Challenge and Outcome: Integrated Weighing & Packing Conveyor System for Mushrooms

Wrightfield designed and delivered a fully integrated conveyor and packing system for a mushroom producer, working closely with the customer to optimise both layout and process efficiency.

The site handled fresh, organic mushrooms grown on-site, meaning product size and weight could vary significantly. This created a key challenge: accurately weighing and packing mushrooms into retail punnets while maintaining a consistent, high-throughput process.

Starting from the intake point, mushrooms arrived in crates from the growing rooms. The system was designed to support a smooth workflow from de-crating through to final packaging. Wrightfield developed a process-driven layout that combined product handling, weighing, and packing into a single cohesive system.

At the heart of the solution was a circulating slat conveyor. Empty punnets were placed onto this continuous loop, allowing operators to work efficiently at multiple stations. Each operator would take a punnet, fill and weigh it, and once the correct weight was achieved, place it onto a separate conveyor tier.

A critical requirement was ensuring consistent spacing of punnets before entering the flow wrapping stage. To achieve this, Wrightfield designed a paced conveyor system using indexed positioning. Visual markers and controlled spacing ensured that each punnet was placed correctly, preventing overlap and maintaining flow into downstream equipment.

The final stage involved integration with a chain-and-peg flow wrapper — a system that requires precise timing and positioning. To eliminate manual intervention and improve safety, Wrightfield automated this transfer process. Sensors were used to detect both the position of the punnets and the movement of the flow wrapper chain. This allowed each punnet to be released at exactly the right moment, dropping cleanly into the correct position within the wrapper.

The result was a highly efficient, operator-friendly system that handled natural product variation while maintaining accuracy, throughput, and product quality.

Beyond the technical delivery, the project also highlighted the importance of strong customer relationships — built on trust, collaboration, and a shared commitment to getting the job done right first time.