Meat price labels matched to scale records
A meat price label can be readable and mathematically consistent while belonging to the preceding pack. Detect a mismatch even when arithmetic is valid.
Line solution
Test this on your samplesWeigh price label verification for meat and poultry trays
// Short answer
Weigh price label verification is a check, after the weigh price labeller, that every meat or poultry tray carries a label, that the label names the product actually in the tray, and that the barcode and date are readable and agree with the labeller’s data. addaScan builds it on a HIKROBOT code reader and camera with a tray reject. An indicative installed budget for a typical application is R 160 000 – R 740 000 excluding VAT, depending on whether the product itself is imaged.
// At a glance
The station in three lines
- Faults caught
- Missing or skewed labels, wrong product name, unreadable barcode, missing or wrong date
- Configuration
- HIKROBOT code reader plus a vision sensor or colour camera over the tray, tray reject with confirmation
- Line link
- Recipe and label data from the labeller or PLC; result over PROFINET or EtherNet/IP where the chosen HIKROBOT device lists it
// Fit & limits
What this station will not do, and what it needs
What it will not do
- Mass and price: it does not weigh; the printed mass comes from the labeller’s scale, which is verified on its own.
- Brine and marinade content: it checks that the label name matches the product selected, not how much solution was added.
- Barcode grade: it reads the barcode and checks its content; it does not grade print quality as a verifier does.
- Hidden labels and fogged film: labels on the tray base and product seen through fogged film are not checked reliably.
What makes it work
- Label data: the labeller can pass its product number and label content per tray, or the PLC can.
- Samples: good trays and trays with each wrong label, missing date and smudged barcode you want caught.
- Spaced trays: one tray at a time under the reader, with a gap the pusher can use.
- A recipe per product: reference label text and, for the image check, reference images per product.
// On South African lines
Labelling meat and poultry trays in South Africa
Chicken is the largest fresh meat line in South Africa: the South African Poultry Association puts broiler production at 1 418 766 tonnes dressed weight in 2024 (SAPA, 2024). Fresh portions for retail are packed in trays and labelled one by one on a weigh price labeller, which weighs the tray and prints a label with the product name, mass, price, date and a barcode the till reads. On poultry packaging lines the same labeller often runs plain, brined and marinated products one after the other, with a change of label recipe each time.
The rules are about what the label says. The amended poultry meat regulations require the product name to include a true description of any added formulated solution, for example “chicken with brine” (DAFF, 2015). The regulations for raw processed meat products require containers to be clearly and legibly marked, including a date marking or batch code for traceability (R2410, 2022), and R146 sets how a date is shown: preceded by “best before”, “use by” or “sell by”, in day-month-year order (R146). A National Consumer Commission recall notice describes a food product packed into the packaging of a different variant, with allergens not declared (NCC, 2024). The rules set the outcome, not the method; a camera is one way to check the label on every tray rather than on samples.
The station checks the label, not the meat or the scale. Mass comes from the labeller’s scale, and the brine content of a product is a recipe and laboratory matter.
Before setting the expected date in the labeller or inspection recipe, read best before vs use by in South Africa. The guide separates the date statement approved by the quality team from the printed text the camera compares on each tray.
What the packing line reports, and what the station checks
| What the line reports | What a station checks | Where it stops |
|---|---|---|
| “Trays going out with no label, or the label folded over the edge” | A label is present on the top of every tray, in the expected area and not folded or skewed past the tray edge. | A label on the underside of the tray, or one hidden by a film fold, is not seen from above. |
| “Wrong label after a product changeover” | The product name on the label is read by OCR and compared with the product for this run; the product number in the barcode is compared as well. | If the wrong product is selected on the labeller and the station takes its recipe from the labeller, both agree; the product image check is the independent check. |
| “The store says the barcode won’t scan” | The label barcode is read on every tray and its content compared with what the labeller sent for that tray. | Reading a barcode is not grading its print quality; a verifier does that. |
| “The date is faint or missing” | The use-by date is present, readable, and equal to the date the recipe expects for today’s packing. | The shelf life in the recipe is set by your quality team; the station only checks the printed date against it. |
| “Marinated and plain portions mixed up in one run” | A colour image of the product through the film is compared with the reference images for the label in use. | Products that look alike through the film, or fogged film, cannot be told apart reliably; this is tested on samples first. |
// The complete solution
Weigh price label verification station: hardware, software and installation
The trays leave the labeller one by one. A code reader reads the label barcode and a camera reads the label text and, in the fuller station, images the product. The result is compared with the labeller’s data for that tray, and a failed tray is pushed off before it reaches the crate or the case packer.
