Spee-Dee Case Study No. 5: Improve Product Fill Accuracy
- Company: Large Coffee Processor
- Objective: Install a system to improve and maintain product fill accuracy rates.
- Situation: The client was running fraction pack coffee on a vertical form/fill/seal machine with clutch/brake augers. An offline scale was used to check weights. Two problems existed. One, the scales were not feeding back to the augers and two, the operators were inconsistent in taking the sample weights.
- Solution: The clutch/brake auger was converted by Spee-Dee® to a servo drive to enhance accuracy. In addition, a new offline check weigh feedback system was added, which averaged sample weights and made adjustments to the auger if weights trended heavy or light due to density shifts. A three tower light system was then added to notify when samples were required, forcing operators to take sample weights on a timely basis. If the light was green, all was well. When the light shifted to yellow, it was time to take samples. If samples were not taken within a preset time, the light went to red and the bagger shut down until samples were taken.
- Bottom line: The new system not only improved accuracy on each fill, it also ensured precision was maintained through the check weigh feedback and operator monitoring system, reducing costly product giveaway.
Categories: Case Studies, Uncategorized · Tags: Auger filler, Coffee filler, filling accuracy, profitability, Servo Conversion
