Using NIR technology in any manufacturing business delivers significant cost savings through:
Reducing external wet chemistry testing easily demonstrates how quickly paybacks can be made on NIR investment. The case study below details the savings made by a multi-species feed manufacturing plant implementing NIR with INGOT calibrations.
| Testing | Number of samples sent for analysis per annum | Annual external wet chemistry costs | Savings per annum using NIR with INGOT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | Moisture, Oil, Protein, Fibre and Ash | 1,000 | £42,600 | £40,470 |
| Group 2 | Minerals, Starch, Sugar + Structural Carbohydrates | 250 | £28,950 | £19,760 |
| Group 3 | Undesirables, Vitamins, Fatty Acids & Amino Acid Profiles | 40 | £11,200 | N/A |
| Totals | Costs £82,750 | Savings £60,230 | ||
| Analysis cost per tonne | 0.83p without INGOT | 0.23p with INGOT | ||
INGOT can provide analysis for Group 1 and the bulk of Group 2, however not all traditional reference analysis can be replaced, as some is required to validate the performance of the NIR.
Using the annual tonnage figure we can estimate the cost of analysis per tonne. This calculation clearly demonstrates the cost justification for INGOT.