can be achieved during the compression. For this purpose, further means can be provided which hold the products in a fixed position during cutting to size, which can be done for example by trimming.

In particular, the products can initially be held at a front and / or rear end with respect to the transport route and laterally trimmed or cut to size, whereupon the products can be held along the transport route in a subsequent step and trimmed or cut to size on the front or rear will. This means that the size of the product can be adjusted on all sides, with the order of the cuts being basically arbitrary. Provision can also be made to remove any product edges which may be afflicted with quality defects and which were recognized on the basis of one or more parameters or product features by cutting or trimming the products prior to compression or shaping.

It can be provided that the pressing and / or molding device has an ejection means by means of which the products can be pushed off the transport path. This pushing out can take place, for example, by means of a contact element or longitudinal stamp which extends along the transport direction and which can also serve to compress the products. In addition to compression, this can also advantageously fulfill a further function. As a result, it can be achieved that, despite the compact design with a cutting device integrated into the pressing and / or forming device, any product rejects that may be required can take place without further steps or devices.

From the above explanations, the basic idea emerges of using at least one movable contact element of a pressing and / or forming device in addition to compressing and shaping products in a further function, for example to feed the products into a cutting device or to push them out to the side of the products from the transport route. With this general idea, the possibilities of using a pressing and / or molding device can be considerably expanded while minimizing the space required, and a particularly flexible use of such a device can be achieved.

In this respect, the present invention also relates, independently of the explained system for processing products with a processing line, to a pressing and / or forming device for compressing and / or forming products, which comprises at least one movable contact element, in particular at least one stamp, wherein the contact element can be moved into a compression position in order to to compress products, and wherein the at least one contact element can be moved beyond the compression position.

One of the workstations of the processing line can be a cutting device, in particular an automatic slicer, for cutting the products into slices and / or for dividing the products. Such a cutting device can comprise a feed for the products, by means of which the products to be sliced and / or divided are advanced into a cutting plane. Furthermore, the forward thrust or its speed can act on the thickness of the cut slices so that, for example, thicker pieces, in particular when processing fresh meat, can be cut or produced by such a device and are accordingly to be understood as slices. In particular, in the case of a multi-track cutting device, the feed of each track can be individually controlled so that slices of different thicknesses can be cut in different tracks as desired.

To cut the products open, the cutting device can comprise a knife, which can be designed as a circular or sickle knife, for example, and can rotate during operation. Furthermore, it can be provided that the knife is guided in a planetary circumferential manner in the cutting device, in particular for cutting open products supplied in multiple tracks. Alternatively, the knife can perform a translatory movement and generate the slices, for example, by a downward movement in a vertical plane.

The cutting device can comprise a portioning belt on which portions are formed from the cut slices, each of which comprises at least one slice. In particular, the formation of the portions on the portioning belt can represent a final step in the processing of the products along the processing line, wherein the portions formed can be transferred from the portioning belt to a functional unit downstream of the processing line. For example, a so-called insert can be provided as the first downstream functional unit, which transports the portions further and, if necessary, transfers them to a packaging machine. In particular, further transport sections can also be provided between the portioning belt and the packaging machine, which can be used, for example, to buffer portions or to form formats.

The processing line can be followed by a packaging machine for packaging the processed products. Accordingly, this packaging machine does not have to be permanently connected to the processing line or provided as an integral part of it, so that the processing line can be used flexibly. In particular, a user can flexibly connect a specific desired packaging machine, in particular a deep-drawing machine for forming hollows in a packaging film or a packaging machine that pushes trays, to the processing line as desired. By connecting a packaging machine, the products can also be completely prepared so that they can be delivered immediately afterwards.

The products can be transferred directly to the packaging machine and placed in or placed on the packaging areas provided, for example hollows or trays. It is also possible that the processed products and in particular portions of cut slices are initially transported further via further transport devices, in particular so-called inserts, which are also downstream of the processing line, and are transferred from these devices to the packaging machine.

A product store can be upstream of the processing line. In this, the products can in particular be cooled, whereby the products can also be sorted and the processing sequence can be determined in the product store. In particular for sorting the products, it can also be provided that the evaluation and control device transmits a corresponding control signal to the product store, so that this evaluation and control device specifies a processing plan and automatically adjusts the sorting of the products and their provision in the product store can be done. Furthermore, the transport device by means of which the products are transported along the transport path can be designed to automatically convey the products from the product store to the processing line or to automatically take over the products from the product store. For this purpose, the transport device can, for example, also have a robot, by means of which the products can be placed on the processing line or products to be placed can be selected from the product store.

In the following, the invention is described purely by way of example using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. These merely represent possible embodiments of the invention, further embodiments being evident from the description and the claims.

Show it:

1 shows a schematic representation of a system for processing products with a processing line with three work stations, three examination devices and two sorting and / or alignment devices to illustrate the flexible control of such a system, taking into account determined parameters,

Fig. 2 is a further schematic representation of a system for processing produc th with a processing line with three work stations, three investigation devices and two sorting and / or alignment devices with products moved along the transport route to illustrate possible processing steps and adjustments to be made, and

3A to 3C show schematic representations of a pressing and / or molding device, in particular as a possible work station of a processing line.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a system according to the invention for processing products 11 with a processing line 13, which has three workstations 15, 17 and 19 each shown as a rhombus. The products 11 to be processed are transported in two lanes S1 and S2 by means of a transport device 41 along a transport path T from a work station 15 or 17 to a downstream work station 17 or 19. Furthermore, the work stations 15, 17 and 19 have at least one respective means 43, by means of which at least one parameter can be determined. Such a parameter can relate, for example, to a property of the product 11 or a manipulated variable of the respective work station 15, 17 or 19.

In addition to the workstations 15, 17 and 19, the processing line 13 comprises three examination devices 33, 35 and 37 shown in a circle, in which the products 11 are examined and at least one product feature is determined. In addition, two sorting and / or alignment devices 21 and 23 are provided on the processing line 13, which can be used, for example, to align the products 11 or distribute the products 11 on different tracks S1 and S2 or on track S3 of the functional section F. . On this functional route F, the products 11 are guided against the direction of the transport route T, the products 1 1 via two branches 69 and 70 from the transport route T to the functional route F and via two feeders 71 and 72 from the functional route F to the Transport route T can arrive.

