Controller and method using machine learning to optimize operations of a processing chain of a food factory

A method using machine learning to optimize operations of a processing chain, the method comprising:

• storing a predictive model in a memory of a computing device;
• collecting by a processing unit of the computing device data representative of characteristics of a product processed by the processing chain, at least some of the collected data being received via at least one communication interface of the computing device from one or more sensor monitoring operations of the processing chain;
• determining by the processing unit of the computing device at least one product characteristic value based on the collected data;
• executing by the processing unit of the computing device a machine learning inference engine, the machine learning inference engine using the predictive model for inferring one or more output based on inputs, the inputs comprising the at least one product characteristic value, the one or more output comprising one or more command for controlling at least one processing appliance of the processing chain;
• and
• transmitting by the processing unit of the computing device via the at least one communication interface of the computing device the one or more command to the at least one processing appliance of the processing chain.

A non-transitory computer program product comprising instructions executable by a processing unit of a computing device, the execution of the instructions by the processing unit providing for using machine learning to optimize operations of a processing chain by:

• storing a predictive model in a memory of the computing device;
• collecting data representative of characteristics of a product processed by the processing chain, at least some of the collected data being received via at least one communication interface of the computing device from one or more sensor monitoring operations of the processing chain;
• determining at least one product characteristic value based on the collected data;
• executing a machine learning inference engine, the machine learning inference engine using the predictive model for inferring one or more output based on inputs, the inputs comprising the at least one product characteristic value, the one or more output comprising one or more command for controlling at least one processing appliance of the processing chain;
• and
• transmitting via the at least one communication interface of the computing device the one or more command to the at least one processing appliance of the processing chain.