USA – KPM Analytics has unveiled the TheiaVu WD-300, the first AI-enabled at-line vision inspection system specifically designed for meat and poultry applications.
This cutting-edge technology addresses the industry’s ongoing challenges with quality control, consistency, and labor shortages by automating and enhancing the inspection process.
The TheiaVu WD-300 integrates artificial intelligence with visual inspection, offering meat and poultry processors a more reliable, precise, and faster alternative to manual inspection methods.
By eliminating the need for traditional tools like calipers and color charts, the system streamlines the inspection process into a single pass through a conveyor belt, enhancing both speed and accuracy.
This AI-enabled system is capable of inspecting a wide range of products, from chicken portions and beef cuts to processed meats and breaded items like nuggets and patties.
Using sophisticated AI, the TheiaVu WD-300 can assess key quality attributes, including product thickness, fat distribution, cook color, size, shape, and the presence of blood spots or foreign materials.
The system’s ability to handle various product types and its adaptability to different inspection needs make it a versatile tool for processors.
Customizable AI and comprehensive quality control
One of the standout features of the TheiaVu WD-300 is its measuraAI technology, integrated into the measura 4 software. This allows users to train their own AI models based on templates for their unique products, ensuring that the system can be tailored to meet specific quality requirements.
The software is also available across all TheiaVu models, including those in the baking industry, ensuring consistency in quality control across different food sectors.
For a more comprehensive quality assessment, the TheiaVu WD-300 offers optional add-ons such as an integrated weighing scale or product temperature probe. These additions provide deeper insights into the production process, helping processors maintain consistent quality and maximize product value.
A solution for labor challenges and data consistency
KPM Analytics highlights the system’s ability to address labor shortages by automating the inspection process.
Unlike manual methods, which are prone to inconsistencies and infrequent sampling, the TheiaVu WD-300 offers rapid, objective analysis of multiple product attributes in a single pass.
Beta testing participants have reported significant improvements in inspection speed, consistency, and data insights, all contributing to higher product quality and better alignment with customer specifications.
The system also provides a cost-effective solution, as it can be used across multiple processing lines without the need for separate installations. This flexibility offers processors a steppingstone toward more automated in-line inspection in the future.
For those seeking even more integration, KPM Analytics’ P-Series inline inspection systems utilize the same software interface as the TheiaVu WD-300, allowing for seamless measurement transfer to the production line.
Durability and usability in harsh environments
Designed with the demanding conditions of meat processing plants in mind, the TheiaVu WD-300 features a washdown-ready housing and a removable, easy-to-clean conveyor belt.
The system’s IP69-rated touchscreen operator interface with an integrated PC ensures both durability and ease of use, making it suitable for harsh environments typical of the meat industry.
Jon Gilchrist, Technical Solutions Director for Protein Vision Inspection Systems at KPM Analytics, emphasized the impact of the system on efficiency and profitability.
“Our system can increase sampling rates by tenfold or more compared to manual methods while also expanding the range of measurements taken. This level of data collection and speed is simply not possible with manual inspection or modified, basic camera systems,” he said.
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