A management system (1) manages a production line (2) including a processing apparatus (20) and an inspection apparatus (40). The management system (1) includes: a control unit (61) that estimates a processing time at which a defective food is processed by the processing apparatus (20) based on a time at which the defective food determined as a defective product by inspection by the inspection apparatus (40) is inspected; and a storage unit (62) that stores processing information of the processing apparatus (20) related to the processing time estimated by the control unit (61) such that the processing information can be output.

An article supplying apparatus includes a retention unit configured to retain an article, a robot hand configured to insert the article retained in the retention unit into a container, and a control unit configured to control operation of the robot hand. The robot hand has a holding portion for holding the article. The control unit executes holding control in which the article is held by the holding portion; and stand-by insertion control in which after the holding portion is temporarily disposed at a stand-by position different from a position immediately above an article insertion port in the container and set on a movement path from a start position of the holding through the holding control to the position immediately thereabove, the holding portion is moved to the position immediately thereabove, and the article is inserted into the container via the article insertion port.

A sealing structure is provided that includes a sealing member having an annular shape and elastically deformable. The sealing member is interposed between a top plate of a cabinet mounted with a vibrator and a vibrating head of the vibrator disposed in a manner that protrudes upward out of an opening of the top plate. The sealing member includes an upper coupler, an intermediate coupler continuous to the upper coupler, and a lower coupler continuous to the intermediate coupler. The upper coupler is couplable to an upper part of the vibrating head, the intermediate coupler is couplable to the top plate, and the lower coupler is couplable to a lower part of the vibrating head.

A method for processing pharmaceutical powders, which comprises providing a feeder module including a plurality of feeder units each with a storage hopper, a weighing cell, a conveyer, and a discharge end, connecting the storage hopper to a refilling system with a refilling valve, connecting the refilling valve to a level or weight indicator disposed above the refilling valve, connecting the discharge end to a common receiving container, refilling the storage hopper with a powder intermittently 40 to 80 times per hour, storing data during refilling, transporting powder from the storage hopper with the respective conveyer, and discharging powder from each feeder unit into the common receiving container. During each refilling of the storage hopper, the refilling valve dispenses powder into the storage hopper and, during the step of transporting the powder from the storage hopper, the conveyer is operated according to the data collected during previous refills.

A method for processing pharmaceutical powders, which comprises providing a feeder module including a plurality of feeder units each with a storage hopper, a weighing cell, a conveyer, and a discharge end, connecting the storage hopper to a refilling system with a refilling valve, connecting the refilling valve to a level or weight indicator disposed above the refilling valve, connecting the discharge end to a common receiving container, refilling the storage hopper with a powder intermittently 40 to 80 times per hour, storing data during refilling, transporting powder from the storage hopper with the respective conveyer, and discharging powder from each feeder unit into the common receiving container. During each refilling of the storage hopper, the refilling valve dispenses powder into the storage hopper and, during the step of transporting the powder from the storage hopper, the conveyer is operated according to the data collected during previous refills.

A conveyance apparatus (1) according to an embodiment includes: a trough (11) that receives an article from an outside and conveys the article in a conveyance direction from upstream to downstream; and a drive unit (20) that drives the trough. The trough includes a plurality of protrusions (92) on a front surface (91) on which the article is conveyed, and an opening (91A) passing from the front surface to a back surface (93) is formed at an end (92E) on a downstream side of the plurality of protrusions.

A multihead weigher with a collector for feeding, weighing and collecting solid food products with a sticky coating. The multihead weigher has a number of receptacles for weighing the solid food products and discharging the solid food product to the collector. Each receptacle having a scraper for scraping the surface of the receptacle when the solid food product is being discharged from the receptacle into the collector.

A multihead weigher with a collector for feeding, weighing and collecting solid food products with a sticky coating. The multihead weigher has a number of receptacles for weighing the solid food products and discharging the solid food product to the collector. Each receptacle having a scraper for scraping the surface of the receptacle when the solid food product is being discharged from the receptacle into the collector.

A dosing device for feeding an infusion product includes: a tower for containing loose infusion product, tubular channels for feeding and discharging the product, first containers for receiving the product from the channels; each channel actuated by an actuation device for releasing a quantity of product; a fixed platform supporting the first containers, a plurality of elements for weighing the product in the containers and supported by the platform; a control unit in communication with each actuating device and with each weighing element, to detect the value measured by each element and actuate the corresponding channel until reaching the quantity of product. Reference elements are independent of the weighing elements are associated with the platform each supporting a weight of predetermined value; each reference element is in communication with the control unit to transmit a signal equivalent to the measured value of the reference weight by the reference element.

A dosing device for feeding an infusion product includes: a tower for containing loose infusion product, tubular channels for feeding and discharging the product, first containers for receiving the product from the channels; each channel actuated by an actuation device for releasing a quantity of product; a fixed platform supporting the first containers, a plurality of elements for weighing the product in the containers and supported by the platform; a control unit in communication with each actuating device and with each weighing element, to detect the value measured by each element and actuate the corresponding channel until reaching the quantity of product. Reference elements are independent of the weighing elements are associated with the platform each supporting a weight of predetermined value; each reference element is in communication with the control unit to transmit a signal equivalent to the measured value of the reference weight by the reference element.