Tunacheck®: Cornerstone For Data-Driven Packaging Control

– Sponsored content – In canned tuna processing, keeping the fill weight as close to the target as possible without overfilling is critical for profitability and compliance. Tunacheck® from Hermasa offers a solution focused on the closed-loop connection between the baler and the checkweigher for self-adjustment on the machine. The result is a more stable, traceable, and efficient operation.

The heart of Tunacheck® is the connection between the Smart Tunipack® filling machine and the VARPE V2000 dynamic checkweigher. Each weighing feeds a read → decision → action cycle: cans are grouped, the average and dispersion are calculated, and the system orders a correction of the filling machine’s feed to maintain the actual average at the target filling weight. This loop, calibrated to respond smoothly and stably, compensates for variations in raw materials, formats, and cadences without human intervention. In practice, the Gaussian distribution chart centers on the target, reducing overfilling and waste (see figure 1).

TUNAVIEW Canning: Visibility And Informed Action

HERMASA has another tool, Tunaview® Canning, which complements Tunacheck®, among other products. Tunaview® centralizes production and efficiency data, displaying comprehensive dashboards on the overall performance of the cannery. This platform includes, among other parameters, specific Tunacheck® monitoring: supervision of the loop status (on/off), latest corrections, key parameters, and key performance indicators (KPIs) such as percentage of time in closed loop, avoided overfilling, and average response time. The system generates automatic reports (daily, weekly, or monthly) and critical alerts to facilitate quick, data-driven decisions. In addition, the support team can act remotely: turn the loop on/off, adjust settings, and diagnose suboptimal behavior, after which specific recommendations can be made to stabilize the line.

When TunaCheck® and Tunaview® are combined and applied, “each weighing becomes a process decision: measuring, deciding, and acting independently of the human factor. This results in less overfilling and greater rejection control with traceable evidence in the human-machine interface (HMI),” said Borja Boyano, Sales Engineer at Hermasa.

  Tunacheck® architecture diagram with V2000 and HMI

Industrial Integration: Standards And Technical Architecture

Tunacheck® ensures security, interoperability, and scalability in industrial environments. The system is based on the integration standards OPC UA as the backbone of secure and scalable communication, RAMI 4.0 as a conceptual framework, and MQTT/Modbus/OPC UA for reliable telemetry. The back-end processes real-time streams based on historical databases, while the front-end provides a dashboard that can be used from any authorized computer. This increases the operational and quality impact on the canned tuna processing by:

• Reduction of overfilling by maintaining the average target with less variation
• Greater control of rejections and documented reasons.
• Traceability and compliance: recording of limits, events, and adjustments.
• Expert support: proactive analyses and periodic savings estimates.

 Tunacheck® Quick Facts

• Automatic feed adjustment (mm/cycle) → grams per can aligned with the target.
• KPIs in HMI: overfilling (g +/–), rejects, and reasons.
• Configurable correction limits (% and mm), traceable warnings and alarms.
• Compatibility: Tunipack® 300/500/GF (DC and Smart).

Figure 1 – Histogram of weights: comparison of active (green) versus inactive loop (grey)