Weigher Flexibility Maximizes Packing Potential for Various Prepared Potatoes
A 20-head multihead weigher from 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 Potravinàřskà.
Liptovskà Potravinàřskà is a family-run business that was founded in 2000 and initially focused on providing raw potatoes. In 2007, the company began to produce peeled potatoes.
One of the earliest steam peeling systems in central Europe is used in the Liptovskà factory, and it can also process potatoes that haven’t been peeled. After being prepped, weighed, and packaged, the potatoes are placed in an autoclave to be sterilized, extending their shelf life without sacrificing their quality or freshness. After that, they may be quickly cooked in a microwave, oven, or saucepan.
The Ishida packaging operation was established to maximize throughput and satisfy demand once the company’s autoclave system was implemented in 2019. The system proved successful. Along with this, Liptovskà has introduced a retail line under the Pan Zemiak (Mr. Potato) label.
After consulting with Ishida’s CEE team, Liptovskà Potravinàřskà decided to invest in a weighing and packaging line capable of meeting the demands of both retail and food service clients. The mainstay of the new line would be a 20-head Ishida multihead weigher.
This Ishida CCW-RV-220WB-1D-30-WP is versatile enough to handle retail pack sizes up to 450g, as well as bigger 3kg and 5kg packs for the food service industry. Its maximum speed for the 450g size is 120 packs per minute, while for the three kg and five kg sizes, it is 40 and 20 packs per minute.
Potatoes can be chopped, sliced, or whole and weighed using the three-liter hoppers. The weigher is split into four parts to provide the necessary speeds for the greater pack sizes. The potatoes are transferred onto thermoformed trays using a dual swing chute and dipping funnel as part of a specially designed distribution system. Each portion functions as a separate weigher at a lower target weight. These individual weights are then pooled and inserted into the system.
The weigher generates four separate weights of 1,250g for a five-kilogram pack, which are arranged in a tray one after the other; two weights of 1500g are produced for a three kg size; and one weighed is produced for 450 grams retail packets.
The company’s top-tier RV series includes the 20-head Ishida multihead. This includes Ishida’s exclusive triple combination calculation software, which can determine the best weight combinations in a single cycle by calculating them, verifying them, and choosing the one that is closest to the goal weight. Specifically, this guarantees accuracy when the weigher runs in the split mode for bigger-size packs.
The Ishida weigher handles raw potatoes in addition to cooked potato types and is in operation for 12 hours every day. By eliminating background vibration from the load cell output signal, special anti-floor vibration increases machine precision and signal stability for dependable operation over time. Because of its waterproof design, cleaning is quick and simple. An elevator was also incorporated into the Ishida installation to move potatoes to the top of the multihead weigher. A reliable final weight check is provided by an Ishida DACS-G-S060 checkweigher.
“We have been very pleased with the performance of the Ishida multihead weigher. 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,” Liptovskà Potravinàřskà’s Executive Director, Michal Hajden, said.
The corporation is looking into international markets in addition to its home market for its new retail line.
“We see great potential for our Pan Zemiak range alongside our existing food service business. Thanks to the capabilities of our Ishida multihead weigher, we are well placed to maximize our opportunities,” Michal Hajden concluded.