Weighing is one of the most critical production processes for businesses that require quality by design (QbD). Whether you’re in bulk material handling or manufacturing, automated weighing systems provide streamlined processes to ensure consistent results.
The weighing process is made up of four main steps: direct weighing, positioning, measuring and recording.
Preparation
If your business uses raw materials, then you understand the importance of precise measurement. A few extra grams can make a difference, leading to waste and lost productivity. To minimize these risks, you need a process that provides clear instructions for weighing samples and tracking inventory.
Whether you’re measuring level or inventory, discharging material by weight, or blending multiple ingredients, the same basic rules apply to all process weighing applications. These applications can involve static weighing or dynamic weighing.
Static weighing is done when fine powders are measured and are especially susceptible to inconsistencies caused by changes in temperature and environmental conditions. Using an antistatic device is essential for ensuring consistent results.
Placement
As the weighing process moves into automation, it’s important to recognize that human oversight is still essential. Even when systems are automated, employees must be trained on best weighing practices. This will help reduce errors in the process and ensure quality results.
Modern automated weighing systems are designed to seamlessly integrate into manufacturing processes. They often offer batch traceability features to meet regulatory compliance requirements. Additionally, they can help you optimize short and long term production performance by enabling you to easily monitor and adjust your processes as needed.
The weighing room is the entryway into the processing area of your facility. Ideally, the sterile weighing area should be located under an ISO 7 LAF, with a material airlock to prevent contaminants from entering the process area. All equipment in the room must be sanitized. A cleaning cart with a designated mop handle is brought into the room to wipe down the mop and any other surfaces that come in contact with the product during the weighing process.
Measurement
In order to obtain accurate results it is essential to follow all SOP’s and take into account all possible factors that could impact your weighing measurements. These can include environmental factors such as temperature fluctuations and air currents or the hysteresis of mechanical parts. It is also essential to keep your balance calibrated and tested regularly by a trained internal or external service person using weights traceable back to primary measurement standards.
Weighing ingredients before they are mixed is vital for manufacturing sectors where precise weighing of ingredients ensures that recipe specifications and quality requirements are met. It also helps to identify potential shortfalls or excesses that can be addressed quickly and easily.
Direct weighing offers a simple solution for situations where contamination control is important. Instead of having to transfer a sample to another container for weighing, the load is directly measured on the balance platform or vessel. This method eliminates many steps and reduces the risk of cross-contamination.
Recording
As weighing systems are able to automate more & more processes, it’s imperative that information is relayed in real time. Many weighing systems have integrated data tracking capabilities that can be used to identify a variety of production & quality control issues.
For example, a pre-weighing process can ensure that all ingredients are added to a batch at the right time & amount to maintain consistency in recipe. This allows companies to optimize their production, minimizing errors & waste and improving efficiency.
This type of weighing system uses a load cell for weight measurement, which can be used to convert tanks & hoppers into a weigh system that can check incoming materials based on pre-programmed user defined criteria. This can help you maintain quality standards while ensuring compliance with regulatory bodies. The weighing system can also track the number of products rejected throughout a shift & even across multiple batches so that you can quickly identify the cause of any problems.