Patent ID: 8375833

Claim:
A system for cutting blocks of food product into individual bars of substantially equal weight, the system comprising: a cutter conveyor configured to receive incoming blocks of food product and move the blocks along a continuum, in-line processing path for cutting; a programmable logic controller coupled to the cutter conveyor; and a plurality of stations associated with the cutter conveyor with each station coupled to the programmable logic controller, the stations comprising: a) a slab cutter station configured to cut a slab portion from a block of food product; b) a weight station configured to weigh the slab portion; c) a camera vision system configured to create a 3D image of the slab portion, the camera vision system including a camera controller coupled to the camera vision system and to the programmable logic controller, the camera vision system being configured to determine an optimized cut solution of the slab portion from the 3D image and from select data characterizing the food product being cut, the camera vision system being configured to provide the cut solution to the programmable logic controller; d) a trim cutter station configured to square the leading edge of the slab portion; e) a slit cutter station configured to cut the slab portion into a plurality of elongated bars of substantially equal weight; f) an index station configured to position the plurality of bars; and g) a width portion cutter station configured to simultaneously, traversely cut the plurality of elongated bars into individual bars of substantially equal weight; wherein the programmable logic controller is configured to control the cutting of the food product into individual bars of substantially equal weight.