Batching Instrumentation with Traceability and Validation

Sterling Systems & Controls, Inc. is pleased to announce batching instrumentation with traceability and validation, lot tracking, or ingredient material traceability, is available with all of its batching process control systems and, like all other aspects of the Sterling Systems & Controls offering, can be customized to meet the needs of the customer. Material Traceability and Batch Validation can be instrumented on all semi-automatic hand-add, kitchen-type systems or automatic batching control systems.

Background

Material batching instrumentation with traceability and validation, lot tracking and traceability is a requirement in many industries, particularly in the food industry where there are large commercial sale for human consumption, and in the animal Feed and Petfood industries where chickens, cattle, hogs, horses, dogs, cats etc. are mass fed or the Feed/Petfood is commercially sold. Many production facilities may get audited every few months, and in the animal feed industry the feed mill is required to present documentation or reports to the FDA showing their instrumented lot tracking and material traceability. These reports come from the Sterling Systems & Controls Feed Mill, Food or Petfood batching control system when instrumented and equipped.

What Can We Do?

Sterling Systems & Controls customized batching instrumentation and control systems can include as little or as much tracking and traceability as the customer wants to implement.  It will depend on the customer’s ability to fund and implement the tracking system. Several inventory strategies are available.  FIFO is the most common. Operators will be required to enter a valid lot number before the system will proceed. This data entry can be done by scanning a barcode, manual data entry and by RFID. The Batching Control System will include an Ingredient Lot Table. This contains records for each unique lot number of each ingredient.  New records are added to this table when the ingredient is received.

Figure 1: Lot Table of Ingredients

Sterling Systems & Controls, Inc. has 50+ years of experience providing efficient solutions for process equipment, batching, micro, minor and bulk weighing, bag unloading systems, as well as plant automation. Sterling’s designs utilize the latest technology to provide specialized data management, raw material management, along with production data tracking. Sterling’s systems can optionally be interfaced by remote users using our unique WebCentral™ supervisory control application.  For more information, contact Sterling Systems & Controls today!