The weighing system is a 18 heads multihead weigher. The freshly prepared noodles are conveyed to the weigher using a new type of conveying system. The weighing system has been custom built to the requirements of the products to be weighed. The product contact parts of the weigher were supplied with the specially developed stepped profile to enable perfect product flow. Noodles, once deposited on to the weigher, are conveyed to the prefeed hoppers via the radial feed trays and then to the weigh hoppers underneath. Using the partial portions, a micro-processor determines the combination which corresponds to the target weight to be achieved.  After the actual weighing process, the accurate weight portions are transferred to the VFF & S (vertical form fill & seal machine) via an outlet funnel using a special timing hopper. Maximum accuracy and availability are provided by the calibration systems integrated in each load cell which makes completely automatic calibration possible even during the production. "With their high reliability and effectiveness, the system certainly represents the core for the line availability", says Sam Saunders, Engineering Manager.



The system complies with the highest hygiene requirements in the prepared produce sector and has proven to be extremely reliable in the harsh environment even when being hosed down several times a day. The High Speed Weigher is operated via an easy to use color touchscreen monitor. Mark Harris, Kanes General Manager says: "Thanks to the easy to use interface, our employees can operate the weighers from Gantan in a very short time which is extremely important for us. The weighers manufactured by Gantan are one of the most reliable machines according to our records in the factory. If all the factors such as giveaway, reliability, spare parts and personnel costs are considered, the Gantan weighers pay for themselves within a very short time".



For a target weight between 350g and 410g, approx. 40,000 bags are packed daily in a 2-shift operation 7 days per week. Mark Harris is extremely satisfied with the results achieved: "With Gantan we optimized labour usage at twice the previous pack rate thus exceeding our objectives. We were also able to reduce pack ‘giveaway’ due to the accuracy of the weighers”. The project went so well that the whole manufacture and packing installation was duplicated 2 years later to cope with increased demand from its retail customers.

It was at this time that Kanes Foods Ltd started to look at the weigher and the stepped profile as a solution to handling salad leaves more effectively and efficiently. Trials were completed across the entire range of salads with improvements demonstrated on pack rate and mean weight control. A program of investment has seen all multihead weighers in the existing salad packing operation be replaced with weighers from Gantan with the most recent installation incorporating 2 weighers. The popular "Caesar Salad" is packed here with dressing and the cheese and crouton bags being added into dedicated heads on the weigher ensuring the correct number of sachets end up in each pack with zero complaints.