Minebea Intec is one of the world’s biggest names in high-precision measurements and product inspections
Minebea Intec is a global leader in the manufacture and supply of weighing and product inspection solutions. With a wide-ranging product portfolio, it can help improve efficiency throughout your process.
A typical production line can be broken down into three distinct stages. This starts with incoming raw materials and the manufacture of goods. Following on from this is the packaging and packing of goods, with the third stage being final dispatch. Each of these areas have unique requirements and Minebea Intec is able to supply solutions which fulfil these while also increasing the efficiency of the process.
During the first stage, the truck delivering raw materials will be weighed on a weighbridge using Minebea Intec truck scale components to record the volume of material arriving on site. Bulk material can then be placed in silos or tanks mounted on load cells which feedback to process controllers to accurately record stock and material movements. The same process controllers can be used to automate the movement of the materials in and out of the vessels by controlling valves or pumps. Equally, palletised or boxed materials can be weighed on high precision floor scales.
Raw materials can be inspected by Minebea Intec Vistus Free Fall metal detectors or even X-rayed on Dymond Bulk X-ray systems. This helps to protect process equipment further down the line from damage caused by foreign bodies in the product and adds to the efficiency by keeping lines running.
Once the raw materials are delivered and checked often the manufacture of the final product requires batching or formulation of a recipe. Using suitable load cells in the Minebea Intec range coupled with the powerful ProRecipe XT recipe management software brings consistency of recipe and efficiency within the manufacturing process.
Once the goods are made and sent to be packed, it is necessary to monitor their weights for both legal and process control reasons. Minebea Intec manufactures a wide range of scales, which are both accurate and verified. These can be used to test the necessary samples from the production line and record the data required for legal proof. The Combics scale is very popular for this application and to make the process quicker and easier, it can be supplied with on board Average Weight control software meaning that instead of lengthy records and calculations, a simple traffic light system informs the operator whether packs are acceptable or not and prints out the results. To further improve efficiency these scales can be networked to Minebea Intec’s SPC@Enterprise data collection and process control software.
In-line checkweighers provide an even greater level of accuracy, which eliminates the need for operators performing regular checks. As they monitor 100 per cent of production, they can bring efficiency to the process in the control of the filling machine to ensure that packs are not only meeting legal requirements but also that the producer is not giving away extra product. Minebea Intec checkweighers also produce reports, either locally or by connecting to the same SPC@Enterprise system, which satisfy the legal requirements without the need for any additional records.
Packaged goods need to be inspected by either metal detection or X-ray. Minebea Intec has a wide range of both, so whether metal checks are required in non-metallic packaging or whether metal and other foreign bodies need to be checked for in a range of packaging, including metallic, there is an inspection solution for every product.
At the dispatch stage, there is a range of Minebea Intec products available to check for completeness of outer packaging, for example ten boxes of product in a case or for a record of the quantity of product leaving the building. The range includes inline checkweighers that are able to check and record the results of the checks of heavier products as well as a range of floor scales for weighing palletized goods.
So, for efficiency improvements at every step of your process Minebea Intec is the perfect partner to advise and supply the widest range of integrated solutions to suit your process. Our specialists are available for free site surveys to advise on your individual process.
0121 779 3131
www.minebea-intec.com