[Schematic]Plan view, not to scale
Swipe sideways to see the whole drawing →
[1]: A photoelectric sensor tells the reader and camera a tray has arrived.
[2]: Reads the label barcode on every tray.
[3]: Reads the product name and date; in the fuller station also images the product.
[4]: Pushes failed trays off the line.
[5]: Confirms the failed tray left the line.
Hardware
| Component | HIKROBOT example | Role in this station |
|---|---|---|
| Code reader | HIKROBOT ID2000 code reader MV-ID2016M-06S-WBN (low); ID5000X code reader MV-ID5050XM with deep-learning decoding, which lists GS1-128 among its codes (high) | Reads the label barcode on every tray |
| Label camera | HIKROBOT SC3000 colour vision sensor MV-SC3016C with OCR and character comparison (low); MV-CS200-10GC 20 MP colour area scan camera with an MVL-HF2524M-10MP lens (high) | Reads the product name and date; the colour camera also images the product |
| Processing (high) | HIKROBOT VC3000 vision controller (MV-VC3302P) running HIKROBOT VisionMaster | Compares label text, barcode content and product image with the labeller data |
| Lighting | HIKROBOT ring light MV-LRSS-H-80-W (low); HIKROBOT MV-LGSS dome light, supplied by addaScan (high) | Even light on the label and through the shiny tray film |
| Trigger | HIKROBOT MV-PE photoelectric sensor, or the labeller’s outfeed sensor | Fires the reader and camera once per tray |
| Enclosure | Low: reader and vision sensor on washdown brackets, out of direct spray. High: ID5000X rated IP67 with the lens cap fitted; Not HIKROBOT: IP67 housing for the area camera, stainless mounts | Protects the devices in a wet, cold packing hall |
| Reject | Not HIKROBOT: tray pusher with a confirmation sensor (high); low case signals the existing reject or stops the outfeed | Removes failed trays |
| Labeller data link | Local supply: interface from the weigh price labeller, agreed with the labeller vendor | Gives the station the product, date and barcode content expected for each tray |
Software and vision tools
| Tool or software | What it does here |
|---|---|
| HIKROBOT IDMVS (code reader client) | Sets up the code reader and outputs the decoded barcode content per tray. |
| HIKROBOT SCMVS OCR and character comparison (low) | Reads the product name and date on the vision sensor and compares them with the expected text. |
| VisionMaster OCR, colour and pattern tools (high) | Reads the label text and compares the product image with reference images for that label. |
| Recipe per product | One recipe per label layout and product, selected from the labeller’s product number at changeover. |
| Result and image log | Reject reason per tray and saved images of failed trays for the packing supervisor. |
Installation and integration
01
Mounting and enclosure
Reader and camera on stainless mounts over the labeller outfeed, out of the direct line of the hoses; in the fuller station the reader’s lens cap stays fitted and the area camera sits in a sealed housing.
02
Lighting and shrouding
Tray film reflects overhead lights, so the light is placed to keep glare off the label and a shroud blocks the hall lights.
03
Trigger and tracking
One trigger per tray; the station tracks each tray from the reader to the pusher, so the result belongs to the right tray.
04
PLC and labeller link
Result and reject reason over PROFINET or EtherNet/IP (listed for these HIKROBOT readers and cameras) or digital I/O; expected label data from the labeller, by the interface its vendor offers.
05
Reject and confirmation
A tray pusher with a confirmation sensor and a full-bin signal; if the station is not ready, the outfeed stops instead of passing trays unchecked.
06
Recipes and operator screen
The label recipe follows the labeller’s product selection; a screen shows the last failed trays with the reason and the image.
// Indicative cost in South Africa
What this station costs, excluding VAT
Indicative budget for a typical application of this kind. Every project involves custom requirements (your products, line speed, layout, PLC and acceptance criteria), so the final price differs from case to case. A firm price follows the sample test.
