Sterling Systems & Controls, Inc. offers the Kitchen Batching System, a semi-automatic ingredient batching system for the food industry. The system can also be employed in other industrial ingredient batching applications. This multiple bin system requires operator involvement for the batching operation, but it is also automated in the control of operator actions and assures accurate weighments and batches.
The Kitchen Batching System is intended to improve speed and overall efficiency of the ingredient batching process over a manual process.
Included in a typical customized Kitchen Batching System are:
- Multiple ingredient bins/totes
- Stainless Steel Table(s)
- Moving weigh table w/ scale and touchscreen display
- PC Control Panel with weight instruments
Each Kitchen Batching System is customized to include the maximum number of bins required by the customer’s specific formulas. The Kitchen System tables are sized to fit with the number of ingredient bins, and for operator comfort. The tables are manufactured with stainless steel material, typically grade 304. The ingredient tables are of rugged construction and are designed to be stationary.
The scale platform table is designed to travel between the two ingredient tables. The operator must move the scale platform table as needed to reach the next ingredient bins. The cabling from the scale and touchscreen display is mounted within a flexible cable carrier and is routed between the scale platform table and an adjacent ingredient table.
Sterling Systems & Controls customizes systems using standard control and automation components. For the Kitchen Batching System, the company uses a PC (control panel mounted) and an industrial touchscreen monitor (scale platform table mounted). The control panel encloses the PC and other components to allow for its operation and interface with the monitor and scale. A weight indicator is also mounted in the front door of the enclosure. A barcode scanner can also be provided for operation with the lot tracking part of the control system to assure batch validation.