1、 Pre preparation stage: Set parameters and ensure raw materials for the ingredient process

This stage is the foundation of ingredient accuracy and efficiency, with the core being the completion of "formula preset" and "raw material supply preparation" to avoid interruptions in subsequent processes due to parameter errors or insufficient raw materials.

Formula parameter input and storage

The operator inputs the formula parameters of the target ingredient through the touch screen or upper computer software of the system control cabinet

Clearly identify the types of materials (such as cement, sand, and stone in concrete, flour, sugar, and additives in food);

Set the "target weight/volume" for each material (such as 50kg cement, 100kg sand, or 5g food additive);

Pre set batching sequence (e.g. concrete needs to be weighed as aggregate first, then as cement to avoid fine powder adhering to the aggregate and affecting the measurement) and mixing time (e.g. mixing for 120 seconds until uniform).

The system will automatically store formulas (which can save dozens to hundreds of types and support one click calling), and some industries (such as pharmaceuticals and food) also require entering material batch numbers for easy traceability in the future.

Raw material storage and status inspection

Raw materials are transported by conveyor belts or manually replenished and enter the "raw material storage units" of the system (such as concrete aggregate bins and food storage tanks):

Level monitoring: The level sensors (capacitive, ultrasonic) in the warehouse provide real-time feedback on the remaining amount of raw materials. If the level falls below the "minimum level threshold" (such as 20% of the warehouse capacity), the system will automatically sound an alarm and remind to replenish the material;

Preprocessing (as needed): For raw materials that are prone to clumping and moisture absorption (such as flour and chemical powders), the silo will activate auxiliary devices such as vibrators to break clumps and heating devices to control humidity, ensuring that the raw material is in a suitable state for transportation (avoiding blockages in the conveying channel).

2、 Core ingredient stage: "Accurate measurement+orderly conveying" to achieve automated proportioning

This stage is the core of the system, which ensures that the actual usage of each material is consistent with the set value through the cycle of "conveying measuring feedback adjustment". It is divided into two steps: "separate material measurement" and "summary conveying".

Material distribution and measurement: Accurately take materials according to the formula

The system independently measures each material according to the preset formula, and the mainstream measurement method is "weight based" or "volume based" (depending on industry precision requirements):

Weight based measurement (high-precision scenarios such as medicine and concrete):

The material falls from the silo into the dedicated "weighing hopper", and the feeders at the bottom of the silo (vibrating feeder, spiral feeder) first "coarse feed" (quickly conveying to 90% -95% of the target weight, reducing time consumption); When the weighing sensor detects that the weight of the material is close to the target value, the feeder switches to "precision feeding" (reducing the speed or feeding amount) and slowly replenishes the material to the target weight; If there is an "overshoot" (such as the actual weight exceeding the target value by 0.5%), the system will automatically open the "discharge valve" to discharge excess material (some high-precision systems support micro suction), ensuring that the measurement error is controlled within ± 0.1% - ± 0.5%.

Volumetric metering (low precision, high-efficiency scenarios such as feed and building materials):

Materials are collected through a "volumetric hopper" or "quantitative conveyor" (such as a screw conveyor with speed control) according to preset "volume parameters" (converted based on the material's bulk density). For example, the screw conveyor speed is set to 100r/min for 10 seconds to ensure that the volume of material transported each time is equal to the theoretical value, without the need for weighing feedback. The efficiency is 20% -30% higher than that of a weight based conveyor.

Summary transportation: Feed materials in sequence to the mixing unit

After the measurement of a single material is completed, the system opens the discharge valve of the weighing hopper/volumetric hopper, and sends the material into the "mixing host" (such as concrete mixing tank, food mixer) in the preset order through a sealed pipeline or conveyor belt:

Sequential control: For example, when mixing concrete, first send aggregates such as sand and stone, then send fine powders such as cement and fly ash, and finally send additives to avoid fine powders adhering to the inner wall of the conveying pipeline and reduce residue;

Anti blockage guarantee: If a "blockage sensor" (such as a pressure type) is installed in the conveying channel, once material blockage is detected (such as a sudden increase in pressure in the pipeline), the system will pause feeding and activate the blowback device (compressed air) or vibrator to clear the blockage, avoiding equipment overload damage.

3、 Post processing stage: "Mixing evenly+data recording+equipment cleaning", completing the closed-loop process

This stage is the end of the ingredient process, with the core being to ensure that the quality of the finished ingredients meets the standards and provide support for subsequent production and traceability.

Mixing and stirring: ensuring the uniformity of materials

After all materials enter the mixing host, the system starts mixing according to the preset time (such as concrete mixing for 180 seconds, food powder mixing for 60 seconds):

Real time monitoring: Some systems are equipped with "uniformity sensors" (such as near-infrared sensors). If the material does not meet the uniformity standard (such as a high concentration of fine powder in a certain area), the mixing time will be automatically extended;

Overload protection: If the load is too large during the mixing process (such as material clumping causing increased resistance), the motor overload protector will trigger a shutdown to avoid motor burnout, and the system will alarm to prompt troubleshooting.

Finished product discharge and subsequent connection

After the mixing is completed, the discharge door of the mixing host is opened, and the finished product is transported to the downstream link through a conveyor belt or pipeline:

Directly connecting to the production line: for example, the food ingredient system sends the mixed raw materials into the molding machine, and the concrete system sends the mixture into the concrete tanker truck;

Temporary storage for backup: If the downstream link is not ready yet, the finished product can enter the "finished product temporary storage warehouse", and the level sensor in the warehouse will provide feedback on the stock to avoid overflow.

Data traceability and equipment cleaning

Data recording: The system automatically generates an "ingredient report", which records information such as the time, operator, material type/dosage/batch number, mixing time, measurement error, etc. of this ingredient. The data can be exported (in Excel format) or uploaded to the enterprise ERP system to meet the compliance traceability requirements of the pharmaceutical and food industries (such as GMP and food safety standards);

Equipment cleaning: For scenarios where residual materials are prone to occur (such as food and medicine), the system will initiate an "automatic cleaning program" - such as blowing the conveying pipeline with compressed air or rinsing the inner wall of the mixing host with clean water (or specialized cleaning agents) to avoid cross contamination of different batches of materials (after cleaning is completed, the system will record the cleaning time and method and include them in the traceability data).

summary

The workflow of an automatic batching system is essentially an automated cycle of "parameter driven equipment execution feedback adjustment data closed-loop": in the early stage, human errors are avoided through precise parameter settings, in the middle stage, measurement accuracy is guaranteed through "coarse and fine feeding+real-time monitoring", and in the later stage, quality and compliance are ensured through data recording and equipment cleaning. Compared to manual batching, this process can reduce errors by more than 80%, improve efficiency by 50% -100%, and adapt to the batching needs of multiple varieties and batches.

If your automatic ingredient requirements involve specific industries (such as food additive ingredients, chemical additive ratios), do you need me to help you sort out industry-specific process optimization suggestions?