Furthermore, the system comprises a functional unit 27 upstream of the processing line 13 and a functional unit 29 downstream of the processing line 13. The transport path T is directly upstream of a labeling device 31 in which the products 11 are labeled.

All work stations 15, 17 and 19, the examination devices 33, 35 and 37 and the sorting and / or alignment devices 21 and 23 are connected to an evaluation and control device 45, so that the components mentioned can in principle both transmit information in the form of certain parameters or product features to the evaluation and control device 45 and also receive control signals from it. Likewise, the upstream and downstream functional units 27 and 29 are also connected to the evaluation and control device 45 and have means 53 and 55 for determining parameters. The evaluation and control device 45 is designed to evaluate the information transmitted by all the devices and to generate one or more control signals as a function of this.

The evaluation and control device 45 is also connected to a warning device 47 and a display and input device 49, the warning device 47 being designed to trigger a warning signal perceptible to a user in response to a control signal from the evaluation and control device 45. This can take place if incorrect processing is recognized on the basis of the information or parameters transmitted by the other components to the evaluation and control device 45.

On the display and input device 49, additional or alternatively specific information or instructions for an adaptation of settings to be made to one or more of the workstations 15, 17 or 19 can be displayed by the evaluation and control device 45 sending a corresponding control signal to the display and Input device 49 transmitted. Furthermore, a user of the display and input device 49 can enter commands in order to adjust the settings of the workstations 15, 17 or 19. Correspondingly, by displaying adjustments to be made to the display and input device 49 and by being able to enter commands directly, both the monitoring and the control of the operation of the processing line 13 can be carried out by a user at a common location.

The warning device 47 and the display and input device 49 consequently enable communication with the user, so that the operation of the system can be made considerably easier by the user being supported by the information and receiving input or action requests. Processing of the products 11 as desired can thus also be ensured if the user operating the system does not have sufficient experience in operating the processing line 13 and in setting the workstations 15, 17 and 19.

As already mentioned, the connection of the evaluation and control device 45 to the workstations 15, 17 and 19 basically also allows these to be controlled and adjusted directly by the evaluation and control device 45. This can enable automatic and optimized operation in that the evaluation and control device 45 is designed to evaluate the information or parameters transmitted by the components of the processing line 13 as well as the upstream functional unit 27 and the downstream functional unit 29, and the control taking this information into account perform.

In particular, such automatic operation of the processing line 13, if the evaluation and control device 45 is designed to do so, can only take place after explicit approval by a user, so that the control of the operation can in principle be incumbent on a user and the automatic operation only when the approval is given he follows. It can also be provided that the evaluation and control device 45 can change given limit values for manipulated variables of the workstations 15, 17 or 19 and thus implicitly also take external circumstances into account in the control, with a release for such a shifting of limit values can be done by the user. Such limit value adjustments can take place, for example, on the basis of recorded trends or on the basis of statistics created and evaluated by the evaluation and control device 45.

Furthermore, in the illustration shown, a processor 51 is integrated into the evaluation and control device 45, which processor is designed to execute a self-learning algorithm. This allows the control signals output by the evaluation and control device 45 to be optimized, taking into account the results of previously output control signals. This optimization can be done with regard to the signals for controlling the warning device 49 for generating warning notices, with regard to the signals for the control tion of the display and input device 49 and / or with regard to the control signals transmitted directly to the workstations 15, 17 and 19.

This schematic representation of a system for processing products and in particular fresh meat serves only to illustrate a possible implementation of such a system and the resulting possibilities for communication and intelligent control by networking the components. The concepts according to the invention presented in the present application can, however, in principle also be implemented by other arrangements of the components of the system, omitting components or adding further devices or other networking.

As FIG. 1 shows, the processing line 13 can be preceded by a functional unit 27. This functional unit can for example be a product store 27 in which the products 11 are cooled before processing. The product store 27 here has at least one means 53 by means of which a parameter can be determined, wherein this can relate in particular to the cooling temperature of the product store 27. Since the upstream functional unit 27 is connected to the evaluation and control device 45, the specific parameter can in principle be taken into account when processing the products 11 at the workstations 15, 17 and 19 of the processing line 13. Conversely, settings can also be made on the upstream function unit 27 as a function of a parameter determined within the processing line 13 by evaluating it by the evaluation and control device 45 and transmitting a control signal to the function unit 27.

Immediately before the products 11 reach the processing line 13, a marking device 31 is provided in order to mark the products 11. For this purpose, a barcode can be applied to the products 11, for example by means of a stamp, or a chip can be inserted so that the respective products 11 can be identified individually. The products 11 can be identified, for example, by means of an identification device 33, which here corresponds to the first examination device 33. However, the individual work stations 15, 17 and 19 can also have means for identifying the individual products 11 or an integrated identification device.

Such an identification of the products 11 makes it possible to call up a large amount of information about the special product 11 directly and to transmit it to the evaluation and control device 45. As a result, the processing of the products 11 at the workstations 15, 17 and 19 can in principle be carried out individually tailored to the respective product 11. For example, by identifying a product 1 1, information about its weight, the size or dimensions of the product 1 1, as well as a fat or meat content or the surface properties of the product 1 1 can be called up and taken into account accordingly during processing.

In particular, the first work station 15 of the processing line 13 can be a cooling device 15 for cooling the products 11 in order to optimally prepare the products 11 for the subsequent processing at the work stations 17 and 19. The second work station 17 can also be a pressing and / or forming device 17 in which the products 11 are compressed and their shape is changed. The workstation 19 can in particular be provided as a cutting device 19 in which the products 11 are cut into slices 39 and portions are formed from these slices 39. These can be passed on to a downstream functional unit 29, which can in particular be a packaging machine 29.

The possible communication and control of the system for processing products 11 is described below, assuming a design of the work stations 15, 17 and 19 and of the functional units 27 and 29 as explained above by way of example. However, the system of these components represents only one possible embodiment, further embodiments being possible, in particular from the description and claims. Thus, other, additional or just parts of the components mentioned can also be used in a system for processing products 11. The work stations 15, 17 and 19 each have a means 43 by means of which at least one parameter can be determined that can be transmitted to the evaluation and control device 45. Such a means 43 can be, for example, a thermal imaging camera, a scanner, a scale, a laser thermometer, a camera for surface analysis, an image recognition program or an X-ray device, which can be used in particular to detect the position of a bone.

