Methods and systems for sorting hides are provided. In particular, one or more embodiments comprise a tanning control system that enhances the traceability of hides by capturing and utilizing data related to the unloading, tanning, sorting, and packaging of hides. Furthermore, one or more embodiments enable the tanning control system to improve efficiency by sorting hides based, at least in part, on data generated during prior tanning processes. Additionally, one or more embodiments facilitate the tanning control system in customizing the sorting and packaging of hides based, at least in part, on one or more hide characteristics and/or customer specifications.

Disclosed herein is a system for detecting, removing, transferring and recovering an incompletely dried material. The system includes a transfer device transferring the material subjected to a drying process, a load cell measuring a weight of the material transferred through the transfer device, a material receiving unit receiving the measured material from the load cell when the weight of the measured material is higher than weights of other materials or a preset reference weight, a thermal imaging camera photographing the material received by the material receiving unit, an incompletely-dried-material determining unit acquiring temperature information of the material photographed by analyzing image data photographed by the thermal imaging camera, and determining whether the photographed material is an incompletely dried material based on the acquired temperature information, and an incompletely-dried-material receiving unit receiving the incompletely dried material from the material receiving unit.

Disclosed herein is a system for detecting, removing, transferring and recovering an incompletely dried material. The system includes a transfer device transferring the material subjected to a drying process, a load cell measuring a weight of the material transferred through the transfer device, a material receiving unit receiving the measured material from the load cell when the weight of the measured material is higher than weights of other materials or a preset reference weight, a thermal imaging camera photographing the material received by the material receiving unit, an incompletely-dried-material determining unit acquiring temperature information of the material photographed by analyzing image data photographed by the thermal imaging camera, and determining whether the photographed material is an incompletely dried material based on the acquired temperature information, and an incompletely-dried-material receiving unit receiving the incompletely dried material from the material receiving unit.

The automatic sorting of laundry items requires a knowledge of all sorting criteria. One strives to read these out from data storage media attached to the laundry items. The problem is when laundry items lack data storage media, or they are not readable because they have been damaged, for example. The invention calls for deriving sorting criteria which cannot be otherwise obtained from at least one imaging recording of an imaging device, such as a 3D-camera. Such sorting criteria, which cannot be derived from the picture or recording of the 3D-camera, are derived from supplemental information which can be obtained in different ways. Thus, it is also possible to sort laundry items without data storage medium or with damaged data storage media in a fully automatic or at least largely automatic manner.

The automatic sorting of laundry items requires a knowledge of all sorting criteria. One strives to read these out from data storage media attached to the laundry items. The problem is when laundry items lack data storage media, or they are not readable because they have been damaged, for example. The invention calls for deriving sorting criteria which cannot be otherwise obtained from at least one imaging recording of an imaging device, such as a 3D-camera. Such sorting criteria, which cannot be derived from the picture or recording of the 3D-camera, are derived from supplemental information which can be obtained in different ways. Thus, it is also possible to sort laundry items without data storage medium or with damaged data storage media in a fully automatic or at least largely automatic manner.

A food processing system and a method for processing and batching food items conveyed by a conveyor means where the batches fulfil at least one target criteria including at least one weight target, including a first weight determining means for determining the weight of incoming food items, a batching system, a food item separation device positioned downstream in relation to the first weight determining means and upstream in relation to the batching system, and a control system for controlling the batching system and the food item separation device. The controlling including, repeatedly: monitoring the weight of the incoming food items, determining, based on the weight of the incoming food items, a prospect indicator indicating the prospect to meet the target criteria for the batches such that each batch fulfils the at least one target criteria, and comparing if the prospect indicator fulfils a pre-defined criteria.

A food processing system and a method for processing and batching food items conveyed by a conveyor means where the batches fulfil at least one target criteria including at least one weight target, including a first weight determining means for determining the weight of incoming food items, a batching system, a food item separation device positioned downstream in relation to the first weight determining means and upstream in relation to the batching system, and a control system for controlling the batching system and the food item separation device. The controlling including, repeatedly: monitoring the weight of the incoming food items, determining, based on the weight of the incoming food items, a prospect indicator indicating the prospect to meet the target criteria for the batches such that each batch fulfils the at least one target criteria, and comparing if the prospect indicator fulfils a pre-defined criteria.

An apparatus for treating horticultural products includes in series at least: a first station, which has first elements for the individual handling of respective horticultural products, and at least one vision system, for the acquisition of information related to at least one parameter of interest of each horticultural product. A second station includes second elements for the individual handling of respective horticultural products and at least one device for weighing each horticultural product in transit, and a third station, which includes third elements for the individual handling of respective horticultural products. The first elements, the second elements and the third elements are offset along two respective laterally adjacent trajectories for the advancement of the horticultural products.

An apparatus for treating horticultural products having in series at least: a first station, which includes first elements for the individual handling of respective horticultural products and at least one vision system, controlled by an electronic control and management unit, for the acquisition of information related to at least one parameter of interest of each horticultural product. The apparatus further includes a second station, including second elements for the individual handling of respective horticultural products and at least one device for weighing each horticultural product in transit, controlled by the electronic unit, and a third station, including third elements for the individual handling of respective horticultural products. The second station includes an intermediate unloading assembly, which can be actuated selectively by the electronic unit for the early release of the horticultural products, handled by the second elements.

An apparatus for treating horticultural products having in series at least: a first station, which includes first elements for the individual handling of respective horticultural products and at least one vision system, controlled by an electronic control and management unit, for the acquisition of information related to at least one parameter of interest of each horticultural product. The apparatus further includes a second station, including second elements for the individual handling of respective horticultural products and at least one device for weighing each horticultural product in transit, controlled by the electronic unit, and a third station, including third elements for the individual handling of respective horticultural products. The second station includes an intermediate unloading assembly, which can be actuated selectively by the electronic unit for the early release of the horticultural products, handled by the second elements.