- Low
- R 160 000
- label checks only
- High
- R 740 000
- with product image and own reject
- Basis
- Typical application of this kind, indicative
- South African rand, excluding VAT
- Prices as at 2 October 2026
- Travel (Gauteng): outside Gauteng quoted separately
// Included and excluded
The low figure is a code reader and a colour vision sensor that check label presence, product name, date and barcode, matched to the labeller recipe through the PLC, signalling an existing reject. The high figure adds a colour area camera on a controller that also images the product, a deep-learning code reader, a direct data link to the labeller and a tray pusher with confirmation. Stainless washdown enclosures have no public price, so that allowance is an estimate. Deep-learning product classification is not included. Changes to your conveyor or labeller, the labeller vendor’s interface work, utilities and VAT are excluded.
Hardware is priced from public list prices converted at the ECB reference rate, plus freight, clearance and margin; engineering at R 900 – R 1 300 per hour. How these ranges are built →
Swipe the table sideways to see the high figure and the basis →
| Cost block | Low | High | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vision hardware (landed, with margin) | R 62 000 | R 210 400 | Low: ID2000 code reader, SC3000 colour vision sensor, ring light. High: ID5000X deep-learning code reader, 20 MP colour camera and lens, dome light, VC3000 controller, IP67 housing |
| Software licence | R 0 | R 40 100 | Low: none, the reader and vision sensor software is free. High: HIKROBOT VisionMaster standard licence for the controller |
| Local materials and reject | R 25 000 | R 110 000 | Low: washdown brackets, IP67 cabling, recipe link through the PLC. High: stainless mounts, washdown protection allowance, tray pusher with confirmation, panel |
| Engineering (recipes, PLC link) | R 45 000 | R 208 000 | 50 h at R 900 to 160 h at R 1 300 |
| Installation, FAT, SAT, training, documents | R 21 600 | R 83 200 | 24 h to 64 h |
| Project management | R 9 000 | R 41 600 | 10 h to 32 h |
| Travel (Gauteng) | R 2 000 | R 6 000 | Outside Gauteng quoted separately |
| Total (rounded) | R 160 000 | R 740 000 | Low: label checks only. High: with product image and own reject |
// Related technology
Which technologies this scenario uses, and why
The technologies behind this station, how much each matters here, and where each is explained in depth.
| Technology | Role | Why it matters in this scenario | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed code reader (HIKROBOT ID series) | Core | The label barcode is read on every tray, often through shiny film, and its content compared with the labeller’s data. | Choosing a code reader |
| Label inspection | Core | Label present, square on the tray and carrying the right product name is the core of the check. | Label inspection |
| Code content matched to PLC, MES or WMS data | Core | Each tray has its own mass and price; the station compares what is printed with what the labeller sent for that tray. | Carton and pallet verification |
| OCR/OCV of printed codes | Supporting | The product name and date are read as text and compared with the recipe. | OCR/OCV inspection |
| Colour identification | Supporting | Marinated and plain products often differ in colour; the colour image is the check that does not depend on the labeller. | Surface and colour inspection |
| PLC link and reject with confirmation | Supporting | Trays are light and close together; the pusher needs tracking and a confirmation sensor. | PLC and reject integration |
// Acceptance
How the station is proven before handover
Every station is accepted on your products, against numbers agreed in writing before the build. How we deliver →
01
Sample test
Trays of each product with good labels, wrong labels, missing dates and damaged barcodes, imaged through your tray film with the proposed reader, camera and light; the result says what is reliably caught.
02
FAT with challenge trays
Before delivery, marked challenge trays (no label, wrong product label, wrong date, unreadable barcode, wrong product under a correct label) must each be rejected, and good trays must pass.
03
SAT on the line
On your line, after the labeller, the challenge trays are run again at production speed, and false rejects and escapes are counted over an agreed run of production.
Verify label data against the weighing and product record
A camera can read the price/weight fields printed on a label, but it does not establish the physical pack mass. Define how the expected label data are obtained from the weighing/production system.
| Decision or event | Check or action | Acceptance boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Product identity | Match the approved product code or name | The label alone does not prove the contents. |
| Printed weight/price | Compare with the trusted record where the interface provides it | Reading a number is not weighing or recalculating a certified measurement. |
| Date/batch | Check the applicable expected fields | Formatting success is not a correct date. |
| Tray seal | Use a separate view and decision for visible seal defects | A correct label does not prove package integrity. |
Keep mismatches, no-reads and absent expected records distinct in the log, with a defined hold or manual disposition.