The specific parameter can relate to the respective product 1 1, which is at the respective work station 15,

17 or 19 is processed, relate and insofar a product feature such as the size or temperature of the product 1 1 relate or be derived from such. Furthermore, the parameter can also reflect a manipulated variable or a value to which a manipulated variable of the workstations 15, 17 or 19 can be set. Accordingly, the means 43 can also be designed to carry out measurements during operation of the respective workstation 15, 17 or 19, for example to check the pressing forces by means of a force curve measurement in the pressing and / or forming device 17, whereby splintering bones can be detected in particular . The cutting forces occurring during cutting in the cutting device 19 or other relevant values such as the cutting angle can also be determined and transmitted to the evaluation and control device 45.

Products 11 arriving from the product store 27 on the processing line 13 are first examined by means of the first examination device 33, with certain product features such as the size of the product 11, the product weight, the quality, the position or the orientation of the product 11, whose temperature, fat or meat content or the surface quality of the product 1 1 can be determined. Furthermore, for example, the transport duration of the products 11 from the product store 27 to the processing line 13 can be determined and transmitted to the evaluation and control device 45, on the basis of which it can, for example, initiate an adjustment of the cooling temperature of the product store 27. For this purpose, the evaluation and control device 45 can, for example, control the warning device 47 connected to it, in order to make a user aware of an adjustment to be made by means of a generated warning. Furthermore, it can be provided that the evaluation and control device 45 sends a control signal to the display and input device 49, which indicates an indication of a change to be made in the bearing temperature and, if necessary, the optimum temperature to be set. In both cases, the operation of the processing line 13 can be considerably simplified by the user, since he does not need to carry out the product examination himself or have special experience in order to recognize and make the necessary adjustment.

It can also be provided that the evaluation and control device 45 automatically undertakes the necessary adjustment of the cooling temperature at the product store 27 by the evaluation and control device 45 automatically sending a control signal to the product store 27. In principle, all of the instructions described below for an adaptation of the processing process can be executed automatically and / or transmitted to a user by means of the display and input device 49 and / or the warning device 47 so that the user can make the adaptation. The resulting possibilities depend in particular on the intended components of the processing line 13 and the design and connection of the evaluation and control device 45.

At the first examination device 33, for example, the temperature of the products 11 can be determined and transmitted to the evaluation and control device 45. Due to the temperature of the products 11 determined by the examination device 33, the temperature of the product store 27, for example, can subsequently be adjusted, in particular if it is detected that the products 11 do not reach the processing line 13 with sufficient cooling. The cooling temperature of the downstream cooling device 15 can also be adapted on the basis of the measured temperature, so that a possibly insufficient storage temperature at the product storage 27 can be compensated for. The dwell time of the products 11 in the cooling device 15 can also be adjusted based on the determined temperature, whereby the cooling effect to be achieved during processing in the cooling device 15 can also be adjusted depending on the temperature of the products 11 determined by the examination device 33. Equally, the weight, the dimension or the surface or the contour of the products 11 can be determined by means of the examination device 33 and the cooling temperature or the dwell time of the products 11 on the cooling device 15 can be adjusted based on these parameters .

Following the first examination device 33, the products 11 arrive along the transport route T to the cooling device 15, at which further parameters of the product 11 can be determined by the means 43 and transmitted to the evaluation and control device 45. In particular, the cooling temperature can be transmitted and taken into account, for example, on the pressing and / or forming device 17 when setting the pressing forces for compressing and shaping the product 11.

Furthermore, a sorting and / or aligning device 21 downstream of the cooling device 15 is provided, by means of which the products 11 are handled. In particular, the orientation of the products can be changed in order to transport them further in the optimal orientation for the subsequent processing on the pressing and / or forming device 17 and to feed them. In particular, the alignment can be adjusted by rotating the products 11 or tilting them to one side, so that a product 11 can, for example, be brought into an orientation that a bone 67 recognized by the examination device 33 is positioned in such a way that a Splintering of this bone 67 in the pressing and / or Formein direction 17 can be prevented (see. Also Fig. 2 and 3A to 3C).

Furthermore, the products 11 can be distributed to different tracks S1, S2 or S3 by means of the sorting and / or aligning device 21. The lanes S1 and S2 are part of the transport route T, while the track S3 is assigned to the functional route F, which runs in the opposite direction to the transport route T.

By distributing the products 11 to lanes S1 and S2 of the transport path T, it can be achieved, for example, that products 11 of approximately the same total weight are transported in both lanes S1 and S2. Furthermore, the products 11 can also be sorted depending on their quality, so that the products 11 are fed to the cutting device 19 depending on their quality, where the products 11 are cut into slices 39 and portions are formed from at least one slice 39. The processed products 11 or the portions leave the processing line 13 thus sorted according to their quality, so that their further handling and, for example, packaging in the downstream packaging machine 29 can also take place directly and without further testing depending on quality.

In particular, the products 11 can be sorted in the sorting and / or alignment device 21 based on the dimension, weight or surface contour of the products 11 determined at the first examination device 33.

In addition to the distribution of the products 11 on the lanes S1 and S2 of the transport route T, they can also be distributed over the branch 69 on the track S3 of the functional route F, the products 11 being transported on this opposite to the transport route T. Products 11 located on the functional path F can in turn be guided to the transport path T via the feed 71, so that the pro ducts 11 reach the cooling device 15 again. Through this supply 71 it can be achieved that products 11 that were initially not sufficiently cooled on the cooling device 15 can be processed again by this, so that ultimately satisfactory cooling can take place. In this case, this return of a product 11 via the branch 69 and the feed 71 can in principle also take place several times and in particular so often until the desired cooling effect on the cooling device 15 has been achieved.

