As the global pet food industry continues to expand, long-shaped pet treats such as dog food sticks, meat strips, jerky, and stick-shaped biscuits are becoming increasingly popular.
However, unlike conventional pelletized pet food, long-shaped products are irregular, prone to tangling, bridging, and sticking together. These characteristics create significant challenges during automated weighing and packaging, including unstable feeding, inaccurate weighing, product blockage, and excessive weight variation.
For pet food manufacturers looking to scale production and reduce manual labor, simply applying a conventional multihead weigher designed for granular products is often not enough.
To address these challenges, LEESOLU has developed a dedicated automated weighing and packaging solution for long-shaped pet treats, combining specialized weighing technology, anti-bridging feeding structures, intelligent discharge control, product arranging systems, and automated filling and inspection equipment.
The result is a flexible solution designed for the high-speed, high-accuracy, and continuous production of long-shaped pet food products.
Why Long-Shaped Pet Treats Are Difficult to Weigh and Package Automatically
Long-shaped pet treats have physical characteristics that make conventional weighing systems less effective.
Products such as dog food sticks and meat strips can easily:
Become tangled during feeding
Bridge across hopper openings
Stick to each other
Fall irregularly into weighing hoppers
Cause unstable weighing results
Block discharge openings
Increase machine cleaning and maintenance frequency
When a conventional multihead weigher is used without product-specific modifications, these problems can result in:
Therefore, automated packaging of long-shaped pet treats requires more than simply selecting a high-speed weighing machine. The feeding structure, hopper design, discharge logic, weighing algorithm, and downstream packaging system all need to be adapted to the characteristics of the product.
Dedicated 14-Head Multihead Weigher for Long-Shaped Pet Treats
At the heart of the LEESOLU solution is a 14-head multihead weigher specifically designed for long-shaped products.
Unlike standard multihead weighers primarily designed for granular products, this system incorporates dedicated mechanical structures and control logic to improve product flow, weighing stability, and discharge performance.
Weighing Accuracy: Up to ±0.5 g
The dedicated weighing system can achieve weighing accuracy of up to ±0.5 g under suitable production conditions.
The weighing system combines specialized hardware with product-specific software algorithms to minimize weight variation and maintain a more stable finished-product weight range.
This helps manufacturers:
Reduce product giveaway
Improve weight consistency
Reduce overweight product
Improve production yield
Minimize the risk of underweight products
V-Shaped Feeding Structure for Better Product Flow
Long-shaped products are more likely to overlap and become tangled than granular materials.
To improve product distribution, the system can be equipped with a V-shaped feeding structure or a flat-bottom structure with a flow-diverting ridge.
These structures help guide products into the weighing area in a more controlled manner.
A 70° angled collection channel with divided sections further improves product flow, helping long-shaped treats slide toward the weighing hoppers more smoothly.
The objective is simple:
Better product flow → more stable feeding → more consistent weighing
Multi-Stage Discharge to Reduce Product Bridging
One of the most common problems when weighing long-shaped pet treats is bridging at the hopper outlet.
If multiple sticks or strips become interlocked, a single large discharge action may cause products to catch on one another and remain inside the hopper.
Instead of relying on a single dump action, the LEESOLU system uses a multi-stage collection and discharge process.
The material can be released in multiple smaller stages, helping reduce:
Product entanglement
Hopper bridging
Material blockage
Manual intervention
Unplanned machine stoppages
This design is particularly useful for long, thin, irregularly shaped products.
Flexible Hopper Options for Multiple Pet Treat SKUs
Pet food manufacturers often produce multiple product specifications on the same production line.
Different products may vary in:
Length
Diameter
Shape
Density
Surface characteristics
Target weight
To support flexible production, the weighing system can use different hopper capacities, including 1.6 L and 2.5 L options.
Manufacturers can select the appropriate hopper configuration according to the characteristics of the product being processed.
Combined with dedicated weighing algorithms, this design allows manufacturers to switch between different product specifications more efficiently.
This makes the system suitable for multi-SKU pet food production where production flexibility and quick product changeovers are important.
Complete Automated Packaging Lines for Pet Treats
LEESOLU provides complete automated weighing and packaging solutions for different types of finished packaging.
The system can be configured for:
Boxed pet treats
Jarred pet treats
Pouch packaging
Premade pouch packaging
VFFS packaging
Vacuum packaging
Pillow bag packaging
Depending on the customer's product and packaging format, the dedicated multihead weigher can be integrated with different downstream packaging machines to create a complete automated production line.
Automated Box Filling Line for Long-Shaped Pet Treats
A typical automated box packaging line can consist of:
The automatic box denester separates and feeds empty boxes into the production line while synchronizing with the conveyor speed.
2. Product Arranging
A dedicated vibrating arranging system organizes irregularly positioned long-shaped treats into a more consistent orientation.
This helps improve the appearance and consistency of the finished product.
3. Automatic Filling
Sensors detect the position of the empty box.
A pneumatic pushing mechanism moves the box into the filling station, where the control system sends the discharge signal.
The long-shaped treats are then transferred through a two-stage vibrating arrangement system before entering the box.
4. Automatic Sealing
After filling, the boxes are transported through the sealing section for automatic lid placement, pressing, and film sealing before being discharged as finished products.
This process reduces manual handling during weighing, arranging, filling, and sealing.
Automated Jar Filling Line for Long-Shaped Pet Treats
For pet treats packaged in transparent plastic jars or similar containers, LEESOLU can provide a dedicated automated jar filling solution.
The long-shaped treats are accurately weighed by the dedicated multihead weigher and discharged into empty jars.
Automatic Jar Accumulation
A rotary collection table provides temporary product accumulation and helps maintain a continuous flow between filling and capping.
