Weighing goods on arrival helps to ensure precise measurement of stock – whether raw ingredients, weighing in process, or finished products. Scales, indicators and software can be combined to create systems capable of integrating with inventory management systems, or warehouse management systems, to ensure real-time management of goods and inventory. Automating the process eliminates mis-counts or other human errors, ensuring accurate and consistent stock monitoring.
Overview
When paired with indicators and software, or linked with warehouse management systems, scales play an important role in managing stock and inventory control by providing accurate, real-time data on the quantities of materials and products available.
These systems can be created using a variety of different weighing solutions. For warehousing, production and retail environments, counting scales, bench scales and checkweighers provide an ideal solution, allowing operators to quickly count and/or quantify incoming and stock. Weighbridges and forklift scales can be used at site entrances to track bulk inventory, and load cells can be used on storage bins, tanks and hoppers to create sophisticated systems that track inventory levels across and range of industries.
Integrating weighing systems and software into processing lines can enable automatic, real-time updates to inventory records. As well as ensuring more accurate stock management, systems can be integrated with purchasing processes to flag when stock falls below a certain level, preventing stockouts and overstock situations.
Crucially, particularly in industries such as food and chemical, weighing systems can be used to manage first-in, first-out (FIFO) or last-in, first-out (LIFO) inventory methods by accurately tracking the weight of incoming and outgoing stock, and connecting with back office systems. In industries where raw materials must meet strict use-by criteria, these systems can reduce wastage and save money.
Regular and accurate weighing helps detect discrepancies in stock levels, which can indicate theft, spoilage, or loss. Using highly accurate weighing equipment also helps to ensure that only the right amount of a product or ingredient is used, helping to reduce waste, ensure optimal use of stock, and understocks, which can lead to downtime. Automating the process reduces time spent on manual checks, increasing productivity.
In addition to managing inventory, capturing detailed weight data enables better analysis and forecasting. This supports strategic decision-making for purchasing and production planning, as well as providing complete supply chain traceability, which is of particular importance to industries such as pharmaceuticals or food production.
Tracking small weight changes within a process line can help to provide an early warning of a potential problem before it becomes a bigger issue. This also allows small adjustments to be made sooner, reducing the likelihood of product inconsistencies and reworks, without affecting the final product.
Products for stock monitoring and inventory control
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