quality & safety
http://www.industrysourcing.com July 2019 FoodPacific Manufacturing Journal^39Checkweigher helps
meet retailer standards
T
HE DACS-GN-SE incorporates Ishida’s enhanced RRC (Retail
Reject Confirmation) software and hardware that checks and confirms
that any out-of-specification product or pack has been successfully
removed from the production and packing line.
Both software and hardware have been developed to include requirements
from leading retailers in a single system. This gives manufacturers the flexibility
to change production runs between different customers without having to
reconfigure the system. Any updates or changes are easily incorporated to
ensure it remains up-to-date.
The checkweigher can be combined with a variety of metal detectors to
meet the particular foreign body inspection needs of customers. The machine
is fully guarded and enclosed to prevent products from being tampered with
during the inspection process. A series of tracking sensors along the conveyors,
and sensors on all doors, bins and covers where access is required, mean that the
system automatically goes into protection mode and will stop if any unauthorised
interference is detected. As an additional fail-safe feature, if a rejected item is not
removed successfully, the system will also go into protection mode.
An optional hourly-check feature enables operators to ensure that the
checkweigher remains fully functional. Audio and visual alerts will signal if
there is a problem. For maximum security, the checkweigher must then be
reset by authorised personnel using key reset access and cannot simply be
restarted by shutting down and turning on again.
The DACS-GN-SE has an intuitive and robust display with easy to learn
menu structure provides both quick set up and supports operator training,
while the open frame design ensures easy cleaning and maintenance. The
range can handle weights from 8g to 5kg.
The checkweigher can be specified with the Ishida Data Capture System
(IDCS II), a powerful software that captures the data from every pack that
passes across the checkweigher and generates real-time displays and reports.
Reports are encrypted and cannot be edited, enabling manufacturers to
provide additional evidence of their compliance with individual codes of
practice.
In addition, data from the IDCS also delivers valuable production
feedback that will help companies identify important efficiency and cost-
saving opportunities.
“Product quality is a vital element in brand reputation and is particularly
critical for own-label products which are manufactured independently but
carry the retailer’s name,” comments Philip Grove, Ishida Europe’s Product
Manager – Checkweighers, Metal Detectors, IDCS.
“ T h e a v a i l a b i l i t y o f R R C p l a y s a n i m p o r t a n t r o l e i n h e l p i n g
manufacturers ensure and demonstrate to their customers that at all times they
are satisfying quality standards and specifications.”in the heat seal. Bits of product can often also find their way into
the bottom seals of the crisp bags during filling, preventing the
packs from sealing correctly. The system will also identify packs
with holes in the seal areas. In addition, packaging that has not been
sealed correctly and has open seals, or those that are sealed but
the pack thickness is outside the set limits will be rejected by the
sealtester during inspection and the machine can identify faulty bags
caused by problems in the upstream bagmakers.
The Ishida DACS-G checkweighers meanwhile ensure that all
finished packs comply with relevant regulations, rejecting any that
fail to meet specifications. At the same time, the checkweighers
minimise product giveaway due to overfilling. The machines’
high-speed loadcell delivers accuracy to within 0.2grams, while a
special system compensates for floor vibrations.
Operators can switch between two settings at the touch of a
button, which means that the checkweighers can be used for a
larger product range. Together with their quick changeovers, this
makes the Ishida DACS-G models ideal for Johanning Snack’s
requirements. The robust design also features a ‘dislocating force
limiter’ function, which disconnects the highly sensitive weighing
sensor from the belt before it can suffer any permanent damage
from external impacts. It then immediately resumes operation.
Equally important, the checkweighers incorporate Ishida’s
IDCS II (Ishida Data Capture System) web-based software
that collects a wealth of data about every single pack toprovide valuable information that helps Johanning Snack boost
productivity. IDCS can carry out real-time analyses based on
product batches, shifts, operators, products, machines or lines,
with graphical displays and reports that are user-defined and can
be customised. The parameters can be accessed online during
production and direct process adjustments can be made. The Ishida
software is compatible with systems such as SAP or SCADA, and
data transfers can be carried out to programs such as Microsoft
Word, Excel and Adobe PDF.
Such a combination of checkweighers and data analysis is a
control function that Johanning Snack considers very useful from
a business management point of view. If the figures produced
do not match the targets, the operator can immediately make the
appropriate adjustments.
“IDCS II tells us what we need to know about line output,”
confirms André Wurz, adding that the software is also “very
interesting” for his colleagues in quality assurance. “With IDCS
II, we can log every packet of crisps and then pass these logs on
to our customers,” says Wurz, who is able to use the system on a
mobile device even when away from the factory.
Johanning Snack is reaping the benefits of investing in fully
automatic quality control. The Ishida systems work faultlessly in
three-shift mode. Operators can carry out product changeovers,
which usually take place twice daily, very quickly by calling up
pre-sets.