Furthermore, the products 11 can be guided on the functional path F into a removal and / or control area 25. Products 11 guided into this area can be checked by a user and, if necessary, used again at a specific point on the processing line 13 on the transport route T. Unusable or poorly processed products 1 1 can also be brought into a reject area after a control by the user zer. In particular with an automatic control of the processing line 13 by the evaluation and control device 45, however, it is also possible that the removal and / or control area 25 is an automatic reject area and no further control takes place by a user. In this case, the evaluation and control device 45 or the processor 51 can include an ejection mode or execute an ejection algorithm which reliably detects products 11 to be ejected, but nevertheless minimizes the product scrap.

In principle, products 11 that have reached the removal and / or control area 25 can also be fed directly from this to a further processing process that cannot be assigned to processing line 13, so that products 11 that are unsuitable for processing along processing line 13 can also be used and otherwise processed .

Products 11 further transported by the sorting and / or aligning device 21 along the transport path T by the transport device 41 are conveyed to the second examination device 35, which is thus directly in front of the pressing and / or forming device 17. In this investigation device 35, for example, the temperature of a product 11 or the temperature profile along this product 11 can be determined and transmitted to the evaluation and control device 44. On the basis of these parameters, for example, the cooling temperature of the cooling device 15 or the dwell time of the products 11 at the cooling device 15 can be adapted. Likewise, the degree of freezing of a product 11 or the crystallization on its surface can be determined in the examination device 35 and the cooling device 15 can be adapted as a function thereof.

In this respect, based on the product features recorded in the examination device 35, there is a retroactive adaptation of the cooling device 15, the result of the cooling being ultimately checked and the cooling device 15 being adjusted taking this result into account in order to be able to process the following products 11 optimally. Both downstream work stations 15, 17 or 19 and upstream work stations 15 or 17 can thus be adapted on the basis of a determined product feature, so that the processing line 13 can be networked as completely and flexibly as possible.

Furthermore, the dimension or the surface contour of a product 11 can be determined again at the examination device 35 and the downstream pressing and / or forming device 17 can be adjusted on the basis of this in order to enable optimal processing of the products 11. In particular, the pressing forces occurring during the compression and / or forming of the products 11 in the pressing and / or forming device 17 or the process sequence, for example based on the gradient of the pressing forces during processing, can be adapted as a function of the recorded parameters. Likewise, the optimal posi on of the product 11 in the pressing and / or molding device 17 can be determined and the product 11 can be brought into this position so that the processing can be carried out specifically adapted to the respective product 11.

Furthermore, the pressing and / or forming device 17 can have various contact elements 57, 59, 61 and 63 (cf. FIGS. 3A to 3C), by means of which a product 11 is produced by moving the contact elements 57 and 61 or 59 in opposite directions and 63 are compressed or molded against each other. The pressing and / or molding device 17 can have different types of such contact elements 57, 59, 61 and 63, which can in particular be designed like a stamp, with a suitable selection of these contact elements 57, 59, based on the parameters determined in the examination device 35. 61 and 63 can be provided for compressing or shaping the respective product 11. This selection of the stamps specially tailored to a specific product 1 1 can also be used within a batch to process varying processing that is individually and optimally tailored to a particular product 1 1.

Furthermore, a bone located in a product 11 can be detected in the examination device 35 and its length, position or diameter can be determined, the examination device 35 contributing to this. for example an X-ray device. This information can also be transmitted to the evaluation and control device 45, which then adjusts the pressing and / or molding device 17 or a user through a display on the display and input device 49 or a warning on the warning device 47 about such Can prompt attitude. In particular, the pressing forces, their direction or the force profile can be adapted during the compression of the products 11. Furthermore, the temperature of the product 11 or the temperature curve along the product 11 can in turn be determined on the examination device 35 and taken into account in the pressing and / or molding device 17.

Even during the processing of the products 1 1 on the pressing and / or molding device 17, their temperature can be determined and based on which the evaluation and control device 45 can be used to adapt the cooling device 15 with regard to the cooling temperature or the dwell time of the products 1 1 in the Cooling device 15 can be made. The pressing forces occurring during compression or the restoring forces acting on the contact elements 57, 59, 61 and 62 can also be determined and taken into account when setting the cooling temperature or the dwell time on the cooling device 15. This retroactive communication from the pressing and / or molding device 17 to the cooling device 15 is particularly relevant because the temperature of the products 11 can be reflected directly in their deformability and the required pressing forces and the setting of the cooling device 15 thus a can exert a direct influence on the processing of the products 11 on the pressing and / or molding device 17.

Following the pressing and / or shaping device 17, the compressed or shaped products 11 arrive at a further testing device 37. At this testing device 37, for example, the temperature or the temperature profile along a product 11 can again be determined and sent to the evaluation and Control device 45 are transmitted. The product feature determined at the examination device 37 can be taken into account when setting the cooling device 15. This product feature can also be used to change a setting of the pressing and / or molding device 17, in particular to adapt a subsequent cooling of the products 11 before or during processing on the pressing and / or molding device 17.

Furthermore, a possible burr formation of the products 11 can be determined by means of the examination device 37 and, depending on this, the pressing and / or forming device 17 can be adapted, in particular with regard to the pressing forces generated or the process sequence or the force curve. As a result, it can be achieved that during the compression or shaping of subsequent products 11 no cracks form in them and uniform slices 39 can be produced by the cutting device 19.

The surface contour of the compressed product 11 can also be determined by the examination device 37 and transmitted to the cutting device 19 so that, for example, the relevant product 11 can be trimmed there or the cutting angle can be adapted to the contour of the product 11 .

After the product examination by the examination device 37, the products 11 are transported to a further sorting and / or alignment device 23. The orientation or alignment of the products 11 can also be changed on this sorting and / or alignment device 23 in order to be able to feed them to the cutting device 19 in an optimally aligned manner. Likewise, a track distribution of the pro ducts 1 1 can take place and unsatisfactory processed products 1 1, in particular unsatisfactorily compressed or shaped products 1 1, can be distributed to the functional section F via the branch 70. Depending on the nature of the products 11, these can be fed again, for example, via the feed 72 of the pressing and / or molding device 17, so that, if necessary, a desired result of the processing can be achieved. However, it is also possible to only guide products 11 distributed from the sorting and / or alignment device 23 to the functional line F back to the transport line T via the feed 71, so that the product 11 in question takes the entire processing line 13 from the Kühleinrich device 15 runs through again. Unusable products 1 1 or products 1 1 in which processing errors such as, for example, a splintered bone 67 were found, can also be guided via the functional section F into the removal and / or control area 25 and checked there by a user and, if necessary, discarded (see also Fig. 2).

