Weighing, Dosing & Loss-in-Weight Feeding worked example

Underfeed Risk with severity of an underfed dose of 3 score: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop severity of an underfed dose to 3 score, then walk the calculation through step by step. Underfeed risk scores the danger that a loss-in-weight or dosing feeder delivers less material than the recipe requires, using an FMEA-style weighting of severity, occurrence, and detection.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Severity of an underfed dose (impact if it ships): 3 score (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 6)
  • Occurrence likelihood of underfeeding: 4 score (held at the documented default)
  • Detection difficulty before shipment: 3 score (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Underfeed Risk risk score = severity × 0.40 + occurrence × 0.35 + detection × 0.25.
  • Risk score works out to 3.35 score at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Severity works out to 3 score at these inputs.
  • Occurrence works out to 4 score at these inputs.
  • Detection works out to 3 score at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where severity of an underfed dose sits at 6 score and the headline result is 4.55 score, this scenario comes in 26.37% below the baseline at 3.35 score.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to severity of an underfed dose, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. Scores are judgment-based and the weighting is fixed; it ranks relative risk but does not predict an actual defect rate or probability.

Results at a glance

  • Risk score: 3.35 score (headline result)
  • Severity: 3 score
  • Occurrence: 4 score
  • Detection: 3 score

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Underfeed Risk calculator, set severity of an underfed dose to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.