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Microcontroller Based Multihead Weigher

Article  in  Indian Journal of Science and Technology · August 2016

DOI: 10.17485/ijst/2016/v9i30/98994

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 ISSN (Print) : 0974-6846
Indian Journal of Science and Technology, Vol 9(30), DOI: 10.17485/ijst/2016/v9i30/98994, August 2016 ISSN (Online) : 0974-5645

Microcontroller Based Multihead

Weigher
Parag Narkhede, Ritesh Dhawale and B. Karthikeyan
Embedded Systems Division, School of Electronics Engineering, VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India;
narkhede.paragsuresh2014@vit.ac.in, riteshamar.dhawale2014@vit.ac.in, bkarthikeyan@vit.ac.in

Abstract
Objectives: This paper aims at designing a system of 5 hoppers where sum of weights is calculated for each combination of
3 of 5 hoppers. When any sum equals target weight then hoppers responsible for that sum will be drained to the packaging
system. Methods: A multi-head weigher is a weighing machine which is fast, accurate and reliable. It is used for packing
both food and nonfood products. The multihead weigher continuously feeds product into array of weigh hoppers. The
computer system determines which combination of hoppers is matching most closely to the target weight. Then these
hoppers release their contents into the packaging machine. Findings: Industrial grade microcontroller is used for the
decision purpose. The results shows the feasibility of using multihead weigher for fast and accurate packaging operations.
Applications/Improvements: The proposed technique is useful in the parallel weighing machines. It has wide applications
in the packaging systems.

Keywords: Hopper, Microcontroller, Multi-head Weigher, Packaging System

1. Introduction array of hoppers is used. Each hopper is connected with

the weight measurement sensor separately1,6. A product
A multihead weigher is a weighing machine which is fed continuously to all the hoppers in the system. The
provides fast, accurate and reliable operation1. It is used computer in the system continuously observes the weight
in the packaging industries for packaging of food as well of each hopper and calculates the sum of weights of m of
as nonfood products. In the year 1972 Ishida invented n hoppers (m < n). When the target weight is achieved
and developed the world’s first multihead weigher and by the combination of m hoppers, at that time those m
launched it into the food industry across the world2. The hoppers will release the product collected by them. The
new upgraded models of multihead weighers are suitable released product is then passing on to the packaging
for any product type including ready meals, meat, poultry, system. The product passed on for packaging has the most
fish and salads3,4. possible accurate weight compared to the target weight.
Previously a single-headed weighing machines were After releasing the product for packaging the multihead
used in the packaging industries. Those machines have weigher starts its next iteration. During this iteration,
only one load measurement sensor attached to only one (n - m) hoppers contain product collected in previous
head. The product is collected from the container into the iteration. So the time for completing this iteration is very
hopper till the target weight is met. Once target weight is less since very less weight need to be added to achieve
achieved, that hopper used to release the product to the the target. In this way the iterations goes on implying the
dispenser for packaging purpose. In this case, at a time drastic increase in the speed of operation compared to
the item is collected only in one hopper and packaging single-headed weighers. Since each hopper is connected
system has to wait for the target weight to achieve. So it with a separate weight measurement sensor accuracy
is somewhat slow process. Multihead weigher resolves becomes one of the main characteristic of the multi-head
this issue of speed. Probably multihead weigher is used in weigher system1.
the batch production process5. In multihead weigher the US Patent No. 65666137 describes a high speed control

* Author for correspondence

 Microcontroller Based Multihead Weigher

system for combinational weighing, compromising of The complete paper is organized as follows. Section
central processing unit that is connected to the weighing II describes the principle of multihead weigher. Section
peripheral modules through its low speed serial port. III deals with the hardware design of the system. Section
US Patent No. 4694920 to8 describes a control system IV is the main component of the paper that describes the
composed of at least three central processing units which Algorithm for multihead weigher. Section V describes the
are used to control the acquisition of the data from the load working of the designed system. Section VI provides the
cells, motors and vibrating feeders and the dischargers. results and Section VII concludes the paper.
This architecture increases electromagnetic interference
along with the system cost. US Patent No. 59818819
considers a single processing unit which is connected to
2. Principle of Multihead Weigher
the weighing modules by Local Area Network (LAN). Let us consider a multihead weigher system with 6
In this case a high speed LAN is the requirement of the hoppers A,B,C,D,E and F as shown in Figure 1.Target
system. But The use of high speed LAN itself increases weight is 500 gm.
the system cost. US Patent No. 683047610 deals with the
provision of simple and low cost distribution unit that B
eliminates wiring problem. US Patent No. 8076596 to11
180
describes the design of weighing cell and a holder for the gm
cell. US Patent No. 864826612 describes force measuring A C
module and a method of operation of the force measuring 200
170
device for the multiple forces measuring device (multi- gm gm