In the last processing step along the processing line 13, the products 11 are cut into slices 39 by means of a cutting device 19 and portions 39 are formed from these slices (see also FIGS. 2 and 3C). In this case, for example, the cutting forces occurring during the cutting can be determined and transmitted to the evaluation and control device 45, whereupon the cooling device 15 can be adapted. Again, this retrospective communication can take into account the direct influence of temperature on the cutting process.

The cutting speed within the cutting device 19, whereby the cutting can take place, for example, by means of a rotating circular or sickle knife, can also be adapted on the basis of a determined fat content of the relevant product 11, which can already have been determined at the examination device 33.

A further examination of the cut slices 39 can be provided, for example their temperature or the degree of freezing can be determined in terms of crystallization on the surface. These parameters can be taken into account in the cooling device 15 by adapting the cooling temperature or the dwell time of the products 11 on the cooling device 15. Likewise, on the basis of these parameters determined immediately after cutting, any cooling before or during the compression of the products 11 on the pressing and / or shaping device 17 can also be corrected. This examination can take place, for example, on the slice surface immediately before cutting, on the cut and falling slices 39, or during the formation of portions or their further transport.

The portions formed by means of the cutting device 19 are transferred from the processing line 13 to the packaging machine 29 on which the portions are packed. Such a packaging machine 29 can be designed as a deep-drawing packaging machine, with depressions being drawn into a packaging film into which the portions are placed. Furthermore, through the packaging machine 29 trays can be drawn in front of which the portions are placed.

The packaging machine 29 also has a means 55 to determine parameters related to the portions or the slices 39 or related to manipulated variables of the packaging machine 29 and to transmit them to the evaluation and control device 45. These parameters can also be taken into account during the processing of the products 11 along the processing line 13. For example, the packaging machine 29 can transmit the dimensions of the provided packaging spaces to the evaluation and control device 45, which can then set the pressing forces for compressing and shaping the products 11 on the pressing and / or shaping device 17 in such a way that the pressed out of the Products 1 1 cut slices 39 and formed portions can be packed at the provided packaging locations. Conversely, it is also possible for the packaging machine 29 to be set, for example based on the determined dimensions of the products 11, and for processes to be controlled in such a way that the resulting hollows of a thermoforming packaging machine are of the size required to accommodate the cut products 11.

The system shown here for processing food products to be sliced and / or divided up 1 1, and in particular for processing fresh meat and / or bacon, enables comprehensive networking of all workstations 15, 17 and 19 involved in processing, the examination devices 33, 35 and 37, the sorting and / or alignment devices 21 and 23 and even communication beyond the processing line 13 with the upstream and downstream functional units 27 and 29. A large amount of information about the products 11 as well as with regard to relevant settings of operational values in the area of the entire processing line or of upstream and downstream downstream functional units 27 and 29 determined and the operation carried out specially adapted to the individual products 1 1 or certain operating situations.

In particular, when the processing line 13 is automatically controlled by the evaluation and control device 45, no special experience or expertise is required on the part of a user, so that the user only has to monitor the operation in principle. The generation of signals that can be perceived by the user, for example by means of a note or an instruction on the display and input device 49 or a warning signal generated on the warning device 47, can considerably facilitate the operation of the processing line 13. Furthermore, by taking into account the parameters determined at different points on the processing line 13, the processing can be optimized at other points on the processing line 13 and carried out specially adapted to the respective products 11, so that optimal results can be achieved.

In order to also be able to continuously optimize the operation of the processing line 13, the evaluation and control device 45 can in particular have the mentioned processor 51, so that the control can take place by means of a self-learning algorithm. This can serve, for example, to optimize an adaptation of a manipulated variable of one of the workstations 15, 17 or 19, which has to be carried out in principle, taking into account adaptations that have already been made. Accordingly, the results of previous adjustments are taken into account when making further adjustments, so that the automatic control of the processing line 13 can be improved increasingly and independently during operation.

Fig. 2 shows a further schematic representation of a system for processing products and in particular for processing fresh meat along a processing line 13. This processing line 13 has the same components as the processing line 13 shown schematically in FIG. 1, the products 11 are shown larger to illustrate the processes taking place and the transport route T comprises only one track S1.

A product 1 1 conveyed from the upstream product store 27 to the processing line 13 is first examined by the examination device 33 and passed on to the cooling device 15, where the product 1 1 is cooled and for the subsequent compression or shaping on the pressing and / or forming device 17 and the cutting on the cutting device 19 is prepared. At the sorting and / or alignment device 21, the product 11 is aligned on the basis of the position of the bone 67 detected on the examination device 33 in such a way that breaking or splintering of this bone 67 during the compression of the product 11 on the pressing and / or or molding device 17 can be prevented. Insufficiently cooled products 11 can in turn be distributed over the branch 69 to the functional section F and, if necessary, fed back to the cooling device 15 via the feed 71, while in particular unusable products 11 can be conveyed to the removal and / or control area 25.

Along the transport route T, the products 11 are conveyed from the sorting and / or alignment device 21 via the examination device 35 to the pressing and / or molding device 17, where the products 11 are compressed and / or shaped. The pressing and / or shaping device 17 can also be designed to change the shape of the products 11 in a targeted manner and as desired, so that the products 11 can be molded directly. In addition to the recorded position of the bone 67, other parameters specific to the upstream and / or downstream components of the processing line 13 can be taken into account on the pressing and / or molding device 17, so that the processing is individually adapted to the respective product 11 can be done.

After the pressing and / or forming device 17, the products 11 are examined again by means of the examination device 37 and conveyed to a further sorting and / or alignment device 23. A further change in the alignment of the products 11 can take place there, for example, in order to pass them on correctly to the cutting device 19. For example, it is shown here that the relevant product 11 is aligned by a renewed rotation, so that slices 39 that do not contain any portion of the bone 67 are cut on the cutting device 19. Due to the recorded and determined position of the knot Chens 67, the cutting process can be terminated by withdrawing the product 11 before cutting into the bone 67 takes place, so that the product residue with the bone 67 can be shot out.

