Formulated Feed Packing Scale in Chile

A Specialist in Customized Animal Nutrition

This client operates in a sophisticated segment of the Chilean agribusiness sector, where feed is tailored to specific animal growth stages and production goals (e.g., milk yield, fillet quality). Their "formulated feeds" are precise recipes, meaning the physical properties of the final product change with each order.

One batch might be a 3mm high-fat salmon pellet, the next a 2mm broiler crumble, and another a coarse dairy meal mix. Their grinding, mixing, and conditioning lines were flexible by design. However, the packaging endpoint was a bottleneck of inflexibility. Purchasing multiple specialized packers was not feasible.

Therefore, acquiring a single, highly adaptable automatic bagging scale was the clear solution. This formulated feed packing scale would serve as a universal, high-precision endpoint for their multiple production streams, capable of being quickly adjusted—both in software and mechanically—to handle whatever product came down the line, thereby unlocking true production agility.

Specific Operational Demands in the Chilean Context:

• Material Type: A highly variable mix of pelleted feed (aquaculture, poultry), crumbled feed, and some meal-type (powdered) formulations. This is a direct reflection of Chile's world-leading salmon farming and robust dairy industries.
• Bag Specifications: Market requirements are diverse. They regularly pack 20kg bags for retail poultry feed, 25kg bags for standard dairy rations, and 30kg bags for bulk aquaculture farm deliveries. The scale needed to handle this 10-50kg range with quick, programmable weight changes.
• Sealing Method: For durability, especially for export-oriented aquaculture feed shipped to remote net pens, they predominantly use a sewing sealing method with UV-resistant thread. The scale needed to present a stable, neatly filled bag for this process.
• Critical Needs: Exceptional versatility in handling different particle sizes and flow characteristics. Rapid changeover capability with minimal downtime. Superior weighing accuracy across all product types to uphold nutritional guarantees and cost control. Robust construction to withstand the abrasive nature of some mineral-fortified feeds.

The Adaptive RICHI Solution: DCS-50P Versatile Packing Scale

To meet the client's need for a "one-scale-fits-all" solution, RICHI recommended the DCS-50P model. Its belt feeder system provides the ideal balance, offering gentle handling for pellets and crumbles while effectively managing meals without the segregation risks of gravity systems or the potential grinding action of screws.

Technical Specifications for the Chilean Application:

• Model Deployed: DCS-50P Automatic Packing Scale
• Optimal Application: Packing pellet feed, crumbles, and meal/powder blends—the perfect match for a formulated feed producer.
• Feed Mechanism: Variable-speed belt feeder. The belt speed and feed gate opening can be easily adjusted via the touchscreen control to optimize the flow rate for everything from fast-flowing pellets to slower, denser meals.
• Packing Speed: Achieved 6-8 bags per minute across most product types when packing 25kg bags. The speed self-optimizes based on the set material profile, ensuring efficiency without sacrificing accuracy.
• Weighing Accuracy: Consistently delivered ≤ ±0.2% dynamic accuracy regardless of the product being packed, thanks to the adaptive PLC that learns from each weighing cycle.
• Power Configuration: 1.5 + 0.55 + 0.37 kW.
• Quick-Change Features: The machine included a tool-free access panel for quick belt cleaning and a control interface with 10 programmable product memory slots. Each slot could store target weight, belt speed, and feed gate parameters for instant recall.

Addressing the Needs of an Export-Focused Industry

Implementing a formulated feed packing scale in Chile required features that support a high-standard, agile operation:

• Hygiene and Cross-Contamination Control: While not a full stainless system, the DCS-50P’s smooth, painted surfaces and easy-clean design allowed for rapid brush-down and air-blowing between different feed batches, crucial when switching from fish feed to poultry feed to avoid allergen carryover.
• Data Recording for Traceability: The intelligent controller offered simple batch counting and weight summary functions, providing basic production data that supports traceability protocols important for export documentation.
• Ruggedness for Continuous Operation: Chilean feed mills often run extended shifts to meet domestic and export demand. The heavy-duty construction and industrial components were selected for reliable, 24/5 operation.

Logistics: A Long but Efficient Supply Chain

The formulated feed packing scale was securely containerized and shipped via ocean freight from Qingdao Port, China. The primary port of entry for machinery into central Chile is Port of Valparaíso. This historic port handles the majority of containerized imports for the country's industrial heartland.

The RICHI Advantage: Intelligence and Flexibility in One Package

The client chose RICHI because we demonstrated an understanding that their key requirement was adaptability, not just raw speed or single-material precision.

• Truly Multi-Purpose Design: The DCS-50P is engineered from the outset for mixed materials. This differs from modifying a pellet scale to handle powder. The belt feeder, hopper angles, and control algorithms are designed for variability, making it a genuine multi-purpose feed packing scale.
• Self-Optimizing Control System: The PLC doesn't just execute a fixed cycle. It uses feedback from each weighment to fine-tune the cut-off points for the next bag, compensating for minor variations in material density and flowability that occur between batches of "formulated feed."
• The Accuracy Foundation: At its core, the patented three-point anti-shock suspension system ensures the weighing sensor is isolated from plant vibrations. This is critical for maintaining accuracy when the surrounding environment (conveyors, mixers) is active, and it provides a stable measurement platform regardless of what material is in the hopper.
• Support Focused on Empowerment: RICHI’s service ensured the client could fully utilize the machine's versatility:
  • We provided detailed training videos on how to create and save new product profiles in the control system.
  • A comprehensive manual included a troubleshooting guide specifically for issues related to material flow changes (e.g., bridging, flooding).
  • Remote support sessions were used to help them calibrate and save parameters for their three most common feed types (salmon pellet, dairy meal, poultry crumble).

Direct Testimonial from the Production Floor

The plant superintendent, who oversees the packaging of all product lines, provided this feedback three months after installation: "Our biggest headache was changeover. We'd lose an hour cleaning and recalibrating. This RICHI formulated feed packing scale has changed that.

We now have settings for our six main products. Switching from packing salmon feed to dairy meal takes minutes, not hours. The accuracy is consistently tight, which our finance and quality departments love. The belt system is gentle; we see less pellet breakage and dust with the crumbles. It's the flexible workhorse we needed. The training from RICHI on using the memory functions was very practical—our operators learned it quickly."

Conclusion: Unlocking Agility in Modern Feed Production

The success of the formulated feed packing scale in Chile highlights a growing need in the global feed industry: flexible automation. For producers of diverse, specialty feeds, the ability to pivot quickly between products without sacrificing accuracy or speed is a major competitive advantage.

This RICHI DCS-50P project demonstrates that a single, intelligently designed machine can be the linchpin of an agile, responsive, and profitable packaging operation, proving that specialized performance and broad versatility can indeed coexist.

Do you produce multiple types of feed with different physical properties and need one scale to handle them all efficiently? RICHI Machinery's versatile packing scales are engineered for adaptability without compromise. Contact our technical team to discuss how a single RICHI scale can streamline your multi-product formulated feed bagging operations.