In a manufacturing facility weighing is a crucial part of the production process. Weighing accurately will ensure that each batch of finished product looks and tastes the same.
To guarantee accurate measurements it is essential to follow best practice recommendations. This will help prevent contamination and erroneous readings. Let’s review these recommendations.
Accuracy
Accuracy is the ability of your scale to measure close to a true value (for example, 100g). It also refers to how consistent your measurements are. This is achieved through sample preparation such as removing air bubbles or ensuring the sample is homogenous.
Inaccurate weighing can affect productivity and cost. For example, inaccurate measurements can lead to dissatisfied customers or product quality issues that require production delays and additional expenses. It can even cause legal claims and regulatory compliance issues.
This is why it’s important to prioritize accuracy and invest in the right balance or scale for your application. For example, if you need to weigh high-density samples with a lot of fine particles, choosing a top-loading balance that can handle the load and temperature will help ensure accurate weighing. Moreover, regular balance validation will help to maintain your accuracy and reliability. This will enable you to meet industry standards and maintain your quality and reputation.
Reliability
For manufacturers to meet quality standards, they need to know how much of each ingredient is in the finished product. This is why it is important that your weighing systems are accurate and consistent. A system that is not consistent can cause batch rejections or rework costs, which reduce profitability.
One common source of inconsistency is environmental factors, like electrical interference and temperature fluctuations. Interference can come from radio signals, lightning strikes or power lines that can affect the electrical signals in your weighing system and lead to inaccurate measurements. Temperature fluctuations can also cause expansion or contraction of materials and equipment, which can impact accuracy. A temperature-compensated weighing system can help mitigate this issue by automatically adjusting measurements to compensate for changes in ambient temperatures.
Another environmental factor to consider is air movement, which can cause vibrations in the load cell and affect weighing system accuracy. A vibration-resistant floor or mounting structure can help limit this effect.
Efficiency
The accuracy of weighing processes improves workflow efficiency by reducing wasted materials, helping operations run smoothly. The weighing process also contributes to stringent quality control standards that ensure consistent product quality, meeting regulatory compliance requirements and customer expectations.
When choosing a weighing method, it is important to consider the precision requirements of your application & the characteristics of the substances being measured. Weighing by Difference provides the best results for precision needs, while Direct Weighing offers convenience and speed for applications where accuracy is less of a concern.
Incorporating conveyor scales, in-motion checkweighers & weighing systems into existing machinery increases efficiency by combining weighing with the manufacturing process. This allows for a single machine to perform multiple functions, saving space & increasing productivity. Many weighing systems can even be programmed to record data, making quality control a breeze. This functionality is especially useful for production lines that have high output & need to track a large volume of data.
Safety
Weighing helps ensure safety and hygiene in food production. Unsafely weighed products may not comply with health and safety standards, posing major risks to consumers. Efficient weighing processes can help reduce material waste and boost efficiency in resource utilization and cost management.
When weighing, be sure to wear the appropriate PPE. This includes lab coats, gloves, and closed-toe shoes. Proper attire protects against any chemicals or broken glass that could damage the weighing instrument. In addition, always wipe the balance and its surrounding bench area thoroughly after each use to avoid cross contamination.
Keep the weighing instrument away from heating and air conditioning systems, windows, direct sun, and other sources of vibration. These factors can affect the stability of the weighing instrument and lead to inaccurate measurements. Use tare management functionalities to zero the balance to 0.000 before adding the sample to get an accurate reading of the final weight. Whenever possible, weigh samples in a container instead of directly on the pan.