Furthermore, the sorting and / or aligning device 23 is also followed by a branch 70, via which the products 11 can be distributed over the functional section F. In particular, products 1 1 in which it was possible to determine, for example, on the basis of the pressing forces occurring during compression on the pressing and / or molding device 17 or their course, that a bone 67 has splintered, can be transferred to the removal and removal areas via the functional path F / or control area 25 are managed and checked or excluded. Insufficiently compressed or unsatisfactorily shaped products 11 can also be fed again via the feed 72 of the pressing and / or molding device 17, so that ultimately a desired result of processing the products 11 can be achieved thereon.

3A to 3C show conceptual representations of an embodiment of a pressing and / or molding device 17, for which protection is claimed in the present application also independently of the above-described system for processing products 11.

FIG. 3A shows a product 11 with a bone 67 that has been conveyed into the pressing and / or molding device 17. This has four movable contact elements 57, 59, 61 and 63, which can be moved, for example, by means of a servo motor, not shown, in order to compress or shape the product 11. In order to achieve compression and to act on the shape of the product 11, the contact elements 59 and 63 can be moved against or along the longitudinal direction L, while the contact elements 57 and 61 can be moved in the transverse direction Q to one another. Correspondingly, one of the contact elements 57 and 61 or one of the contact elements 59 and 63 forms a respective counter element 57, 59 (61, 63) of the other contact element 61, 63 (57, 59), which interact to form a product 11 to compress and change its shape. Furthermore, the pressing and / or forming device 17 can have further contact or counter elements which can be moved, for example, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and the transverse direction Q in order to be able to compress or shape the products 11 in this direction as well.

In the longitudinal direction L connected directly to the contact element 59 is a cutting plane M in which a knife 20 is moved in order to cut the product 11 into slices 39. This knife 20 can in particular be designed as a rotating circular or sickle knife. As a result of the direct connection of the cutting plane M, a slicing device is integrated into the pressing and / or shaping device 17 and the pressing and / or shaping device 17 has an integrated slicer. The cutting devices 19 of FIGS. 1 and 2 are thus integrated directly into the pressing and / or forming device 17 here.

In order to advance the product 11 after compression or shaping into the cutting plane M, the longitudinally displaceable contact element 63 has two gripper arms 65 by means of which the product 11 can be gripped and held during the advance. The contact element 63 can thus advantageously fulfill a double function in that it serves both to compress or shape the product 11 and as a feed element 63 for feeding it into the cutting plane M.

In principle, it can also be provided to hold the product 11 by means of the gripping arms 65 or other means before it is compressed or shaped and to cut it to size by means of cutting means (not shown) that are generally different from the knife 20. In this way, for example, a reduction in the size of the product 11 can be achieved, which is not possible by pure compression due to the maximum achievable forces on the contact elements 57, 59, 61 and 63. Furthermore, any defective adhered edges of the products 11 that are found can be removed.

3B shows the product 11 during compression and / or shaping by the contact elements 57,

59, 61 and 63. During this compression, the gripper arms 65 of the contact element 63 are offset outward, so that the contact element 63 can also be used for compressing and shaping the product 11. As can also be seen, the contact element 61 comprises a plurality of sub-elements 62, by means of which the contact element 61 is designed to be variable in shape. By means of these sub-elements 62, the contact element 61 can be adapted to the contour of the product 11, and in particular the shape of the bone 67, so that breaking and splintering of this bone 67 during the compression of the product 11 can be prevented. In particular, it can be provided that the sub-elements 62 are aligned automatically adapted to the course of this bone 67 on the basis of a previously detected position of the bone 67 before the product 11 reaches the pressing and / or molding device 17. Furthermore, it can also be provided that the sub-elements 62, as indicated here, automatically adapt to the shape of the product 11 or of the bone 67 as a result of a pressure occurring during the compression.

Since the shape-variable contact element 61 or its sub-elements 62 can be designed to be directly controllable, they can in principle also be brought into a predefined or predeterminable position before a product 11 is compressed, in order to act directly on the contour of the compressed product 11. As a result, the product 11 can be brought into a desired shape during the compression, with the change in the shape of the contact element 61 in principle being able to produce any contour and the contours that can be produced are not limited to straight shapes. In particular, it can be provided to design further or all of the contact elements 57, 59 and 63 to be equally shape-variable.

In addition to the design of the contact element 61 shown here with several displaceable sub-elements 62, it can also be provided that the contact element 61 is made of an elastic material so that a one-piece contact element 61 can adapt to the structure of the product 11. Furthermore, the contact element 61 or certain partial areas of it can be covered by a cushion filled, for example, with a gas, in particular also with air, or with a gel, so that a change in shape of the contact element 61 or its surface to adapt to a contour of a product 11 can be done by pressing on this pillow.

As FIG. 3C shows, after the compression or shaping of the product 11 has been completed, the gripper arms 65 can engage in this in order to enable the product 11 to be held or advanced into the cutting plane M. For this purpose, the gripper arms 65 can, for example, be pivotably arranged on the contact element 63, wherein the gripper arms 65 can also be retracted counter to the longitudinal direction L during compression and then extended. Furthermore, a gripper can be designed, for example, with one or more barbs, which already engage in the product 11 during the compression or molding.

In order to enable the product 11 to be advanced into the cutting plane M, the contact element 59 in particular can also be moved in the transverse direction Q in order to clear the path for the product 11 in the longitudinal direction L. Furthermore, the contact element 57 can be displaced in the transverse direction Q in such a way that the product 11 can be pushed in the transverse direction Q from a transport path T onto a functional path F and, for example, can be guided into a removal and / or control area 25 (cf. 2). As a result, despite the compact design without a separate transport area between the pressing and / or forming device 17 and the cutting plane M, products 11 identified as unusable can be sorted out in a simple manner and without further devices.

