Linear vs Multihead Weighers: Which Weigher Do You Really Need?

Rise Automation Ltd
Nov 14
4 min read

Linear Weighers Vs Multihead Weighers. What's the difference?

Introduction

Choosing the right weighing system is an important decision in any food, packaging or manufacturing process. Whether you’re running a small production line or scaling up to high speed automation, the choice between a Linear Weigher and a Multihead Weigher will directly affect your accuracy, speed, giveaway, and overall efficiency.

Both weighers are proven, both deliver value but they’re designed for different applications. This guide breaks down the key differences to help you choose the most suitable system for your product and process.

What Is a Linear Weigher?

A Linear Weigher measures product using one or more channels feeding into weigh hoppers. Product typically flows via vibrating pans before being dosed into the hopper using coarse and fine feed. Linear weighers are straightforward, compact and ideal for operations where simplicity and consistency matter more than maximum speed.

They are a popular choice for manufacturers who want a reliable system without the higher capital expenditure of a multihead weigher. On many food and industrial lines, they provide more than enough speed and accuracy while keeping maintenance minimal.

Typical Uses & Applications

Linear weighers work well for:

Free-flowing products such as rice, grains, lentils, sugar, salts, seeds and small hardware.
Stable product types that don’t require complex combination weighing.
Medium-speed lines, especially when packaging one SKU at a time.
Operations where space is limited, thanks to their compact footprint.
Budget-sensitive projects that still require reliable accuracy.

These weighers excel in situations where product behaviour is predictable. Because they follow a single path weighing cycle, they are often the first choice for businesses looking to automate without overcomplicating their process.

Key Benefits

Simple and robust design, making operation easy for any production team.
Lower capital and running costs, helping keep investment manageable.
Easy to clean, especially useful in dry goods or allergen-control environments.
Quick to maintain with fewer components and moving parts.
Ideal for compact installations, mezzanines, or standalone load cell setups.

These advantages make linear weighers a strong and dependable solution for consistent products and moderate throughput requirements.

Considerations

Not designed for high-speed packing where hundreds of packs per minute are needed.
Less accurate than multihead systems with irregular or sticky products.
Limited flexibility when switching between products of different shapes and behaviours.

If you need speed, accuracy and the ability to handle varied products, a multihead weigher is often the better choice.

What Is a Multihead Weigher?

A Multihead Weigher uses multiple weigh heads operating simultaneously to calculate the best combination for each target weight. This method significantly improves accuracy and output speed, which is why it’s the go to solution for most modern food manufacturers.

Multiheads are designed to deliver consistent pack weights at high speed while reducing product giveaway, a major advantage for high value goods. They also handle fragile or irregular items more gently than many alternative weighing or filling systems.

Typical Uses & Applications

Multihead weighers excel with:

High-speed snack and confectionery lines where performance and consistency matter.
Frozen foods and vegetables, where shape and moisture vary.
Mixed or irregular products, including blends and ingredient mixes.
Fragile items, such as pastries, crisps or delicate coated products.
Producers with multiple SKUs, requiring quick recipe changes and flexible programming.

They are ideal for businesses focused on throughput, efficiency and minimising giveaway.

Key Benefits

Extremely high accuracy, using combination logic to hit target weights precisely.
Fast throughput, supporting high-speed lines with consistent pack output.
Reduced product giveaway, particularly important for high-cost or premium products.
Flexible product handling, suitable for mixed, sticky, irregular or delicate items.
Fast changeovers, with programmable recipes and cleaning access.

These benefits often deliver a strong return on investment, especially on busy or multi-product lines.

Considerations

Higher initial cost than a linear weigher, due to added complexity.
Larger footprint, needing appropriate walkways and access.
More components to maintain, requiring planned servicing and operator training.

For businesses prioritising accuracy, flexibility and speed, the trade-off is usually well worth it.

Quick Guide: Which Weigher Should You Choose?

Choose a Linear Weigher if:

You are handling a single consistent product with steady flow characteristics.
Your production line runs at moderate speeds.
Budget or space is limited, and simplicity is important.
Accuracy is required, but small giveaway is not a major cost factor.
You want a reliable, low-maintenance solution that is easy for operators to run.

A linear weigher is often the best entry-level or mid-range option for manufacturers working with straightforward applications.

Choose a Multihead Weigher if:

You need high-speed, high-efficiency operation.
You’re packing products where accuracy and giveaway reduction are critical.
You handle mixed, irregular or fragile items that need combination weighing.
You run multiple SKUs and need quick recipe changes.
You are planning for future growth, automation upgrades or scaling production.

A multihead weigher offers the most flexible and future-proof approach, especially for busy lines or businesses looking to increase throughput.

Why Choose RisePak?

At Rise Automation, we supply both Linear and Multihead Weighers through our RisePak machinery range. Because we’re not tied to one specific type of machine, our advice is always based on your product, your speed requirements, and your long-term production goals.

We also provide: