Mettler-Toledo Garvens, which together with Safeline, CI-Vision and Pharmacontrol Electronic (PCE) forms the Product Inspection Division of Mettler-Toledo, has launched a new generation of checkweighers, entitled C3000 System. The innovative platform covers a weighing range of up to 10kg and allows food and pharmaceutical manufacturers to inspect up to 600 products per minute, resulting in increased overall equipment efficiency (OEE) and lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
'As consumer demand for more convenience products continues to increase, the global marketplace has become increasingly competitive, with food and pharmaceutical manufacturers under constant pressure to produce multiple goods – and fast. Manufacturers continually face challenges to produce high quality, safe products at the correct weight, at a low cost per package,' explained Kerstin Bernhart, Head of Marketing and Product Management at Mettler-Toledo Garvens. 'Our new generation of checkweighers guarantees supreme levels of weighing accuracy at high throughput production rates. This technology will further help manufacturers to improve their production line efficiency and future proof their business.'
Adaptability – individually tailored
The increased stability of the new C3000 System provides protection against vibrations caused by other production line machinery and offers enhanced performance by up to 33% throughput rate with higher weighing accuracy. The system’s modular design allows for a variety of configurations and manufacturers can choose from a range of optional product inspection technology combinations such as metal detection (CM model), x-ray inspection (CX model) or vision inspection (CV model). A CM3570, for example, combines state-of-the-art checkweighing technology with the proven ‘Profile’ metal detector technology to check that products are free from metal contaminants and at the correct weight within a single system.
The flexibility of the advanced metal detection technology allows processing lines to run at optimal speeds, inspecting a variety of products at correct frequency levels to ensure the best level of sensitivity is reached. Metal detection sensitivity options incorporate two tuned frequency ranges respectively 100/300/800Hz and 25/100/300Hz, for optimum metal detection capabilities. A single Human Machine Interface (HMI) seamlessly controls the checkweighing and metal detection technology enhancing OEE by reducing programming time and the risk of operational error. The systems also integrate centralised inventory management technology, enabling faster more effective reporting on product changeovers and the rejection of defective products.
Performance – stability is key to accuracy
The new interference-free mounting of the C3000 System’s weigh cell offers protection against production line disturbances and vibrations. An optimised transition zone between the small diameter rollers of the conveyors improve product transfer, thus increasing weighing accuracy, leading to higher throughput. The weigh cell can be mechanically decoupled from the rest of the machine to maintain maximum weighing accuracy. In conjunction with improved conveyors and other checkweighing specifications, the weigh cell allows for configurations that cover a weighing range up to 10kg.
Reliability – paying attention to availability and life-span
To improve ease of cleaning and maintenance in harsh washdown environments, the C3000 System checkweighers are constructed with a robust tubular base frame and a highly adaptable modular design with open structure and minimised horizontal surfaces. Additionally, the slotted toothed belt guards on the conveyors are designed for fast and easy inspection, even during production.
Manufacturers can also further customise the conveyor design with the Granulate Conveyor option for companies requiring ingress prevention of particles such as granulates and powders, 15mm diameter belt deflection rollers for highest weighing accuracy – which is beneficial for smaller, lighter products at higher throughputs – and IP65 rating for washdown environments.
New safety features
The intuitive user interface, with its anti-glare display and a standard USB port, makes for easier and faster operations and can be effortlessly integrated into existing manufacturing IT infrastructures, supporting open interfaces and industry standards such as PackML. In addition, based on Mettler-Toledo Garven’s evaluation of all food and pharmaceutical safety requirements, the checkweigher is tested according to international standards for machine safety and operator design and always equipped with an emergency stop push button and on/off switches - also allowing operators to ergonomically interact with the machine.
The design of the C3000 System facilitates any future modifications or upgrades to be implemented, complemented by the optimal combination of open structures and sturdiness to protect sensitive machine parts. This ensures that food and pharmaceutical manufacturers can future-proof their technology investment for new product lines.
The dynamic C3000 portfolio currently includes the C3530 with a 7-inch touch screen-terminal capable of storing up to 100 product setups and the C3570 with a 15-inch touchscreen and storing capability of up to 200 product setups, both models with an extensive range of optional software functions to support and streamline production processes.