By integrating the cutting device 19 in the pressing and / or shaping device 17 in this way, a particularly space-saving design can be achieved and the pressing and / or shaping device 17 can be used in a variety of ways. The embodiment illustrated here is only intended to clarify the concept of such a pressing and / or forming device 17 with an integrated cutting device. List of reference symbols

1 1 product

13 processing line

15 first work station, cooling device

17 second work station, pressing and / or molding device

19 third work station, cutting device

20 knives

21 first sorting and / or aligning device

23 second sorting and / or aligning device

25 Extraction and / or control area

27 upstream functional unit, product store

29 downstream functional unit, packaging machine

31 Identification facility

33 identification device, first examination device

35 second examination facility

37 third examination facility

39 Product slice

41 Transport device

43 means

45 Evaluation and control device

47 Warning device

49 Display and input device

51 processor

53 Means of the upstream functional unit

55 Resources of the downstream functional unit

57 first contact element, first counter element

59 second contact element, second counter element

61 third contact element, third counter element

62 shape-changeable sub-element

63 fourth contact element, fourth counter-element, feed means

65 gripper arm

67 bones

69 first branch

70 second branch

71 first feed

72 second feed

F functional range

L lengthwise

M cutting plane

Q cross direction

S1 first track

second track

Trace of the functional route

T transport route

Claims

Weber Maschinenbau GmbH Breidenbach W10847PWO - Jr / Dm claims

1 . Method for processing food products to be sliced and / or divided (1 1), in particular for processing fresh meat and / or bacon,

in a processing line (13) with several work stations (15, 17, 19),

wherein the products (1 1) along a transport route (T) one or more lanes from the work station

(15, 17) are transported to work station (17, 19), and

wherein at least one parameter is determined at at least one work station (15, 17, 19) which is taken into account at another point on the processing line (13).

2. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the parameter relates to a property of the product (1 1).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein the parameter relates to a manipulated variable of the one work station (15, 17, 19).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

a signal that is perceptible to a user is generated as a function of the parameter.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein the parameter determined at the one workstation (15, 17, 19) is taken into account when processing the products (11) at at least one other workstation (15, 17, 19).

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

an instruction for adapting at least one manipulated variable of at least one other workstation (15, 17, 19) being generated as a function of the parameter.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

an instruction for suspending processing at another workstation (15, 17, 19) being generated as a function of the parameter.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

an instruction for adapting the transport route (T) is generated as a function of the parameter.

9. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8,

whereby the generated instruction is adapted taking into account previous, already executed instructions.

10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9,

whereby the generated instruction is executed automatically.

1 1. Method according to one of the preceding claims,

wherein at least one of the work stations (15, 17, 19) with respect to the transport path (T) is preceded by a sorting and / or aligning device (21, 23) by means of which the products (11) are handled depending on the at least one parameter will.

12. The method according to claim 1 1,

wherein the orientation of the products (1 1) is changed by means of the sorting and / or alignment device (21, 23).

13. The method according to claim 1 1 or 12,

wherein the products (1 1) are distributed over several tracks (S1, S2, S3) by means of the sorting and / or aligning device (21, 23).

14. The method according to claim 13,

wherein the products (11) are guided in at least one of the lanes (S1, S2, S3) into a removal and / or control area (25).

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14,

wherein the products (1 1) in at least one of the lanes (S1, S2, S3) are guided past at least one of the subsequent work stations (15, 17, 19).

16. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 15,

wherein the products (1 1) in at least one of the lanes (S1, S2, S3) to one of the sorting and / or alignment device (21, 23) upstream work station (15, 17, 19) or one of the processing line (13) upstream functional unit (27) are returned.

17. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

at least one functional unit (27) upstream of the processing line (13) being provided and / or at least one functional unit (29) downstream of the processing line (13) being provided,

wherein a manipulated variable of the respective functional unit (27, 29) is adapted as a function of the at least one parameter and / or wherein at least one further parameter is determined on the respective functional unit (27, 29), which takes into account at least one point on the processing line (13) is sighted.

18. The method according to claim 17,

the at least one further parameter determined at a respective functional unit (27, 29) being taken into account in the same way as the at least one parameter determined at the workstation (15, 17, 19) at a point on the processing line (13).

19. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein a product store (27) is provided upstream of the processing line (13) with respect to the transport route (T), in which the products (11) are stored, taking into account a manipulated variable of the product store (27), in particular a cooling temperature of the at least one parameter is adapted and / or wherein at least one further parameter, in particular a cooling temperature, is determined at the product store (27), which is taken into account at at least one point on the processing line (13).

20. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

a packaging machine (29) downstream of the processing line (13) in relation to the transport path (T), in particular a thermoforming packaging machine, is provided, by means of which the processed products (1 1) are packaged, with at least one manipulated variable of the packaging machine (29 ) is adapted as a function of the at least one parameter and / or wherein at least one further parameter is determined on the packaging machine (29), which is taken into account at at least one point on the processing line (13).

21st Method according to one of the preceding claims,

wherein a marking device (31) is provided in which the products (1 1) are marked, the processing line (13) comprising an identification device (33) in which the marked products (1 1) are recorded.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein at least one manipulated variable of at least one work station (15, 17, 19) is adapted as a function of the product (11) he has captured.

23. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein at least one work station (15, 17, 19) with respect to the transport route (T) is preceded by an examination device (33, 35, 37) by means of which at least one product feature is determined.

24. The method according to claim 23,

wherein the product feature is taken into account when processing the products (11) at at least one workstation (15, 17, 19) downstream of the examination device (33, 35, 37).

25. The method according to claim 23 or 24,

wherein the product feature is taken into account when processing the products (11) at at least one workstation (15, 17, 19) upstream of the examination device (33, 35, 37).

26. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 25,

wherein the at least one product feature is taken into account in the same way as the at least one parameter determined at the work station (15, 17, 19) at another point on the processing line (13) and / or wherein the product feature is taken into account in the same way as one at one of the Processing line (13) upstream or downstream functional unit (27, 29) determined further parameters at another point of the processing line (13) is taken into account.

27. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein one of the workstations (15, 17, 19) of the processing line (13) is a cooling device (15) at which the products (1 1) are cooled at a predetermined or predeterminable cooling temperature or at which the products (1 1) are cooled to a predefined or predefinable temperature are cooled.

