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Weigher flexibility maximises packing potential for potato supplier

19 January 2024

A 20-head multihead weigher, supplied by Ishida Europe, has played a key role in the automation of the packing operation for a variety of ready to cook potato products from leading Slovakian producer Liptovskà Potravinàrskà.

The factory features a special steam peeling system for the potatoes – one of the first to be installed in central Europe – and also has the ability to handle unpeeled potatoes. 

Once the potatoes have been prepared, weighed and packed, they are transferred to an autoclave for sterilisation, giving them an extended shelf life while maintaining their quality and freshness. They are then ready to cook in minutes in a saucepan, oven or microwave.

The company introduced its autoclave system in 2019 and its success led to the establishment of the Ishida packing operation in order to maximise throughput and meet demand. 

The company decided to invest in a weighing and packing line that could fulfil the demand from both retail and foodservice customers and after speaking with Ishida, a decision was made to invest in a 20-head Ishida multihead weigher as the key component of the new line.

The multiweigher chosen for the application is able to handle both 450g retail pack sizes and larger 3kg and 5kg packs for the foodservice sector, with a top speed of 120 packs per minute for the 450g, and 40 and 20 packs per minute for the 3kg and 5kg sizes.

The 3 litre hoppers can be used to weigh whole, sliced or diced potatoes. In order to deliver the required speeds for the larger pack sizes, the weigher is divided into four sections. Each section acts as a separate weigher at a lower target weight and these individual weights are then combined and placed into a customised distribution system, which comprises a twin swing chute with dipping funnel that transfers the potatoes into thermoformed trays.

For a 5kg pack, the weigher produces four individual weights of 1,250g which are placed into the tray one after the other; for the 3kg size, it is two weights of 1,500g; for the 450g retail packs, the potatoes are despatched in a single weighment. 

The weigher is in operation for 12 hours each day, and as well as the cooked potato varieties is also handling raw potatoes. Special anti-floor vibration removes background vibration from the load cell output signal, improving signal stability and machine accuracy for consistently reliable operation. Its waterproof construction allows fast and easy cleaning. The installation also included an elevator to transfer potatoes to the top of the multihead weigher. An Ishida checkweigher provides a consistent final weight check. 

“We have been very pleased with the performance of the multihead weigher,” said Michal Hajden, Executive Director at Liptovskà Potravinàrskà. “It is both accurate and reliable, as well as being easy to set up and operate – and Ishida provided us with initial training to ensure we were familiar with all the features of the machine.”


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