Tobacco

Scales and weighing systems tobacco manufacturing.

The manufacturing of tobacco involves a series of steps, each of which is important to producing a high-quality final product. From the careful planting, cultivating, and harvesting of leaves; curing and drying; grading; processing and ageing; and conditioning and manufacturing into cigarettes.

To achieve maximum profitability, tobacco manufacturers need to operate as efficiently as possible. Weighing scales and systems from Avery Weigh-Tronix can help tobacco companies improve efficiency by measuring incoming lamina, stems, and other raw materials, monitoring each stage of the primary and secondary manufacturing processes, and weighing outgoing waste.

As with any agricultural process, growing tobacco must be carefully managed to maximize crop yield. Using accurate weighing equipment, such as floor and bench scales, in any farming operation can improve yield, from preventing over- or under-use of crop fertilizers, to measuring yield, managing inventory, or negotiating onward sales by weight.

Once harvested, tobacco is usually stored and cured by air, fire, or flue. Once cured and graded, tobacco is then put into packages and weighed for onward distribution. Depending on the size of the package, producers may use floor or deck scales for larger bundles or bench scales and checkweighers for weighing smaller volumes. If transported by truck load, truck scales can ensure optimal loading of vehicles.

Once the tobacco arrives at the manufacturing plant, it is often stored temporarily in hoppers. By adding load cells and indicators to hoppers, tobacco manufacturers can manage and monitor inventory. Weighing equipment can also be used to manage processes, such as delivering the right amount of tobacco to a processing line of cigarette papers or weighing finished goods on a conveyor.

Cigarettes are usually packaged into individual packs, packs into cartons and cartons into cases. Using weighing equipment can help to manage this process, ensuring that packages meet the desired weights, and that manufacturing companies pay the correct amounts for onward shipping.