Weighing & Batching Focus - July 09
June 17, 2009
Hydraulic Tank and Hopper Scales
Guardian tank- and hopper-mounted scale systems are designed to keep weighing accurately, even in the harshest conditions. Constructed in Type 300–series stainless steel, the hydraulic load cells are built to last a lifetime and require no electricity within the scale itself. Self-checking three- and four-stand assemblies are available with system gross capacities ranging from 3000 to 300,000 lb. Each weighing system is supplied with a totalizer and 20 ft of copper tubing per load cell. They are immune to lightning damage.
Cardinal Scale Mfg. Co., Webb City, MO 800-441-4237 www.cardinalscale.com
Smart Junction Box
The iQUBE2 has the high-speed ability to update up to 200 times per second on multichannels. Fast reaction time increases accuracy. The ability to identify noise, test for linearity and zero reference, and monitor drift are some of the things the unit can do. It offers a cell emulation feature: if the system identifies a cell failure, the unit will calculate an accurate weight based on comparisons to functioning cells, keeping the scale up and running until a repair can be made.
Rice Lake Weighing Systems, Rice Lake, WI 800-472-6703 www.ricelake.com
Weight Controller
The HI 4050 weight controller is now available factory installed in a stainless-steel (NEMA 4X) enclosure. It can be configured as a blind unit or with a keyboard and display. A load cell summing board or intrinsic barrier assembly can be added to eliminate the need for a system junction box, or for use in hazardous Class I, II, and DIV II applications. The controller comes standard with EtherNet and optional EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, Allen Bradley Remote I/O, Profibus or Modbus TCP/IP networks. It includes Waversaver to eliminate the effects of surrounding vibration for fast, stable weight display, C2 electronic calibration without test weights, a Secure Digital (SD)–based secure memory module card for fast transfer of configuration data, a built-in Web server for Internet access, and Integrated Technician for system diagnostics and troubleshooting.
Hardy Instruments, San Diego, CA 800-821-5831 www.hardyinstruments.com
Continuous Weigh Feeders
Better-Weigh continuous feeders provide gravimetric feeding of dry bulk materials where it is necessary to determine actual feed rates on a loss-of-weight basis. Available in seven models with feed rates from 1 to 550 cu ft/hr (larger sizes available), these units provide feeding in either batch or continuous mode, depending upon the arrangement of the feeder’s control electronics. In batch mode, the batch controller is used to control the fast (bulk) and slow (dribble) speeds of the feeder. Accuracies of ±0.5% can be easily achieved in 2-lb or less batches, and ±0.25% with 3-lb or greater batches, with time spans of 30 to 90 seconds. In continuous mode, the feeder’s electronic controller is used to constantly monitor loss-of-weight of material per time in order to maintain a continuous loss of weight with an accuracy of ±0.25 to 0.50%. Standard features include a platform or lever balance scale, sealed tactile keyboard, seven-digit numerical keyboard, automatic manual batching, and 2- or 5-cu-ft hopper. Sanitary construction is also available.
Metalfab Inc., Vernon, NJ 800-764-2999 www.metalfabinc.com
Batching System
This batching system was developed for the storage, metering, and conveying of cheese powder for packaging by a large international food processor. The system includes a 30-cu-ft hopper with a helix conveyor that is integrally mounted on stainless-steel load cells. The system is operated via an Allen Bradley PLC with a Hardy batch controller. The hopper is filled by a gaylord dumper. The material is accurately metered through the batching system and fed into individual totes. The precisely measured totes are then taken to the packaging lines.
Hapman, Kalamazoo, MI 800-427-6260 www.ideasthatmove.com
Heavy-Duty Weigh Feeders
The DMO weighs and feeds up to 500 tn/hr with minimal maintenance and care and is ideal for a variety of heavy-duty industrial applications. A drive system with reducer and motor are all directly mounted on the head pulley shaft. This provides rugged, reliable, and safe operation, while the need for alignments and maintenance is eliminated. At the heart of the unit is a direct multicell weighing system that does not use levers or counterbalance weights. This eliminates any chance of error during the weighing process. The DMO weigh feeder comes in standard belt widths of 24 to 54 in. with feed rate accuracies of ±0.5% over a 10:1 range. These rates are achievable in a range of material particle sizes up to 4-in. lumps.
Schenck AccuRate, Whitewater, WI 800-606-9248 www.accuratefeeders.com
Weighing Kits
The Pinmount and Ultramount weighing kits are specifically designed for integration into static or dynamic applications where performance and connectivity are essential. Many of these products support Fieldbus interfaces for popular communication standards such as 4–20 mA, CAN, DeviceNET/ControlNet, Profibus, Modbus, Ethernet, and a variety of serial interfaces.
