What Is a Checkweigher System, and What Is Its Purpose?
Consistency is an essential requirement of the manufacturing industry. For example, a producer of processed foods must ensure that the actual weight of its packaged product matches that on the label. Too many overweight packages can seriously impact a company’s profits. Conversely, supplying packages that contain less than the printed amount could see a manufacturer facing problems with consumer protection organisations. Fortunately, it is possible to avoid this inconsistency and its consequences by employing a checkweigher system as part of a quality control programme.
However, when a carton appears to be overweight, this may not always be because it contains too much product. That additional 5 or 10 grams could signal the presence of a foreign body such as a fragment of metal or glass. Failure to detect an inconsistency could have more severe consequences in such cases. Understandably, users expect that any form of device used to check for abnormal variations in weight will produce accurate results as quickly as possible. The essential requirements of a quality checkweigher system are the ability to weigh objects whilst they are in motion and repeatability, meaning repeated checks on the same item, should give identical results.
A Checkweigher System as a Quality Control Measure
The specific features of a system will vary between models, but the equipment should generally include at least two conveyor belts. The main one passes each item to the weighing area, where a reject belt will offload any that are above or below the specified weight. Their use is not confined to checking processed items. For example, one could also incorporate them into the pre-production stage. A checkweigher system offers an excellent means to keep tabs on the weight of ingredients for use in the subsequent production stages. Furthermore, a fault in the filling equipment is often the cause of variation in the weight of an end-product. These systems can provide an early warning of such defects, adding further to their value as a quality control measure.
In addition to its widespread use in the food processing industry, this technology has applications on many other production lines. These include but are not limited to hardware, healthcare, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and pet food. It’s not hard to understand why a checkweigher system might be crucial when manufacturing intravenous solutions and oral medications.
There are several compelling reasons to incorporate this technology into a busy production line. Perhaps the most important of these is that its use can help a company comply with required industry standards and government regulations. Non-compliance could carry the risk of a costly fine. More importantly, any resulting adverse publicity could seriously damage the image of a respected brand name that may have taken many years and a lot of expensive marketing to develop.
An Essential Cost-Saving Measure
It’s also a highly cost-effective purchase. A checkweigher system will improve a company’s productivity and profits and pay for itself in just a few months, or even less. It is easy to believe that an overfill of just 0,1 gram in a 450g packet is of no significance when it costs just one cent per gram to produce. However, if your line is processing 200 packets every minute, that represents a waste of R12 an hour. Assuming you operate two eight-hour shifts per day, allowing for public holidays, your annual waste from this single item could be close to R 30,000 – enough to fill 60,000 more packets. Including this fundamental quality control measure in the production line could have turned that waste into profits.
A checkweigher system will outperform manual checks every time. Machines don’t only operate far faster than any human operator, but they are also not prone to distractions or tiredness that results in items being missed or inaccurate observations. Installing one can also significantly reduce a company’s long-term labour costs. Furthermore, the early detection of anomalies in a product’s weight can reduce unplanned downtime by drawing attention to the underlying cause.
Teraoka – A Leader in Supplying Commercial and Industrial Equipment
Although the potential value of installing a system on a production line is indisputable, several more factors might require consideration before you proceed with a purchase. For example, if your checkweigher system will have direct contact with food, you will need to check that its belts are made from certified food-grade material. In practice, it would be best to discuss your requirements with the supplier. Teraoka is a leading international supplier of quality weighing systems for commercial and industrial use. Why not check out our SSVH model to see if it meets your needs.