A method for detecting a cleaning need of a commercial cooking appliance with at least one cooking surface. The method includes the steps of capturing at least one image of at least a part of the cooking surface and/or at least a part of a cooking product, comparing the captured image of the part of the cooking surface with a prestored reference image of a contaminated cooking surface requiring cleaning and/or of the captured image of the part of the cooking product with a prestored reference image of the cooking product in a cooking status indicating a need for cleaning the cooking surface, and deciding, based on the result of the comparison, whether a cleaning is needed. A further aspect relates to a quality management monitoring system as well as a commercial appliance with a quality management monitoring system.

A measurement system is provided for predicting a future status of a refractory lining that is lined over an inner surface of an outer wall of a manufacturing vessel and exposed to an operational cycle during which the refractory lining is exposed to a high-temperature environment for producing a non-metal and the produced non-metal. The system includes one or more laser scanners and a processor. The laser scanners are configured to conduct one or more pre-operational laser scans of the refractory lining prior to the operational cycle to collect data related to pre-operational cycle structural conditions, and one or more post-operational laser scans of the refractory lining after the operational cycle to collect data related to post-operational cycle structural conditions of the refractory lining. The processor is configured to predict future status of the refractory lining after subsequent operational cycles based on the determined exposure impact of the operational cycle.

A probe assembly for a process vessel for viewing the inside of the vessel, the probe assembly includes an elongated bracket, an elongated frame, an ICPC unit, and a camera unit. The elongated bracket has a front face and a rear face, the elongated bracket having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion has a first aperture. The elongated frame has a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the elongated frame is coupled to the upper portion of the front face of the bracket. The ICPC unit includes a housing that has a front wall, a rear wall, and side wall extended between the front wall and the rear wall, the front wall has a second aperture, the rear wall has a third aperture. The ICPC unit further includes an actuator enclosed in the housing and an elongated tube operably coupled to the actuator, the tube extends through the second aperture and the first aperture away from the rear face of the bracket, the actuator configured to reciprocate the tube between an extended position and a retracted position. The camera unit includes a camera enclosure housing a camera, wherein the actuation member is configured to reciprocate the camera unit between the engage mode and stand-by mode, in the engage mode, the lens' hood is within the tube of the ICPC unit, and in the stand-by mode, the camera unit is away from the ICPC unit towards the proximal end of the elongated frame.

A probe assembly for a process vessel for viewing the inside of the vessel, the probe assembly includes an elongated bracket, an elongated frame, an ICPC unit, and a camera unit. The elongated bracket has a front face and a rear face, the elongated bracket having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion has a first aperture. The elongated frame has a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the elongated frame is coupled to the upper portion of the front face of the bracket. The ICPC unit includes a housing that has a front wall, a rear wall, and side wall extended between the front wall and the rear wall, the front wall has a second aperture, the rear wall has a third aperture. The ICPC unit further includes an actuator enclosed in the housing and an elongated tube operably coupled to the actuator, the tube extends through the second aperture and the first aperture away from the rear face of the bracket, the actuator configured to reciprocate the tube between an extended position and a retracted position. The camera unit includes a camera enclosure housing a camera, wherein the actuation member is configured to reciprocate the camera unit between the engage mode and stand-by mode, in the engage mode, the lens' hood is within the tube of the ICPC unit, and in the stand-by mode, the camera unit is away from the ICPC unit towards the proximal end of the elongated frame.

In a method for operating a cooking appliance, a measurement profile is recorded of a light reflected by a food during a heat treatment cycle. A time instant of a turning point is determined from the measurement profile, and an action is triggered on the basis of the determined time instant of this turning point.

In a method for operating a cooking appliance, a measurement profile is recorded of a light reflected by a food during a heat treatment cycle. A time instant of a turning point is determined from the measurement profile, and an action is triggered on the basis of the determined time instant of this turning point.

A measurement system is provided for predicting a future status of a refractory lining that is lined over an inner surface of an outer wall of a manufacturing vessel and exposed to an operational cycle during which the refractory lining is exposed to a high-temperature environment for producing a non-metal and the produced non-metal. The system includes one or more laser scanners and a processor. The laser scanners are configured to conduct one or more pre-operational laser scans of the refractory lining prior to the operational cycle to collect data related to pre-operational cycle structural conditions, and one or more post-operational laser scans of the refractory lining after the operational cycle to collect data related to post-operational cycle structural conditions of the refractory lining. The processor is configured to predict future status of the refractory lining after subsequent operational cycles based on the determined exposure impact of the operational cycle.

In an example implementation, a sintering system includes optical fiber installed into a sintering furnace. A support structure inside the furnace is to support a token green object in a predetermined position and to hold a distal end of the fiber adjacent to the predetermined position. A light source is operably engaged at a proximal end of the fiber to transmit light through the fiber into the furnace. A light detector is operably engaged at the proximal end of the fiber to receive reflected light through the fiber that scatters off a surface of the token green object.

In an example implementation, a sintering system includes optical fiber installed into a sintering furnace. A support structure inside the furnace is to support a token green object in a predetermined position and to hold a distal end of the fiber adjacent to the predetermined position. A light source is operably engaged at a proximal end of the fiber to transmit light through the fiber into the furnace. A light detector is operably engaged at the proximal end of the fiber to receive reflected light through the fiber that scatters off a surface of the token green object.

An adjustable camera assembly mounted within a door of an oven appliance includes a vertical guide rail and a camera movably mounted to the guide rail. A drive mechanism, such as a lead screw driven by a stepper motor, is mechanically coupled to the camera for moving the camera along the guide rail. A heat shield is positioned proximate a bottom of the door and extends around the guide rail to define a protective cavity for receiving the camera and providing a thermal break from a heating element of the oven appliance. A controller is configured for moving the camera into the protective cavity during high temperature operation of the oven appliance, such as during a self-clean cycle.