Each Nova Weigh customer has different requirements and different reasons for choosing us. Just a few of our customers' requirements are described here, ranging from the automation of the dispensing of toothpaste flavourings to the design of platform scales to be used in the dark. The common strand is getting the right solution for each user - the problems differ and so must the solutions. The fact that many world-quality manufacturers have selected Nova Weigh to satisfy critical weighing needs (and keep returning for new requirements) demonstrates a confidence that has been hard-earned and is highly valued.

UNILEVER

Van den Bergh Foods, a member of the Unilever Group, is Europe's premier producer of margarines and related products, with a number of market-leading brands for domestic and catering customers.

Individual margarines acquire their unique flavours and spreading qualities through the precise blending of different edible oils, followed by carefully controlled processing.

Van den Bergh Foods selected Nova Weigh Loadmounts and instrumentation for several key European plants, including a new oil refinery where multiple systems control the critical blending processes. Further downstream, more Nova Weigh systems are used at the final mixing stage.

High resolution weighing and the ability to integrate with plant-wide Distributed Control Systems ensure accurate dosing and blending.

Nova Weigh applications at Glaxo sites include high precision scales, mobile weighing units, and vessel weighing systems incorporating automatic dosing.

One example is the system for dispensing the solvents used to prepare coatings for the internationally successful ulcer treatment, Zantac.

Nova Weigh's design staff and the client's project team, chose the LoadMount system to simplify installation and meet demanding accuracy and hygiene criteria, including process validation needs.

The weighing systems and the operator terminals were specified as intrinsically safe. Nova Weigh engineers designed the software to select the solvents, input the required weight and control the dosing process. Automatic cut-off with self-teaching in-flight compensation ensured accurate batch weights.

CUSSONS

High quality toiletries manufactured by Cussons (UK) Limited depend upon accurately formulated fragrances.

The creation of attractive and consistent fragrances requires the precise weighing of ingredients according to master recipes.

Nova Weigh provided a system which integrated five dispensing stations, each station with one or more weigh scales. Because of the flammable nature of the materials being handled, the weigh scales and the associated operator terminals had to be intrinsically safe and suitable for use in hazardous areas. The Nova Weigh system incorporated several networked computers with report printers.

The system accommodated a number of user modes, including compounding, drum filling and stock checking.

DULUX PAINTS

ICI, through brand names such as DULUX, is one of the world's major manufacturers of industrial and domestic paints and coatings.

To satisfy international demand, ICI has made strategic investments in many established and developing markets, including Pacific Rim countries.

Nova Weigh was delighted to be selected for many critical weighing applications, including mixing vessels and platform scales.

Paint manufacture requires very accurate dosing of additives into the mix to maintain quality and colour consistency. This demands extremely high resolutions both of the weighing systems and the communication links to the ICI process-control computers

SMITHKLINE BEECHAM

Toothpastes, like Macleans and Aquafresh, include blends of essential oils which provide the important flavour elements of the product.

Smithkline Beecham needed to update their system from a largely manual process to one which provided higher degrees of automation and batch recording.

Nova Weigh's solution was a customised version of the ''Formulate" software product. This provided two weighing stations, one for liquids and one for powder/granular components.

Local stations prompted the operator to assemble and weigh the correct quantities of each ingredient. A supervisor station enabled the creation of job-lists and collected batch data for reporting and analysis.

KODAK

Few brands can match Kodak's international recognition and association with high quality products.

Nova Weigh's involvement in the manufacturing process covers a number of stages. In the emulsion manufacturing area Nova Weigh equipment provides important measurement data. This includes the addition of ingredients to the finishing vessel - a critical step which determines the performance and 'speed' of the finished film.

A novel requiremnt in this industry is weigh scales which can be operated with ease in the dark. This set a particular challenge for the Nova Weigh engineers and it took careful discussion with the Kodak staff to get the right design.