Raw Meat Receiving
Raw Meat is received in totes/vats or on pallets. Each unit is weighed on a scale, and by means of the RF Palm units, the temperature of the meat is sampled, along with other QC/HACCP checks. The system then generates a unique receipt number for the raw meat product, and prints a label on a portable RF printer, which includes the product details, weight and date. Other details such as kill-date, origin plant and person receiving the product are then stored in the database. The system provides aging reports for the entire raw meat inventory, and tracks which Mix-Lots consume the product. Any number of “releases” from a tote are allowed, and are tracked individually. Losses from totes are tracked by reason, for example- shrinkage.

Raw Spice Receiving
All spices are received and assigned to a lot number. A lot label is generated and attached to the spice batch. If spice premixes are made, a new premix lot label is created. Each component spice is weighed and scanned into the new premix lot. When spice mixes are used in production, the spice mix lot label is scanned. This is associated with the raw meat lot. This allows us to trace the spices in a finished product all the way back to the spice lots.

Dry Goods Receiving
Dry goods such as packing materials have to be tracked through the process as well. All dry goods receipts are received against purchase orders and assigned to dry good lots. These lots are counted or weighed and labeled upon receipt. The dry good lots are then released into production when required. At the end of a day or shift, any remaining dry goods are returned and received back into dry good inventory. Dry good lots can therefore be tracked to the final product lot they were used in.

Production Planning
The Production Planning module accepts customer orders for final products for future delivery. The customer orders are converted into mixing quantities for all ingredients, including raw meat, spice and others. The conversion to mix quantities is done through detailed formulations for each type of mix product. A bill-of-materials is calculated from product specs, and will include any number of packaging materials. The system then “splits” meat blocks into Mix-Lots according to machine capacities (base weights), and numbers each lot. Mix products that require equipment (pump) priming will automatically increase mix weights by pre-defined prime volumes. Injected products will automatically show the required pick-up weight based on specified injection percentage. Once the mix-lots are planned, preparation sheets are printed that show the planned mix-lot details, and are a complete instruction to both raw meat mixing, and spice preparation.

Mixing
The preparation sheet generated by the Production Planning module is scanned by the RF Palm, and the Palm is then loaded with the complete mix requirement, which includes spices and other ingredients such as water and ice. The operator scans the required meat tote labels for raw meat, and spice pre-mix label. All ingredients scanned into the mix-lot are validated by the system to prevent incorrect ingredients being mixed. Substitution is allowed, but only according to rules set in the product specs. All bins/vats used in the mixing process are weighed. Weights are recorded automatically by the RF Palm through the RF network, which includes the scales.

Racking
Products that are racked before cooking are packed by scanning the batch label generated after mixing. Each rack has a metal bar-code tag, which is unique. By associating the rack packed with the batch label, the racks can now be weighed prior to oven loading. Inventory reports now track the racks through each stage. The rack master file keeps track of each rack’s tare weight, and number of cycles the rack has done.

Loading (Ovens)
Racks are scanned into unique load numbers before the ovens, and are associated to the oven number. The system keeps track which racks (and associated lots) are part of each load. The system provides options to weigh during oven loading, or prior to loading at rack packing.

Rack Tracking, Pre- & Post-Cook, Post Chill & Cooler Inventory
Racks with cooked products are weighed out of the oven, and into chilling. The weight before and after cooking, provides a cook-yield. After chilling, the racks are weighed again to acquire the post-chill weight, and yield. If racks are weighed a second time after the cooling, the system will track the second cool weight and calculate a further yield loss.

Pack-Out and Palletizing
Pack-out is controlled by an in-line check-weigher, with an auto-apply labeler, or, by batch runs of product across other scales. Each case of final product is labeled with a serialized bar-code that associates that case of final product with an oven load, and the relevant mix-lot. Racks are scanned onto pack-out lines with a RF Palm, into a “queue”, which then tracks the associated mix-lot by depleting the weight in the queue with each case’s weight. Accurate track is kept of which cases belong to which pallet, allowing the Dispatch system to dispatch entire applets by scanning only one label. The system also keeps track of catch weights, and will report on give-away of fixed weight products.

Lot Tracking and Recall
Re-call could be done in either direction, forward, from a raw meat or raw spice direction, or, from a final product direction back to the raw ingredients. By using lots throughout the production process, recalls can be done quickly, and their scope may be minimized drastically.

Yield Management
Full yield reporting is available for the entire process, from the receipt of raw materials until the final product is packed and shipped. This includes the mixing, cook, cool and packing phases. Rework is also tracked and managed. Yield reporting is available by Lot or Batch as well as for each department.