28. The method according to claim 27,

the cooling temperature and / or the dwell time being determined as parameters on the cooling device (15).

29. The method according to claim 27 or 28,

the cooling temperature and / or the dwell time being adapted as a function of at least one parameter determined at at least one other workstation (17, 19).

30. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein one of the work stations (15, 17, 19) of the processing line (13) is a pressing and / or molding device (17) at which the products (11) are compressed and / or shaped.

31. Method according to claim 30,

the temperature of the products (11) and / or forces occurring during the pressing, in particular pressing or restoring forces, and / or restoring paths being determined as parameters on the pressing and / or molding device (17).

32. The method according to claim 30 or 31,

wherein a manipulated variable of the pressing and / or molding device (17) is adapted as a function of a parameter determined at another work station (15, 19).

33. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein one of the work stations (15, 17, 19) is a cutting device, in particular an automatic slicer, at which the products (11) are cut into slices (39) and / or divided.

34. The method according to claim 33,

the temperature of the products (11) and / or the degree of freezing of the products (11) and / or the cutting forces being determined as parameters on the cutting device (19).

35. The method according to claim 33 or 34,

wherein a manipulated variable of the cutting device (19) is adapted as a function of a parameter determined at another work station (15, 17).

36. System for processing food products to be sliced and / or divided (1 1), in particular for processing fresh meat and / or bacon,

with a processing line (13), preferably for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims, the multiple work stations (15, 17, 19) and a single or multi-lane transport device (41) for transporting the products (11) along a transport route (T) from work station (15, 17) to work station (17, 19),

wherein at least one of the workstations (15, 17, 19) has a means (43) for determining at least one parameter, the means (43) being connected to an evaluation and control device (45) which is designed to in To generate a control signal as a function of the at least one parameter.

37. System according to claim 36,

wherein the evaluation and control device (45) is connected to a warning device (47) which is designed to generate a warning as a function of the control signal.

38. System according to claim 36 or 37,

wherein the evaluation and control device (45) is connected to a display device (49), where in the case of the display device (49) is designed to provide an instruction to adapt at least one manipulated variable of at least one workstation (15, 17, 19) to show.

39. System according to one of claims 36 to 38,

wherein the evaluation and control device (45) is connected to at least one other work station (15, 17, 19), the evaluation and control device (45) being designed to automatically transmit at least one manipulated variable of the at least one other by transmitting the control signal Adapt workstation (15, 17, 19).

40. System according to one of claims 36 to 39,

wherein the evaluation and control device (45) comprises a processor (51) which is designed to execute a self-learning algorithm.

41. System according to one of Claims 36 to 40,

wherein the processing line (13) comprises at least one examination device (33, 35, 37) for determining at least one product feature, wherein the examination device (33, 35, 37) is connected to the evaluation and control device (45), the evaluation and Steuereinrich device (45) is designed to generate a further control signal as a function of the at least one product feature.

42. System according to one of claims 36 to 41,

wherein the processing line (13) comprises a sorting and / or alignment device (21, 23) which is connected to the evaluation and control device (45), the sorting and / or alignment device (21, 23) being designed for this purpose , depending on the control signal, the orientation of the to change products (1 1) and / or to divide the products (1 1) on different tracks (S1, S2, S3).

43. System according to one of claims 36 to 42,

wherein the processing line (13) comprises at least one functional line (F) branching off from the transport line (T), on which the products (11) can be returned to an upstream point of the transport line (T) and / or on which the products (1 1) can be guided into a removal and / or control area (25) and / or on which the products (11) can be returned to a functional unit (27) upstream of the processing line (13).

44. System according to one of claims 36 to 43,

wherein at least one functional unit (27) is provided upstream of the processing line (13) and is connected to the evaluation and control device (45), and / or wherein at least one functional unit (29) downstream of the processing line (13) is provided which is connected to the evaluation and control device (45) is connected,

wherein the evaluation and control device (45) is designed to automatically adapt at least one manipulated variable of the functional unit (27, 29) by transmitting the control signal to the respective functional unit (27, 29)

and / or wherein the respective functional unit (27, 29) has a further means (53, 55) for determining at least one further parameter, the further means (53, 55) being connected to the evaluation and control device (45), wherein the evaluation and control device (45) is designed to generate a corresponding control signal as a function of the further parameter.

45. System according to one of claims 36 to 44,

wherein one of the work stations (15, 17, 19) of the processing line (13) is a cooling device (15) for cooling the products (1 1).

46. System according to one of claims 36 to 45,

wherein one of the work stations (15, 17, 19) of the processing line (13) is a pressing and / or molding device (17) which has at least one movable contact element (57, 59, 61, 63), in particular at least one punch, includes, by means of which the products (11) are compressible and / or malleable.

47. System according to claim 46,

wherein the pressing and / or forming device (17) comprises a servo motor with which the at least one contact element (57, 59, 61, 63) can be driven.

48. System according to claim 46 or 47,

wherein the pressing and / or forming device (17) has at least one counter element (57, 59, 61, 63) with which the at least one contact element (57, 59, 61, 63) cooperates in order to produce the product (1 1) to compress and / or to shape, wherein the counter element (57, 59, 61, 63) and / or the contact element (57, 59, 61, 63) are at least partially designed to be variable in shape.

49. System according to one of claims 46 to 48,

wherein a cutting device (19) for slicing the products (11) into slices (39), in particular an automatic slicer, is integrated into the pressing and / or shaping device (17).

50. System according to one of claims 46 to 49,

wherein the pressing and / or forming device (17) has a feed means (63) which is formed to feed the products (11) into a cutting plane (M) of the cutting device (19), in which the products (11) are cut into slices (39) by means of a knife, in particular a rotating circular knife or sickle knife.

51. System according to one of Claims 36 to 50,

wherein one of the work stations (15, 17, 19) of the processing line (13) has a cutting device (19), in particular an automatic slicer, for cutting the products (1 1) into slices (39) and / or for dividing the products (1 1 ) is.

52. System according to one of claims 36 to 51,

the processing line (13) being followed by a packaging machine (29) for packaging the processed products (11).

53. System according to one of claims 36 to 52,

the processing line (13) being preceded by a product store (27).