Maintaining consistent food production quality is a challenge in any facility. Weighing plays a major role in the process, helping ensure quality inspections are completed on schedule and that all products meet established quality standards.
Whether you operate in pharmaceuticals, manufacturing or jewellery, it is essential to select reliable and durable weighing equipment. In addition, it is critical to properly calibrate & inspect the equipment on an ongoing basis.
Pre-Weighing
Often referred to as pre-weighing, this process is vital for industries that require precision, such as pharmaceuticals where one extra milligram can mean the difference between a life-saving medication and a dangerous alternative. During pre-weighing, ingredients are checked and recorded on the weighing system to ensure that they meet set specifications before entering production.
A critical component to a successful weighing process is the indicator. It acts as the interface between users and the weighing instrument, providing an easy-to-use system that bridges the gap between sophisticated technology and user comprehension.
The OPDosing Linear Palamatic Process manual pre-weigh line is dedicated to manufacturers who introduce a number of ingredients into their mixing process, offering a practical and ergonomic solution to maximize production efficiency in both automatic and manual weighing. It features multiple cells with a range of capacities to support a variety of recipes and manufacturing needs. The line also offers a customizable layout to suit specific applications.
Balance Validation
During the weighing process, a number of factors can cause incorrect results and impact production, quality assurance or safety. While the majority of these errors are caught by routine calibration weight checks, there are a number that can slip through the cracks.
Considering the role that these instruments play in research, development, production and safety a wrong or inaccurate weighing result can cost time and money and can cause damage. The best way to catch these errors and eliminate them is by performing a balance validation between scheduled calibrations to ensure that all aspects of the instrument are working correctly.
A few factors that affect weighing accuracy include vibrations, air currents and temperature. It’s important that the balance is located in a stable and level location to prevent fluctuations in readings. A ventilation system can also disturb the reading, so it’s recommended to close the door while weighing samples. This will reduce the chance of particles or dust entering the weighing pan and distorting the reading.
Direct Weighing
Assuming the weighing environment is free of contamination risks, direct weighing offers simplicity and speed to applications that don’t require pinpoint accuracy. However, even a slight variation in measurement can significantly impact production consistency and product quality.
In this method, you first tare the balance (zero it by placing a piece of clean weighing paper on each pan). Then, add your sample to one pan and subtract the initial reading from the second.
The result is a more precise mass reading that eliminates errors caused by transfer from the tare pan or container. This reduces waste and rework, which in turn improves profit margins. When combined with advanced controls and a robust weighing system, this automated technique is ideal for manufacturing environments where consistency is paramount.
Weighing by Difference
Weighing by difference is a method that helps eliminate many of the errors that can be caused during the weighing process. This method involves removing the material from the weighing bottle and then measuring the difference in weight before and after. This method is a better choice for applications that require precise measurements and contamination control.
When a substance is transferred directly to another container, the resulting reading will not reflect the true mass of the sample because it will include the weight of the container itself. This can lead to an over or underestimation of the mass of the sample. This problem can be eliminated by weighing the empty container and then adding or subtracting the mass of the substance to determine its final weight. In addition, the weighing of the empty container allows for an accurate zeroing of the balance. An exact zeroing is not necessary because any error in the initial reading will cancel out when subtraction of the second reading is performed.