Food manufacturers are under growing pressure to monitor product loss caused by overfilling during weighing. This factor is becoming an increasingly costly challenge due to rising production costs, persistent inflation, shrinking margins and higher expectations regarding sustainability. Solutions such as Ishida’s AI-driven monitoring platform Sentinel 5.0 turn production data into actionable insights, thereby contributing to the reduction of product loss. .
Product giveaway, meaning the filling of food products beyond the stated weight, has long posed a challenge in the industry. In times of high inflation, even small giveaway quantities can significantly impact profitability. Dean Ball, Product Manager at Ishida Europe, emphasises that product giveaway is often viewed as unavoidable, even though there are ways to address this problem.
Data-driven solutions
The collection and analysis of performance data play a crucial role in reducing overfilling. Real-time visibility enables manufacturers to identify trends early and take corrective action. This leads to better control of product overfilling.
„Product losses are usually caused by a combination of different factors. Higher line speeds can lead to greater deviations from the target weight. This increases the probability of overfilled packaging. Added to this are increasingly complex product mixes and formats, outdated equipment, irregular maintenance, and the natural tendency to avoid the risk of underweight through overcompensation.“
Dean Ball, Product Manager at Ishida Europe
In many cases, avoiding overfilling depends on how effectively multihead weighers are set up and operated as the central filling system in the production line. Factors such as the consistency of product feed, bucket configuration and timing, the selection of surfaces and materials, and regular performance checks all have a direct impact on weighing accuracy and overall control.
Deployment of AI technologies
Here, the data generated within the weighing and packaging line itself is becoming increasingly important. Through improved monitoring, visualisation and the analysis of performance data, food producers and other manufacturers can identify the causes of deviations earlier and make more targeted adjustments. AI-driven monitoring platforms such as Ishida's Sentinel 5.0 support this goal by turning production data into actionable insights. Dean Ball: „And these are not theoretical improvements, but proven, practical measures that can be implemented today. The technology and expertise are there – now it is a matter of applying them consistently across the entire operation.“
Source: Ishida Europe