Automatic Capping
A rotary automatic capping machine organizes caps, feeds them onto the jars, and tightens them automatically.
This helps protect the product from moisture and prevents product leakage during transportation.
Automatic Labeling
A vertical labeling machine applies labels to the jars automatically, creating a consistent finished-product appearance.
Final Quality Inspection
At the end of the line, an integrated checkweigher and metal detector can inspect finished containers.
Underweight products and products containing unwanted metal contaminants can be automatically rejected before entering the final packaging or shipping process.
What Types of Pet Treats Can Be Processed?
The LEESOLU long-shaped pet food weighing and packaging system is designed for a wide range of elongated pet food products.
Typical applications include:
Dog Treats
Dog food sticks
Meat sticks
Meat strips
Jerky
Stick-shaped biscuits
Long-shaped training treats
Cat Treats
Cat snack sticks
Meat strips
Long-shaped cat treats
Other elongated cat food products
The system is particularly suitable for pet food manufacturers producing multiple SKUs at medium- to large-scale production volumes.
It can also be supplied as an independent weighing system for integration with an existing packaging line, or as a complete automated solution covering:
Common Production Challenges and LEESOLU's Solutions
1. Long Products Become Tangled and Cause Feeding Blockages
Challenge: Long-shaped products can easily hook onto each other, bridge across hopper openings, and cause frequent blockages.
Solution: The system combines a V-shaped feeding structure, 70° divided collection channels, and multi-stage hopper discharge to improve material flow and reduce the possibility of product bridging.
2. Different Product Sizes Require Frequent Adjustments
Challenge: A pet food manufacturer may need to process different sizes and shapes of treats on the same production line.
Solution: The system supports 1.6 L and 2.5 L hopper configurations, combined with dedicated weighing algorithms for long-shaped products.
This allows manufacturers to adapt the weighing system to different product specifications with parameter adjustments and corresponding hopper changes.
3. Weight Variation Leads to Product Giveaway
Challenge: Unstable feeding can cause overweight or underweight products, increasing raw material consumption and potentially creating quality-control issues.
Solution: The dedicated 14-head multihead weigher combines specialized mechanical structures and software algorithms to achieve weighing accuracy of up to ±0.5 g under suitable production conditions.
A downstream checkweigher can provide an additional inspection stage to automatically remove products outside the required weight range.
Challenge: Long-shaped treats can enter boxes or jars in random orientations, resulting in inconsistent product presentation.
Solution: A dedicated vibratory product arranging system organizes the products before filling, improving orientation consistency and the overall appearance of the finished package.
Why Choose a Dedicated Weighing Solution for Long-Shaped Pet Treats?
For pet food manufacturers, automation is not simply about increasing machine speed.
The real objective is to achieve a balance between:
A weighing and packaging system designed specifically for long-shaped products can help manufacturers reduce manual intervention and improve the stability of continuous production.
With dedicated feeding structures, multi-stage discharge, flexible hopper configurations, product arranging technology, and integrated inspection equipment, LEESOLU provides a complete approach to the challenges associated with elongated pet food products.
A Flexible Automation Solution for Scalable Pet Food Production
As the pet food market continues to develop, manufacturers are producing more differentiated products and more SKUs to meet changing consumer preferences.
Long-shaped treats are one example of a product category where traditional granular-food packaging technology may not deliver the required performance.
LEESOLU's long-shaped pet treat weighing and packaging system is designed around the actual characteristics of these products rather than simply adapting a conventional granular-product solution.
From specialized weighing structures and anti-bridging discharge technology to product arranging, automated filling, sealing, checkweighing, and metal detection, the system provides a complete automation solution for manufacturers looking to scale production.
Whether you need a standalone multihead weigher for integration with an existing line or a complete automated pet treat packaging line, LEESOLU can configure the system according to your product characteristics, target weight, packaging format, production capacity, and SKU requirements.
Looking for an automated weighing and packaging solution for long-shaped dog treats, meat sticks, or other pet snacks? Contact LEESOLU to discuss your product and production requirements.
FAQ: Long-Shaped Pet Treat Weighing & Packaging
Can a standard multihead weigher handle long-shaped pet treats?
Standard multihead weighers can process some elongated products, but products that are long, irregular, sticky, or prone to tangling may require dedicated feeding and discharge structures to achieve stable performance.
What weighing accuracy can the LEESOLU system achieve?
The dedicated 14-head multihead weigher can achieve up to ±0.5 g weighing accuracy under suitable production conditions. Actual performance depends on factors such as product characteristics, target weight, product density, and production environment.
Can the system handle different pet treat sizes?
Yes. The system can be configured with different hopper capacities, including 1.6 L and 2.5 L options, to accommodate different product specifications.
Can the weighing machine be connected to existing packaging equipment?
Yes. The weighing system can operate as an independent weighing unit and can be integrated with existing packaging machines or supplied as part of a complete automated packaging line.
What packaging formats are available?
Depending on the product and packaging requirements, the system can be integrated with box filling, jar filling, VFFS, premade pouch, vacuum packaging, and pillow packaging systems.
Can the line inspect finished products?
Yes. A checkweigher and metal detector can be integrated into the downstream section to inspect finished products and automatically reject products that do not meet specified requirements.
Automated mesh bagging extends produce shelf life by providing vital airflow. Upgrading your line slashes labor costs, stops product giveaway, and maximizes daily output.
Dust-controlled powder fillers use vacuum extraction and servo-driven augers to package fine materials. These automated systems prevent waste, ensure safety, and maximize ROI.
Horizontal packaging machines use lateral movement to safely package solids, powders, and liquids. These systems ensure leak-proof seals, cut labor costs, and maximize your ROI.
It is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the R&D, design, and independent manufacturing of packaging, conveying, weight detection, weighing, and filling equipment.
