Counting vs Weighing

The Value of an Exact Count

For any company that produces large quantities of product, packaging methods, quantity apportionment and fast and accurate sorting are necessary for manufacturing efficiency and maintaining quality. A key decision companies must make is choosing whether to pack a product according to weight or by product count. This decision can significantly impact bottom-line revenue and customer satisfaction.

There are common problems that can arise using weighers to pack pieces by individual weight. Most often, deviation in quantity can occur from products not being exactly the same weight. Packing according to a total weight with products that vary in weight frequently leads to overcounts or undercounts. Depending on the nature of the miscount, miscalculation can cause a serious profitability issue. Overcounting simply gives product away and undercounting can lead to customer dissatisfaction with all its consequences (i.e., negative reputation and brand loyalty).

If a confectionery manufacturer’s box is filled with 25 chocolates and he fills 100 boxes per minute (150,000 per hour, 1.8 million products in a 12-hour shift) at an estimated 2% overfill, the losses would be about 36,000 give-away products per day. Suppose the cost price of a product is €10ct, then the total loss per day is €3,600 and spread over a 20-day production month this is a loss of €72,000 per month!

With a guaranteed accuracy of 100% for counting machines, product loss is out of the question. The replacement of weighing systems with counting machines might seem like a substantial investment. But the money saved by averting product losses results in a swift ROI.

 

Marketing: An Informed Consumer is a Likelier Customer

Cremer counting machine vs weighing machine

Counting products not only contributes to significant ROI by mitigating wasted product (over the stated count/weight) and protecting post-purchase brand reputation (under the stated count/weight), but it also actually helps customers envision exactly what is in the package before making a purchasing decision. In addition, providing easier-to-track information by listing the count on products will give consumers more insight on how often to purchase that product.

 

Floorspace, Manufacturing Efficiency & Inventory

In addition to cost concerns and marketing advantages, counting systems offer unwavering benefits for the production facility itself. Counting machines have many features that make them a captivating option for companies concentrating on efficiency and conserving floor space.

Floor space is valuable in production facilities and since counting machines are more compact than weighing equipment, the end result is a smaller footprint for the same output. Furthermore, counting machines are generally shorter and less bulky than weighers, which results in reduced system height and lower drop heights. In addition, counting machines are known for having lower maintenance due to fewer parts to clean and maintain. Finally, with under 80 dB during production, counters generally operate at quieter productionlevels than weighing machines.

 

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