10–20kg Pasta, Rice & Salt Automatic Packing Machine — Buyer’s Guide

For food producers who need consistent, hygienic, and high-throughput bagging, a 10–20 kg automatic packing line is the sweet spot. Below is a practical guide covering how the system works, core specs, performance ranges, and the options you’ll want for pasta, rice, and salt.

What this machine is built to do

• Target pack weights: 10–20 kg (net-weighing)

• Products: short-cut pasta (penne, fusilli, macaroni), long-grain/medium-grain rice, coarse or refined salt (granular)

• Bag types: PP woven sacks, laminated paper with PE liner, PE heavy-duty bags

• End-of-line: sewing (tape over seam) or continuous heat sealing; optional metal detection and checkweighing

Looking for a complete bagging line or customization? See HMD Packaging Machine for layouts, options, and quotes.

Typical performance (what you can realistically expect)

• Speed: 8–18 bags/min (product- and bag-dependent)

  • Pasta (flowing but fragile): 8–12 bags/min

  • Rice (free-flowing): 12–18 bags/min

  • Salt (free-flowing, hygroscopic): 10–16 bags/min

• Weighing accuracy: ±0.2–0.5 % of net weight when calibrated and under stable flow

• Throughput example: 12 bags/min × 10 kg = 7.2 t/hour

• Uptime target: ≥95 % with planned maintenance and dust control

Core modules & how they work

1. Feeding & dosing

   • Rice/Salt: gravity or belt feeder with twin-stage coarse/fine gates for fast approach and precise top-off.

   • Pasta: vibratory or belt feeding to protect shapes; product-to-metal contact angles optimized to reduce breakage.

2. Net weigher

   • 25–60 L weigh hoppers sized for 10–20 kg fills.

   • Load cells (IP65/67) with auto-tare and drift compensation; recipe memory for each SKU.

3. Bag presentation & fill

   • Pneumatic bag clamps; dust hood with extraction port (2–4 kPa).

   • Anti-bridging agitators for salt and some rice blends.

4. Sealing & discharge

   • Sewing head with crepe tape for PP woven; heat sealer for PE-lined or PE bags.

   • Take-away conveyor to checkweigher and metal detector (optional), then to palletizer.

5. Controls & logging

   • PLC + 7–10″ HMI; recipe selection, batch counts, and reject statistics.

   • OIML-compliant weight logging ready for audits.

Food-grade design details that matter

• Contact parts: SS304 standard, SS316 available for salt corrosion protection.

• Cleanability: tool-less hopper access, radius corners, removable belts/pans.

• Static & moisture: ionization or anti-static liners for salt; conditioned air recommended < 60 % RH.

• Safety & compliance: CE guarding, interlocks, e-stops; food-contact materials compliant with FDA/EU norms.

Utility requirements (typical)

• Power: 220/380 V, 50/60 Hz, 2–4 kW (line total depends on conveyors/sealers).

• Air: 0.6–0.8 MPa, ≥200 L/min clean, dry air.

• Dust extraction: 500–1000 m³/h at hood, depending on product and chute design.

Options you’ll likely want for each product

• Pasta: low-drop chutes; belt/vibratory feeders; shape-friendly transitions to minimize breakage claims.

• Rice: magnet + metal detector; liner inflation to improve bag shaping; high-speed checkweigher.

• Salt: SS316 contact parts; enhanced sealing with PE liners; de-humidified enclosure or hopper heaters.

ROI snapshot (example)

• Manual line: 4 operators @ $18/h → $72/h labor.

• Automated line: 1 operator + QA @ $36/h → $36/h saved.

• At 7.2 t/h throughput (10 kg @ 12 bags/min) and a modest $0.02/kg rework loss reduction, process savings add $144/h.

• Combined, that’s ~$180/h potential benefit; over 2 shifts × 250 days ≈ $720k/year—often enough to amortize a mid-range line within 12–18 months (assumes stable demand and uptime).

Quality & weight control

• Fine-gate top-off for tight targets and fewer underweight rejects.

• Dynamic auto-tuning adapts to product density changes (e.g., seasonal rice).

• Integrated checkweigher with feedback loop keeps giveaway low without risking underfills.

Installation & changeover

• Footprint: 5–8 m line length depending on conveyors and sealing choice.

• Changeover: 10–20 min between 10 kg and 20 kg recipes; spare bag clamp sets recommended.

• Training: operators learn recipe setup, cleaning SOPs, and first-line maintenance in 1–2 days.

Common questions

Can one line do pasta, rice, and salt?
Yes—choose feeder and contact materials smartly (belt/vibratory for pasta, gravity for rice/salt; SS316 for salt). You’ll switch recipes and, if needed, swap chutes/clamps.

Heat-seal or sew?
PP woven often uses sewing; laminated/PE bags prefer heat sealing for shelf appeal and moisture control.

Do I need a metal detector?
For retail and export specs, yes—ideally post-fill, before palletizing.

Next step

Map your bag size, daily tonnage, and hygiene requirements to a tailored layout. Share your specs or request a demo via HMD Packaging Machine.