Why is a checkweigher good for your packaging line?
Why Use Checkweighers at all?
Firstly, the question you have to ask is, why are checkweighers important? Checkweighers are an important aspect of packaging quality control, ensuring that both the manufacturer and consumer are protected. This is because a checkweigher gives the end-user of the machinery a virtual guarantee that they aren’t over-packaging as well as assurance to the customer that the label weight is accurate. Furthermore, checkweighers are vital not only for making sure that products are consistent but, they also have several fail-safe features that major supermarkets and BRC insist upon.
Anatomy of a Checkweigher
Now you know why a checkweigher is important - what is it made up of? A checkweigher typically has an in-feed conveyor belt that can move packages, pouches, bottles, jars and bottles at varying rates of speed. Down from the in-feed conveyor is the weighing conveyor. The weighing conveyor does exactly what the name suggests. Mounted beneath the weighing conveyor is either the scale or load cell.
These determine the weight of the products that are moving across it. Following on, next to the weighing conveyor is an out-feed conveyor. The out-feed conveyor moves the object/product towards the next auxiliary part of the packaging line. Conveyor speeds are often manipulated to best handle each application, this depends on the rate of speed that is needed to check weigh at and depending on the stability of each product that the end-user wants to check weigh.
How they work for you
Checkweighers can also be integrated in conjunction with X-ray machines, seal testers and label verification systems, forming a critical control point (CCP) that ensures consistent quality, even on the highest volume lines. These types of checkweighers are seen in the largest volume within the food and pharmaceutical sectors however, they are used in pretty much all industries where a product is being sold by a declared weight or count. Also, checkweighers are ideal for environmental changes and abnormalities that are seen in packaging facilities.
Another reason why checkweighers are good for your packaging line is that an accurate checkweigher will help ensure that there is less waste and enable more products to be produced from the same amount of inventory. Raw materials aren’t cheap, so having an accurate checkweigher will ensure that you are making the most out of the existing resources.
Weighing up the facts
Finally, checkweighers should always be considered when quality or weight matters. By not having a checkweigher on your packaging line, not only are you risking cheating yourself out of time and money, but most importantly you are cheating your customers.
Want to learn more about checkweighers and the positive impact having one in your packaging line can have on your business? Then feel free to get in touch and speak to a member of our team today on, 01527 558899 or you can send us an email using sales@starflexeurope.com. We look forward to hearing from you soon.