What is a Multi-Head Weigher?
A multi-head weigher is an automatic high-precision weighing device widely used in packaging machines. The classic multi-head weigher typically has 10 heads. It is commonly used for granules such as candies, peanuts, snacks, chips, nuts, jelly, biscuits, bread, coffee, pet food, hardware, tea, seeds, and more. With technological advancements, it can now also be used for products like vegetable salads, various pre-made dishes, and fruits.
In this article, we introduce some of the most common multi-head weighers on the market. If you are looking for a suitable packaging device for your products, this article will be helpful. Read on and stay tuned with us.
Operating Principle of Multi-Head Weigher
When your material is fed into the input hopper via a conveyor belt or bucket elevator, the top feeder tray (usually vibrating or rotating) distributes about 1/3 or 1/4 of your target weight into the weigh hoppers. Each weigh hopper has a load cell that measures the material. The program then determines the optimal combination of weights across the hoppers to meet your target weight, typically with an error margin of ±3-5g, depending on the material.
How to Choose the Right Weigher?The following section provides insights into selecting the appropriate weigher for your product.
Types of Multi-Head Weighers
Multi-Head Screw Feeding Weigher
Utilizes screws for feeding the material. The screws can be independently adjusted during operation to ensure even feeding and improve weighing accuracy. This type of weigher is popular for pre-made dishes such as pickled vegetables, sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers, boneless chicken feet, and snacks. However, it is not recommended for long products like noodles, as the material may get tangled in the screws. Available models include 14-head, 16-head, and 18/24-head screw feeding weighers.
Vibrating Weigher
Uses vibration to drop the material from the buffer hopper into the weigh hopper. The amplitude can be adjusted independently during operation, making it easy to control. This type is suitable for non-sticky and small granular materials such as peanuts, snacks, chips, nuts, coffee beans, pet treats, small biscuits, hardware parts, and sunflower seeds.
Rake Type Weigher
Limits the amount of material entering the weigh hopper and prevents excessive material from falling in. It can be equipped with a counting function, but the weight of individual products should not vary significantly. Suitable for weighing hot pot ingredients, lotus root slices, potato slices, green peppercorns, and long strips of material. It is also ideal for packing small packages into larger ones and for irregular materials, as the rake helps control the flow of materials from the vibrating tray, reducing the risk of overloading.
Special Types of Weighers
Anti-Stick Weigher
Coated with Teflon on the exterior to prevent sticky materials from adhering to the equipment, suitable for sticky items like gummy candies and potato starch. Note that using sharp objects or scrubbing with steel wool can damage the coating and negate the anti-stick properties.
Shatterproof Weigher
Designed for fragile items such as quail eggs, frozen dumplings, walnuts, and biscuits.
Noodles Weigher
Suitable for noodle products like konjac noodles, ramen, Longkou vermicelli, pasta, and layered beef tripe.
Belt Feeding Weigher
Commonly used for packaging delicate items like laundry pods, quail eggs, and frozen dumplings. It uses a belt to control the material’s descent. High-precision sensors keep accuracy within two decimal places.
Conclusion
Having explained the various types of weighers, you should have a basic understanding of how to choose one for your packaging machine. The general idea is to select a weigher based on your material type, then choose the number of heads and hopper size based on your desired packaging speed and weight.Or if you are interested in other weighing equipment, you can check out our article: weighting & metering device.
If you prefer not to make the decision yourself, you can rely on our professional sales team. Just provide us with pictures and videos of your material, as well as your desired speed and specifications, and our team will create a perfect and effective solution for you!