Mettler Toledo, Columbus, OH 614-438-4822 www.mt.com
Weighing and Batching System
This dry bulk material weighing and batching system reduces total batch processing time by over 60%. At the same time it improves ingredient feed volume accuracy and reduces material waste. The fully automatic batching operation conveys 2000-lb-capacity totes through a series of four material feed stations. Each fill station is supplied material by four bulk storage hoppers or four bulk bag dischargers. An RFID label on each tote informs the system of the proper fill station sequence for that tote. The label also informs the system of which ingredient recipe to dispense into the tote at each fill station. Gain-in-weight floor scales at each station ensure accurate material supply and initiate the tote-advance signal. Loss-in-weight sensors on the bulk bag dischargers ensure accurate, station-specific batch material supply. Level sensors in the bulk storage hoppers maintain sufficient base material supply sourced from external bulk material silos.
National Bulk Equipment Inc., Holland, MI 616-399-2220 www.nbe-inc.com
Net Weigher
The Best Model NW-50 food-grade net-carton-filling system feeds 20–30 lb of snack-food chips into 16 × 20-in. cartons at four cartons per minute, and with an accuracy of ±0.1 lb. Cartons are indexed into position, filled, vibrated, and moved out on a powered-roller conveyor. The machine features rugged, long-lasting components that require minimal maintenance.
Metso Minerals Industries Inc., Brunswick, OH 800-827-9237 www.bestvibes.com
14-Ingredient Batching System
This 14-ingredient industrial batching system receives major, minor, and micro ingredients via portable bins and stores these materials in stainless hoppers. All 14 ingredients are weighed simultaneously, allowing for fast batch cycles. Even in a windy plant environment, micro ingredients are weighed to within 0.5 g, with any off-spec weighment automatically rejected and collected for reuse. Systems fed by larger portable bins or bulk bags are available, as well as for powders or granular material. Sanitary designs are also available.
Applicon, Indianapolis, IN 317-635-7843 www.appliconco.com
Batch Controller
Used in conjunction with the Sartorius X-Family, Combics Pro, and other PLC controllers, ProBatch+ software offers users efficient management of original raw material and recipe data. The powerful software program allows for visual presentation of the running process and enables all batch procedures to be both visually monitored and easily controlled. It can supervise and monitor just a single scale or simultaneously control up to 16 production lines and scales operating in parallel. In addition, the software is extremely flexible and can be used for simple applications or larger process automation tasks.
Sartorius Mechatronics Corp., Edgewood, NY 800-635-2906 www.sartorius-mechatronics.com
Bulk Bag and Drum Filling System with Scale
This system offers patented technology, including a horizontal pivoting and rotating bag fill carriage for rapid and reach-free operator connection of bag loops and the bag fill spout. A pallet dispenser automatically dispenses two-way, four-way, or nestable OSB pallets into the filling system. After operator bag connection, the bulk bag is automatically inflated, filled by weight to a programmed set point, and densified with the push of a button. Once the fill cycle is complete, the bag inlet spout and straps automatically release, the fill head raises, and the filled bag is automatically discharged via a three-zone powered accumulating conveyor.
Material Transfer & Storage, Allegan, MI 800-836-7068 www.materialtransfer.com
Sanitary Bag Dump Weigh Batch System
This sanitary bag dump weigh batch station with integral mechanical conveyor collects dust created during manual dumping of bulk materials from bags, boxes, drums, and other containers, and discharges bulk material by weight. A high-velocity vacuum fan draws airborne dust from the operator’s atmosphere onto two cartridge filters. Automatic reverse-pulse filter cleaning maintains efficient, continuous operation by releasing short blasts of compressed plant air inside the cartridge filter on alternating cycles, causing dust buildup on the outer filter surfaces to fall into the hopper. Filters are readily accessed by removing the interior baffle, and replaced using quick-disconnect fittings. The hopper discharges into an integral flexible screw conveyor supported by a boom that cantilevers from the frame of the system, the entire weight of which is supported on four load cells. This allows for loss-of-weight batching. When an operator selects a batch weight and initiates a cycle, a controller runs the flexible screw conveyor, first at high feed rate, then at dribble feed rate, stopping material flow once the accurate batch weight has been discharged.
Flexicon Corp., Bethlehem, PA 888-353-9426 www.flexicon.com
You May Also Like