Instead of having to buy multiple machines, food plant managers can now cut costs by using the same weigher on different production lines.
Ishida Europe said it recently sold its new mobile gantry to Giebels Meat Products in the Netherlands.
The gantry and multihead weigher is being used for its range of spare ribs for the retail market. The ribs are sourced from around Europe, marinated and fried, then deep-frozen and packed either in trays or in bags.
Depending on the orders, Giebels' production facility at Helmond may need to output bags or trays, at target weights of 500g, 750g or 1kg during the course of a single day.
"The company recognised that, if it could avoid the need to install and run completely separate tray and bag lines, this would be a more cost efficient solution in what is low-margin sector," Ishida stated.
The gantry allows a single multihead weigher to move between two packing lines, giving Giebels the economy and flexibility that it needed for its producion process.
Giebels is using a 14-head mutihead weigher from Ishida's EM economy range. It was chosen as its five-litre hoppers can handle the slightly awkward shape of the spare ribs.
To disengage the weigher from the bagging line and have it ready for action on the tray line takes less than one minute, with the reverse operation being equally rapid, Ishida stated.
"Together with the designed-in ease of cleaning of both weigher and gantry, this helps to keep changeover downtime to a minimum," the company stated.
The gantry is fitted with an elevator, to bring the ribs to the top of the weigher. Adjustable levelling feet are designed to ensure optimum weigher stability.
The Ishida is filling 500g of spare ribs at 80, and one kg of product at 60 packs per minute.
The Ishida multihead at Giebels is keeping giveaway to less than one per cent, thus enabling the company to maintain a high yield of packed product.
This accuracy is consistently maintained, demonstrating the reliability of Ishida multihead weighers, despite the constant battering of the deep-frozen product and the low operating temperature, the company stated.