Inline checkweighers: how do they work?

Everything you need to know about inline check weighing systems and how they work

Inline checkweighers play a crucial role in the industrial sector, especially in those sectors where accurate weighing is essential to ensure quality and safety of the final product. These systems allow to monitor in real time the weight of products while they are transiting along the production and/or packaging line, without interrupting the flow of the production process. Their use is therefore essential to ensure compliance with production specifications and current regulations, but also to optimize and speed up processes, reducing waste and the costs associated with rework or scrap.

Used mainly in sectors such as food and pharmaceuticals, but also in the industrial sector and cosmetics, inline weighing systems such as checkweighers can also serve as sorting systems, automatically separating products that do not meet the specified weight parameters. This feature is particularly useful for identifying and removing products with non-conforming or incomplete weight from the production line, thus reducing the risk of placing them on the market and compromising brand reputation or violating industry regulations.

Let’s see in more detail how inline checkweighers work and what advantages they can provide in product weighing and selection processes.

Main components of inline checkweighers

Inline checkweighers are complex systems, made of several key components which plays a vital role in ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of the weighing process. The main components include:

conveyor belt, which is the element on which products are placed to be weighed as they move along the production line. It is designed to minimize vibration and external interference that could affect the accuracy of weighing. The material of which the tape is made and the speed are crucial as they must be calibrated to ensure that the weight is accurately measured without external influences;
load cells, the sensors responsible for actual weight measurement. These devices convert the force exerted by the weight of the product into an electrical signal which can be analyzed by the control system. Load cells must be extremely precise and are usually made of highly resistant materials, such as stainless steel, to ensure durability and accuracy over time. There are different types of load cells, each suitable for specific applications;

control unit (controller), which is the "brain" of the weighing system. It receives signals from the load cells, processes them and compares them with the preset parameters. The controller can be programmed to perform various operations, such as triggering alarms in case of weight discrepancies, recording data for subsequent analysis, and communication with other weighing management software or business systems for complete production line integration;
management software: weighing software is essential for the interpretation and management of the collected data. Through intuitive graphical interfaces, they can enable operators to monitor system performance in real time, generate detailed reports, and optimize weighing parameters. They can also be integrated with other enterprise IT solutions, such as ERP systems, to ensure complete and centralized production management;
sorting and ejection system, used to separate products that do not meet the pre-established weight criteria. Depending on the weight and shape of the products, these systems can be of different types, for example pneumatic ejectors with or without cylinder, high-speed, drop, diverter or progressive, single or double air jet. The effectiveness of these systems is crucial to maintaining production quality and minimizing losses;
displays and user interface, providing operators with direct access to all information processed by the system, such as real-time weight, load cell status and any warnings or alarms. These tools must be designed to be user-friendly, offering rapid access to data and facilitating real time problem solving.

How an inline check weighing system works

An inline check weighing system is designed to ensure that every product passing through the production line can be accurately weighed and classified according to predefined parameters. The process begins with the products being placed on a conveyor belt, which transports them to the weight control system. When the products reach the weighing point, their weight is recorded thanks to the load cell, equipped with sensors that allow real-time measurements with extreme precision. The load cell transforms the force exerted by the weight into an electrical signal, which is immediately sent to the control system.

The software integrated in the weighing system then analyzes the received signal, comparing the measured weight with the reference values preset in the system. These parameters may vary according to specific production requirements, such as acceptable minimum and maximum weight tolerances. If the weight of the product falls within the limits, the product is accepted and continues its path along the production line. If the weight is outside the defined limits, the system immediately activates a selection and expulsion mechanism that diverts the non-conforming product to an area of waste or reprocessing.

In addition to the simple weight verification function, inline weighing systems such as checkweighers can be integrated with other quality control technologies such as metal detectors or visual inspection systems, to provide a complete control of products in real time.

Advantages of product selection and weighing systems

Product selection and weight classification systems can provide a number of significant benefits to companies that decide to implement them in their production lines, helping to improve the quality, efficiency and profitability of production processes. Using these systems allows you to optimize each phase of production, ensuring that only compliant products reach the market.

As we have seen, one of the greatest advantages of in-line sorting and weighing systems is their ability to accurately check that each product meets the specified weight specifications. This is a crucial aspect to meet industry regulations and avoid possible sanctions or product recalls for companies. For example, in the food industry, weighing systems are essential in quality control processes to ensure that products are weighed correctly and meet all standards that certify their safety and integrity. In addition, the implementation of weighing and sorting systems ensures:

reduction of waste by immediately separating non-compliant products from the rest of production. This way, the amount of product that has to be discarded or reprocessed can be minimized, with a direct impact on operating costs. In addition, reducing waste contributes to making production more sustainable, also reducing the environmental impact of the company;
improvement of production efficiency: the automation offered by weighing and sorting systems allows to accelerate the production process, reducing the time needed for quality control. This results in increased productivity as production lines can operate at higher speeds without compromising the quality of the final product. In addition, the ability to quickly identify and correct any anomalies allows for business continuity and reduced downtime;
reduced operating costs: automating the process of weighing and classifying products reduces the need for manual intervention, which can reduce labor costs. In addition, since the systems are able to operate with a high degree of accuracy, it is possible to reduce the economic losses associated with out-of-specification products which may be rejected by customers or need to be reworked. This precise and automated control allows to optimize the use of resources and improve profit margin;
improvement of product quality: inline check weighing systems help to maintain high quality standards. By separating out incomplete, defective or non-conforming products, companies can ensure that only the best products reach the market, thereby increasing customer satisfaction and reducing the risk of complaints or returns;
flexibility and adaptability: weighing and sorting systems are highly flexible and can be tailored to different product types and production specifications. This versatility allows companies to respond quickly to market needs and offer new product lines without having to invest in expensive technological upgrades. In addition, the systems can be integrated with other quality control and production management systems, offering a complete and centralized solution for monitoring and optimizing the production process.

Nemesis checkweighers: advanced solutions for product classification and weighing

Nemesis checkweighers are advanced solutions for product classification and weighing, designed to meet the needs of companies that require precision, reliability and speed in their production processes. Made with cutting-edge technology, our weight sorters ensure high accuracy in weighing, ensuring that each product is weighed and classified according to predefined parameters, offering a rigorous and automated quality control. All weighing systems are equipped with robust, high-precision load cells that allow even the smallest weight variations to be detected, ensuring that only products meeting the established criteria continue along the production line.

Thanks to their advanced sorting systems, the weight sorters also allow products with different weight categories to be efficiently classified and separated, reducing waste and increasing the overall quality of the final product.

Thanks to the integration of EasyWeigh® weighing software, they are able to operate at high speeds without compromising the accuracy of the weighing process. This makes them particularly suitable for high volume production lines where speed and process accuracy are essential to maintain efficiency and reduce operating costs. In addition, all Nemesis checkweighers are equipped with an intuitive user interface, which facilitates the configuration and monitoring of the systems, allowing operators to quickly adapt weighing parameters according to different production needs.

The flexibility of checkweighers also extends to their ability to handle a wide range of products, regardless of size, shape or weight. They can be applied in a wide variety of industries, including the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries and easily integrate with other industrial automation systems such as traceability solutions and production management software. This allows a complete and centralized view of the production process, improving quality control and overall operational efficiency.

For more information about Nemesis checkweighers, please contact us!

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