-
FA-AW220 Checkweigher: Precision Weighing for High-Volume Canned Food Producers
For canned food manufacturers, even a 0.5g weight discrepancy in sealed cans can signal underfill (risking retail penalties) or overfill (wasting raw materials). This is why Mediterranean Canning Co.—a Spanish producer of 150g–500g canned olives, tomatoes, and tuna—partnered with Shanghai Fanchi-tech Machinery Co., Ltd. to deploy our FA-AW220 Checkweigher (the unit pictured in our production facility above). The system has become the cornerstone of their quality control, delivering unrivaled accuracy while keeping pace with their 70-cans-per-minute lines.Company Background: High-Stakes Canned Food Production
Mediterranean Canning Co. supplies 75+ metric tonnes of canned goods weekly to European retailers (including Mercadona and Tesco). Their production lines run 14-hour shifts, with 12+ SKUs (from 150g olive tins to 500g tuna cans) requiring frequent switchovers. Prior to adopting the FA-AW220, the company faced critical pain points:- A legacy checkweigher that delivered only ±1.2g accuracy (failing EU weights-and-measures compliance for 150g small cans).
- 12-minute SKU changeovers that cut 3 hours of daily production capacity.
- No automated weight logs, forcing manual record-keeping that risked audit errors.
- A non-hygienic design that trapped canned food residue (failing BRC hygiene audits).
The Challenge: Canned-Specific Accuracy & Efficiency
Canned products present unique weighing hurdles that demanded a tailored solution:- Tight Tolerances for Small Cans: Retailers required ±0.8g accuracy for 150g olive tins—their old system could not consistently meet this threshold.
- Variable Can Weights: Empty can lids/bodies had minor weight differences (0.3–0.5g), which the legacy system failed to account for.
- Rapid SKU Switches: 12-minute changeovers between 150g olives and 500g tuna disrupted high-volume production.
- Hygiene Compliance: Canned food spills required a washdown-compatible, crevice-free design.
The Solution: FA-AW220 Checkweigher (Pictured Facility Unit)
After on-site testing with their canned product range, Mediterranean Canning selected the FA-AW220 for its canned-specific performance:1. Canned-Tailored Accuracy
The FA-AW220 delivers ±0.6g accuracy (exceeding the retailer’s ±0.8g requirement) by accounting for canned food nuances:- Empty Can Calibration: The system stores baseline weights for each can size (e.g., 150g olive tin lids/bodies), adjusting for minor packaging variations.
- Sealed Can Compatibility: It stabilizes weighing for rigid, sealed containers (avoiding the “bounce” that plagues generic checkweighers).
During a 6-hour trial, the FA-AW220 rejected 47 underfilled 150g olive cans (0.9g below tolerance) that manual spot-checks had missed.2. 30-Second SKU Switchovers
The FA-AW220’s touchscreen control panel (visible in the facility unit) stores pre-programmed settings for 20+ canned SKUs. Operators select the product code, and the system auto-adjusts:- Conveyor speed (matched to 70-cans-per-minute throughput).
- Weight tolerance thresholds (e.g., +0.5g/-0.8g for 150g olives).
- Reject mechanism alignment (for different can diameters).
This cut Mediterranean Canning’s changeover time from 12 minutes to 30 seconds.3. Automated Compliance Logs
The FA-AW220 generates real-time, audit-ready weight logs (exportable via USB/network) that include:- Individual can weights (including empty can baseline adjustments).
- Reject rates per SKU (flagging underfill/overfill trends).
- Shift-level performance metrics (for production efficiency tracking).
These logs helped the company pass its 2025 BRC audit with zero hygiene or compliance findings.4. Canning-Friendly Hygiene Design
The FA-AW220’s all-stainless-steel (304 grade) build (seen in the facility image) features:- Crevice-free surfaces that resist canned food spill residue.
- IP65-rated washdown compatibility (for daily post-shift cleaning).
- Removable conveyor belts (for deep cleaning of can contact points).
This eliminated the 45-minute daily wipe-down required for their old unit.The Outcome: Hard Results for Mediterranean Canning
Since installing 5 FA-AW220 units:- 0 Retail Penalties: They have not received a single weight-related fine (saving €4,500 annually).
- 12% Higher Production Capacity: Faster changeovers added 3.5 hours of daily line time.
- 80% Reduction in Manual Record-Keeping: Automated logs cut 1 full-time administrative role.
- 100% BRC Audit Pass Rate: The hygiene design resolved prior audit deductions.
“ The FA-AW220 was built for canned goods— it handles our small tins and large tuna cans with the same precision, and the changeovers are game-changing,” says Maria Lopez, Mediterranean Canning’s Quality Manager. “We’ve already ordered 2 more units for our new tomato canning line.”Why the FA-AW220 for Canned Food Producers?
For brands like Mediterranean Canning, the FA-AW220 delivers:- Canned-Specific Accuracy: Accounts for empty can variations and rigid container stability.
- Speed for High-Volume Lines: Supports 70+ cans per minute with 30-second SKU changes.
- Compliance & Hygiene: BRC-aligned design and automated audit logs.
Next Steps: Test the FA-AW220 with Your Canned Products
If you’re a canned food producer struggling with weight accuracy, slow changeovers, or hygiene compliance, contact Kerry Wang to arrange a virtual or on-site demo of the FA-AW220. We’ll test the unit with your specific can sizes and product types to prove its performance.Shanghai Fanchi-tech Machinery Co., Ltd.- Email: fanchitech@outlook.com
- Website: www.fanchitechnology.com
Post time: Jan-12-2026