head weigher). US Patent No. 92176611 deals with the

500
correction of errors occurred during the multi-head
weighing. US Patent No. 2015005180713 describes the F gm D
method for food packaging system in order to optimize 140 130
gm gm
the products weighing. It also describes the apparatus and E
software design for the system. US Patent No US9234787
150
14
provides the method of improvement of the sanitary gm
conditions of the weigher15 provided the method of
optimization of the multi-head weighing process with
the unequal supplying to the hoppers. The algorithm Figure 1. Principle of multi-head weigher.
deals with the minimization of the difference between Here n = 6 and we are considering m is 3 i.e. all the
the target weight and the real weight and maximizing the possible of combinations of 3 of 6 hoppers are under
total priority of the chosen combination16 focus on the observation. Here 20 (6C3) combinations are possible.
configuration problem of multihead weigher considering When system starts product starts feeding to all the
the cost functions. It also presents an algorithm to select hoppers with the help of dispenser. Dispenser is nothing
the average weight for the hopper using Response Surface but a vibrator or a rotating disk which provides force
Methodology and multi-hear simulator17 describes the to the product to go into the hopper. A separate weight
method for compensation of environmental vibrations in measurement sensor is attached to all hoppers which
the load cell measurements of multi-head weigher18 used continuously measures the weight of the product in the
the Kalman filter based technique to measure the weights respective hopper and provide the measurement result to
of the object moving with known speed. US Patent No the computer. Computer monitors in parallel all the 20
919473519 proves the method of optimal initialization of possible sums.
the weighing machine. Let here consider at some instant of time, after starting
This paper describes simple architecture of the the system, the weights of the product in the hoppers
measuring hopper and an algorithm for the system A,B,C,D,E and F are 170 gm, 180 gm, 200 gm, 130 gm,
operation.

2 Vol 9 (30) | August 2016 | www.indjst.org Indian Journal of Science and Technology
 Parag Narkhede, Ritesh Dhawale and B. Karthikeyan

Load Cells Signal Conditioning

( 1 to 5 ) Circuits (1 to 5)

to
Packaging Hoppers Motor Microcontroller Display
Dispenser
( 1 to 5 ) Driver
System and
Motor

Servo Motors
( 1 to 5 )

Figure 2. Block diagram.

150 gm and 140 gm respectively. Computer continuously

monitors the sums and at an instant found that hoppers
A, C and D combine leads to the weight of 500 gm which
is the target to be achieved. Hence hoppers A, C and D are
to be drained.

3. Hardware System Design

Here we have considered a system with 5 hoppers.
Each hopper is connected with the separate load cell to
measure the weight, a separate servomotor is connected
to each opening door of the hopper. Block diagram of the
designed system is as shown in Figure 2.

3.1 Hopper
A hopper is a mechanical structure used to collect the Figure 3. Hopper Unit.
product from dispenser. The designed system consists
of five hoppers of equal dimensions and arranged in a 3.2 Load Cell
pentagonal shape. Figure 3 shows a structure of hopper Load cell is a weight measurement sensor. Beam type load
unit. A hopper consists of two parts fixed structure and cell is used in this project. A separate load cell is connected
rotating structure. Fixed structure is fixed at point E and to each hopper. An output of a load cell is a voltage signal
Rotating structure is just pivoted at point D. A servo motor of very low strength but it is in linear relationship with
is providing at the pivot point to provide the motion to the weight applied. To increase the strength of the output
the structure. The rotating structure is connected to the signal it is passed through the high gain instrumentation
load cell as shown by dotted line G. Planes denoted by B, amplifier. And then the amplified signal is applied to the
C are open planes of the structure where as others are the microcontroller unit.
closed planes.
Vibrations are provided to the dispenser to move to 3.3 Servo Motor
the product on the dispenser into the hopper. A simple Servo Motor is used because of its high torque and speedy
DC motor is used to generate the vibrations. The time response compared to other types of motors. It is used to
for vibration is controlled by the microcontroller. The rotate the outer structure. Outer part is connected to the
dispenser feed the product into the fixed structure of the servo motor at the pivot point i.e. point D.
hopper.

Vol 9 (30) | August 2016 | www.indjst.org Indian Journal of Science and Technology 3
 Microcontroller Based Multihead Weigher

4. Software Design so that product stops falling into the hoppers. Motors
connected to the hoppers responsible for achieving target
Software design is an integral part of this project. To weight are powered ‘ON’ so that the hoppers responsible
perform multi-tasking and the operations with time for achieving target are drained to the outlet line. When
constrains a real time kernel is used for software the hoppers become completely empty then motors are
implementation. Separate task is used to measure the powered ‘OFF’ flag is reset and vibrations are once again
output of load cell so that output measurement becomes started and the loop continuous.
a parallel process. The measured output values are stored
in a global variable.
The sum of the weight of each possible combination
6. Results
of 3 of 5 hoppers is calculated in separate task so that sum A prototype of the desired multihead weigher system is
calculation is also becomes a parallel process. Each sum designed and developed. A cardboard and plywood is
is monitored in the respective task for the target weight. used for mechanical construction whereas a cortex-m
When the target weight is achieved in any one task then series microcontroller programmed using real time
the motors connected to the hoppers responsible to operating system kernal is used for software design. With
achieve the weight are powered on so the product in the the help of developed system weights are measured and
hopper is released to the outlet. noticeable increase in the speed of weighing is observed
compared to the single-headed weighing system.
4.1 Algorithm
• Start vibrations
• Continuously read the weights of the hoppers in
7. Conclusion
separate tasks and store in global variables. In this paper a brief description about microcontroller
• Continuously calculate the sum of weights of each based multihead weigher system is discussed. The
possible combination of 3 of 5 hoppers in separate results also show the feasibility of using multihead
tasks and in each sum calculating task weigher for speedy weighing operations. There may be
• monitor the sum possibility of more than one combination of hoppers
• when it equals the target weight that can achieve the target weight but here only one
• raise the flag if not raised else continue from combination is considered; the performance of the system
step 3 can be increased by considering more than one such
• stop vibrations combination so that more than one outlets are possible.
• drain the resulting hoppers During the experimentation it is observed that load cell
• when the hoppers becomes empty, close the measurement are affected due to the environmental
hoppers and change the status of the flag. vibrations. Thus the performance can again be improved
by designing the filters to counter effect the vibrations on
5. Working load cell measurements.

A product is fed onto the dispenser panel. Due to

vibrations the product starts falling into the hoppers. Load 8. References
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