Solutions for meat-processing branch
When you choose type and quality of scales for meat-processing industrial plants, you should take into account the following: it is necessary to determine engineering process stages where weighing takes place, operating conditions, setting-out size of shipping containers, the greatest weighing limit and the required weighing accuracy.
Modern weight calculation systems should meet the requirements of production measurement assurance, correspond to approved measuring methods, and provide weighing data transfer to the information database of business operation.
Engineering processes of different meat-processing plants differ from each other due to presence or absence of these or that engineering cycles. However, weighing equipment selection method is standard for most meat-packing plants and sausage departments.
Raw material receipt, shipment of finished products
Use of truck or car scales is determined by freight flow; scales can be considered as a control weighing station for initial information gathering about buyers and suppliers, raw material receipt and finished product supply.
Slaughter department
Slaughter department is equipped with floor scales for live cattle weighing. Data from these scales is control data. When you select scales for this procedure, you should take into account cattle liveliness and required dimensions. We recommend using “Classic” scales. Use of digital filters in weight-measuring instrument “Microsim” allows to average results of several measurements over time, so you can reduce weighing time at the set accuracy. By-products, waste and skin are weighed by floor scales of “Classic” or “Master” series, depending on operating conditions.
After slaughter half-carcasses are weighed by monorail scales. Weighing data from monorail scales should be transferred to the information database for the following production works definition.
Refrigerating and storage section
In refrigerator raw material is stored in the form of half-carcasses or in the form of frozen blocks of trimmed meat and by-products. Suspended monorail scales are used for half-carcasses weighing, floor scales are used for blocks weighing. As a rule, given weighing equipment is located at the open site in immediate proximity to refrigeration chambers. Because of the location, scale structure should meet special requirements, namely: it should be frost-resisting (open air) and moisture-resistant – due to moisture condensation because of temporary temperature drops during refrigeration chambers opening/closing in frost-free season. Monorail scales VM-300/600 and floor scales of “Classic” series perfectly suit to these operating conditions.
Quantity and dimensions of floor scales are determined by freight flow and used tare. In monorail scales hook tare is taken into account automatically. Transfer from refrigerator to defrosting also passes through monorail and floor scales.
Raw material department and engine-room
Defrosted carcasses and blocks of trimmed meat enter the raw material department and engine-room, where they are weighed by monorail or floor scales. After cutting, deboning and trimming, output of raw material packed in boxes or trolleys can be easily controlled by floor scales. These scales can also be used for forcemeat composition in compliance with receipt, before cutter or mixer loading with components. Prepared forcemeat should be also weighed to control its output volume before forcemeat delivery for stuffing and forming by means of these or other floor scales.
Sanitary norms prescribe to wash equipment with alkaline solutions daily, and also to carry out disinfection with bleaching powder solution and sterilization with direct steam in raw material department and engine-room. For these “extreme” operating conditions METRA recommends to use specially designed scales of “Master” series made of stainless steel in moisture-resistant performance. These scales are equipped with stainless steel load cells produced by HBM (Germany). Impermeability is provided with laser welding and special safety bellow.
Department of thermal treatment
After forming, products hanging at the frames enter the department of thermal treatment, where products are weighed before they enter the heat chamber. Low-profile “Master” scales are used for formed products frames and containers weighing before thermal treatment. Scales of this type can be also used for finished products weighing after thermal treatment; however, there should be physically other scales, as sanitary and technical norms prohibit mixing of raw and finished product flows. These scales can be also used after finished products cooling before their transfer to the finished product storehouse.
Sale
Calculation procedure of finished product realization depends on used business operation method. It is necessary to remember that finished products can be sold loose or in customer’s tare, or in company’s returnable container. Products are weighed by PC-connected scales. All necessary documents according to the set pattern are formed in the computer. Module “Dispatch-shipment 1.0” which is a configuration for 1C program can be used as an example.
When you service regular customers that grant purchase plans, you can form orders in advance and pack them using scales connected to computer and printer for bar-code label printing to speed up finished product shipment. In this case, during realization operator will automatically read out weighing data by means of a scanner. So the scales can be used only for control weighing.
When products are shipped in small batchers, two-range scales us is efficient as you have to precisely weigh both large cases and small boxes in the same place. Two-range scales reduce running costs, annual calibration costs and also save place.
Products removed by motor transport are weighed by truck scales for the purpose of control.
Since 2004 scales model range for meat-processing industry was updated. Now scales have two weighing ranges (multirange scales), so our customers have additional resources both for standard and more precise weighing. For example, if you weigh cases, bags and packages up to 60kg with scale factor equal to 20g, you can use the same scales for more precise weighing of small packages up to 30kg with scale factor equal to 10g (Scales STANDART 30/60 and GARANT 30/60). Two weighing ranges from 0.2g to 30kg and from 30kg to 60kg have 3000 and 1500 graduations. So you can use one scale instead of two scales for 30kg and 60kg.
If you weigh freights, for example, up to 60kg, you have an additional choice now. If besides main weighing you have to weigh smaller packages with more precision, you can choose scales with ranges 30/60kg. If besides main weighing you have to weigh freights up to 150kg, the scales 60/150 suit you the best. In any case you win, when you buy one scales instead of two.
All models are equipped with weight-measuring instrument “Microsim-0601B” with extended functionality. Model structures were designed taking into account tare dimensions of weighed raw material and finished products. Depending on operating conditions, scales platform can be made of structural steel with powder enamel coating or stainless steel. As a rule, scales with one load cell are used for products weighing in tare manually placed on the scales, and scales with four load cells are used for trolleys and euro-pallets weighing. Floor scales with four load cells can be fit in floor, or ramps can be used. Low-profile scales were developed for convenient trolley moving on. Monorail scales are built in existing plant’s monorail.
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