// FAQ
Questions about weigh price label verification
What is weigh price label verification?
It is a check on every tray leaving a weigh price labeller: a label is present and placed correctly, the product name on it matches the product being packed, the date is printed and correct for the recipe, and the barcode can be read and holds the data the labeller sent. Trays that fail are pushed off the line before they are cased.
Can the camera check that the weight and price on the label are right?
Only against the labeller. The station reads the printed mass and price, or the barcode that carries them, and compares them with what the labeller sent for that tray, so a misprint or a label from another tray is caught. It does not weigh anything: whether the mass itself is correct depends on the labeller’s scale and its verification, which this station does not replace.
How much does a label verification system for meat trays cost in South Africa?
An indicative installed budget is R 160 000 – R 740 000 excluding VAT, at 2 October 2026 prices. The low figure is a code reader and a colour vision sensor that check the label against the labeller recipe and signal your existing reject; the high figure adds a colour camera that images the product, a direct labeller data link and a tray pusher. Both include engineering, installation, FAT and SAT in Gauteng. A firm price follows a sample test on your trays. This is a typical application: every project involves custom requirements, so the final price depends on your products, line and acceptance criteria.
Can it tell plain chicken from chicken with brine or marinade?
It checks two things. The label name is read and compared with the product selected for the run, which is what the poultry regulations care about. The product image is compared with reference images, which works when marinated and plain portions look different through the film. It cannot measure how much brine was injected; that stays with your recipe control and laboratory.
Does it grade the GS1-128 or EAN barcode on the label?
No. The code reader decodes the barcode on every tray and checks its content, so unreadable or wrong codes are rejected. Grading print quality to the ISO methods retailers refer to is done with a barcode verifier, usually on samples in the quality room. The two are complementary: the line reader catches the bad tray, the verifier tells you whether the labeller’s print quality is drifting.
Will the reader and camera survive a cold, wet packing hall?
With the right mounting, yes. In the low case the reader and vision sensor sit on washdown brackets out of the direct spray, with sealed cabling. In the fuller station the ID5000X reader is rated IP67 by HIKROBOT only with its lens cap fitted, and the 20 MP area camera sits in an IP67 housing on stainless mounts. Condensation where equipment moves between chill and ambient areas is checked during the sample test, and cleaning routines are agreed before installation.
Sources
- SAPA broiler industry summary 2024 (dressed weight production) (industry association report, checked 2026-10-02)
- Minister approves amendments to poultry meat regulations (product name describes added solution) (government media statement, checked 2026-10-02)
- Regulations for certain raw processed meat products (GN R2410, 2022) (gazette, checked 2026-10-02)
- Regulations relating to the labelling and advertising of foodstuffs (R146, 2010) (regulation copy, checked 2026-10-02)
- NCC media statement: product recalls notice update, Q1 2024/25 (regulator record, checked 2026-10-02)
- HIKROBOT ID5000X code reader MV-ID5050XM (symbologies incl. GS1-128, IP67 with lens cap) (vendor product page, checked 2026-10-02)
- HIKROBOT Smart Product Catalog 2025Q4: SC3000 vision tools (OCR, code recognition, character comparison), p.19 (vendor catalogue, checked 2026-10-02)
Related:
More line solutions in food and beverage:
Returnable crates →Multipacks →Can ends and dents →Juice box straws →Dairy cups →Bread bag closures →Wine labels →Sachets and pouches →Staple food bags →Egg cartons and trays →Bottled water (PET) →Food tray seal inspection →Food packaging version verification →Bakery product vision inspection →Returnable glass bottle inspection →
// Next step
Send us a few trays and the labels that went wrong
Describe the line, the products and the fault. We test on your good and faulty samples and reply with a feasibility note and a budget.
Planning this inspection outside South Africa
Use the country guidance to prepare the line data, interfaces and delivery scope for a project assessed from Johannesburg.
Vision Inspection Systems in Botswana
A readable price label may still belong to another pack. Project scope, references and Johannesburg delivery for Botswana.