Why is Bin Tuning Critical for Profitable Batch Manufacturing?

Outside view of grain bins at a grain facility.

Joe Washburn | May 7, 2025

Precision and efficiency are essential for profitable batch manufacturing, and bin tuning—a process of optimizing batch control systems—is a critical but often overlooked practice. Regular bin tuning minimizes waste, maximizes throughput, and ensures product consistency. If your facility uses batch control systems, bin tuning should be a regular part of your operations.  

Impacts of Poor Tuning  

  • In high-throughput operations, improper tuning leads to false alarms, wasted ingredients, and costly re-measurements.  
  • For operations using expensive materials, even small inaccuracies in batching can result in significant financial losses.  

As an example, at an animal feed manufacturing facility I recently visited, I observed these consequences in action. Their system consistently overweighed a particular ingredient by 60 pounds, which far exceeded the established tolerance of +/- 50 pounds. This happened across 5,000 batches throughout the year, estimating a loss of 75 tons of product and downtime totaling 7.5 hours. This resulted in over $25,000 in waste from that one ingredient alone, plus lost revenue from almost eight hours of stopped production.  

For facilities handling high-value materials, even small errors in tuning can result in significant financial losses. Even if a system wastes less material overall, the dollar impact can still be higher due to ingredient cost.  

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Understanding Bin Tuning 

Bin tuning is the ongoing process of adjusting batch control systems for optimal performance, not just at startup but as equipment and processes change. Regular tuning ensures systems meet current production needs rather than relying on outdated, generalized settings. Here’s what bin tuning involves:  

  • Tuning at startup: Systems are initially configured for peak performance 
  • Evolution over time: Equipment and production needs evolve over time, requiring consistent tuning 
  • Adjustments: Bin tuning involves analyzing system performance against peak efficiency metrics and making necessary adjustments
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Benefits of Bin Tuning  

  • It reduces ingredient waste by improving accuracy and feeder control. 
  • It optimizes throughput by balancing speed and precision for greater productivity. 
  • It increases product consistency, meeting recipe specifications and ensuring reliable quality—especially important for facilities with multiple locations.  

Facilities should work with experts to regularly review and adjust their batch control systems. Even small, targeted changes can prevent significant financial losses and maintain customer trust.  

The Bottom Line  

Neglecting regular bin tuning leads to wasted resources, lost production time, and inconsistent products. Proactively tuning your systems is a small investment with substantial returns. Learn more about bin tuning through this resource. 

This article was originally published in Automation World.