Portioning plants

Portioning plants are industrial lines used in the food processing industry to accurately portion, weigh and package food products. They are commonly found in meat, poultry and fish processing, and in the production of baked goods, confectionery and other food products, where consistent give-away control and pack presentation decide both yield and customer acceptance.

The raw materials handled span meat, poultry and fish products (such as beef, chicken, salmon), vegetables (such as carrots, potatoes, onions), doughs and batters (such as for bread, pizza and pastry products), cheese and dairy products, confectionery items (such as chocolate bars or candy) and frozen food products (such as ready meals or ice cream). Output formats are equally varied: trays with plastic or film lids, plastic containers with snap-on lids, cardboard boxes with plastic liners or dividers, and shrink-wrapped packages.

A typical plant is built from six equipment groups. Slicers and cutters bring the product to the desired size and shape, including meat slicers, vegetable cutters and dough rollers. Weighing systems such as load cells, scales or check weighers measure and control product weight. Portioning machines, such as patty formers or dough dividers, divide the product into individual portions. Packaging machines, including form-fill-seal machines, tray sealers or baggers, deliver the required pack format. Inspection systems such as metal detectors, X-ray machines or vision inspection systems verify product quality.

Tying the line together are automation and control systems: programmable logic controllers (PLCs), human-machine interfaces (HMIs) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, which control and monitor the portioning plant as a whole.