Patent ID: 8915773

Claim:
A method of separating the spinal column from a carcass middle part, comprising the steps of: determining a cutting path ( 1 c ) for a cutting device for the separation of the spinal column from the carcass middle part; separating the spinal column from the carcass middle part by causing a relative movement between the middle and the cutting device and simultaneosly causing the cutting device to engage the carcass middle wherein; optically scanning the middle to provide a scan of an outer surface of the carcass middle part; identifying the vertebral canal of the spinal column in the scan on the basis of digital porcessing thereof; determining the relative position of the cutting path ( 1 c ) with respect to the carcass middle part on the basis of the position of the vertebral canal in said scan; and controlling the relative movement between the middle part and the cutting device during the spinal column separation to achieve a cut along the predetermined cutting path ( 1 c ), wherein at least the steps of optically scanning and identifying the vertebral canal occur prior to the step of causing the cutting device to engage the carcass middle.