Weighing & Batching Spotlight - January 08
December 19, 2007
Portable Floor Scale
The DeckHand one-person portable floor scale is used for general weighing applications such as shipping and receiving, bulk loading, and piece counting. It is designed to move around a facility and features a battery-operated weigh indicator and an optional ramp for easily wheeling containers on and off the platform. Suitable for general weighing and counting as needed in specific departments, it has two wheels, a folding ramp, and a column with handgrips for optimum mobility.
Alliance Scale Inc., Canton, MA 800-343-6802 www.alliancescale.com
Weight Controller
Only 3 in. deep, the HI 4050 general-purpose weight controller is available with Profibus DP network communications. The Profibus interface has passed testing and is certified by the Profibus Nutzerorganisation e.V. that it meets all test specifications for a Profibus DP slave device. This certification ensures continued product quality. The weight controller includes Waversaver, which eliminates the effects of surrounding vibration for fast, stable weight display. The controller also has C2 electronic calibration without test weights, a Secure Digital (SD)–based secure memory module card for fast transfer of configuration data, and Integrated Technician for system diagnostics and troubleshooting.
Hardy Instruments, San Diego, CA 858-292-2710 www.hardyinstruments.com
Bulk Filling Weigh Systems
The accurate and repeatable results obtained using the bulk bag filling station’s weigh systems are now NTEP certified legal for trade. The certification process required rigorous testing on each type of weigh system to prove their accuracy and repeatability over time. NBE combines the NTEP-certified weigh systems with an advanced ergonomic operator interface and PLC-driven automated controls, providing a state-of-the-art bulk filling system.
NBE Inc., Holland, MI 616-399-2220 www.nbe-inc.com
Net Weigher
The Model NW-50 food-grade net-carton-filling weigher feeds 20–30 lb of snack-food chips into 16 × 20-in. cartons at a rate of four cartons per minute with an accuracy of ±0.1 lb. Cartons are indexed into position, filled, vibrated, and moved out on a powered roller conveyor. The filling machines feature rugged, long-lasting components that require minimum maintenance.
Metso BEST Inc., Brunswick, OH 800-827-9237 www.bestvibes.com
Pharmaceutical Checkweigher
The WeighChek combines user friendliness and enhanced performance with reliability. The machine’s display panel is simple to operate and is fully rotatable and tiltable to suit the operator’s needs. Its electroluminescent touch screen is readable at a considerable distance—even in direct sunlight—and delivers critical product information to the operator via an easy-to-navigate series of windows. Real-time, reliable performance is achieved by the unit’s high-speed Motorola 32-bit microprocessors. Designed for demanding industrial applications, these powerful microprocessors have a longer design life than PC-based processors.
Lock Inspection Systems, Fitchburg, MA 978-343-3716 www.lockinspection.com
Hydraulic Tank/Hopper Load Cell Kits
Guardian hydraulic floor-mounted load cell kits are ideal for extreme-duty tank and hopper scales. They perform in indoor and outdoor process control operations. Each kit comes complete with load cells, tank-mounting hardware, copper or stainless-steel hydraulic load cell tubing, and a system totalizer box. Each module incorporates self-checking capabilities for thermal expansion and contraction. The HBC50 and HBC75 models feature check rods for additional stability in larger tanks and hoppers. Constructed of 300-series stainless steel, the hydraulic load cells do not require electricity within the scale itself.
Cardinal Scale Mfg. Co., Webb City, MO 800-441-4237 www.cardinalscale.com
Weighing and Batching System
A loss-in-weight bulk bag discharger for controlled dispensing of powder material safely keeps the bag above floor level. The Type 3 bulk bag discharger accurately dispenses from 22- to 3300-lb batches by using electronic load cells directly below the top bag-holding frame. This ensures that the bag and load cells are safely off the floor, out of the way of facility hazards such as forklifts. As an option, an integral transfer conveyor such as a flexible-screw discharge conveyor can also be suspended from the holding frame to achieve a totally self-contained discharge and loss-in-weight dispensing system. Dust and contamination free, the system can also remove partially discharged bulk bags.
Spiroflow Systems Inc., Monroe, NC 704-291-9595 www.spiroflowsystems.com
Compact Weigh Module
With capacities of 7.5, 15, and 22.5 t, the compact SWC515 pinmount weigh module can convert tanks, hoppers, and conveyors into weighing systems that are simple to use and safe. The versatile modules can be used both for static weighing and dynamic applications such as mixers and conveyors. A 360° horizontal bumper and the rocker-pin load cell’s self-restoring feature ensure easy installation and accuracy. The stabilizer option can be added at any time in dynamic applications, allowing mixers and conveyors to be stabilized in a safe manner. Two standard antiuplift bolts cope with wind forces, while four vertical safety stops provide additional safety. The modules are available in zinc-plated steel and stainless steel for the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Mettler Toledo, Columbus, OH 614-438-4822 www.mt.com
Weighing and Batching Systems
Customized weighing and batching systems incorporate a unique scale control that is designed to accommodate bulk materials. This feature allows independent control of each ingredient with fast and slow feed, automatic target weight preact, and auto jog. Multiple weigh hoppers or loss-in-weight feeders may be used to formulate batches. Liquid-addition scale systems are also available.
Nol-Tec Systems Inc., Lino Lakes, MN 651-780-8600 www.nol-tec.com
Bulk Bag Unloading/Batching System
The company’s bulk bag unloaders can be combined with any of three conveyors (Helix, MiniVac, or tubular drag) to create an efficient and accurate self-contained batching system. If the user prefers not to have load cells beneath the unloader, a PosiPortion feeder—either volumetric or gravimetric—provides a precise end result. Changing bulk bags midstream is achievable using a pinch valve. Dust-free operation is achieved using an integral dust collector, which is mounted within the frame. Difficult-to-move materials are easily discharged with the help of heavy-duty pneumatically actuated agitation paddles.
Hapman, Kalamazoo, MI 800-427-6260 www.ideasthatmove.com
Plant Recipe Management and Batching
The ProBatch+ is a flexible, accurate, and secure production recipe batching system for the cosmetic, chemical, and food industries. The management system can be used in a wide variety of plant applications. Its scalable system architecture offers powerful and adaptable recipe management, utilizing programmed controllers from the X-family and the use of open-standard programming interfaces. Benefits include easy installation and intuitive operation, easy commissioning, easy operation, and easy connections.
Sartorius Mechatronics, Edgewood, NY 800-635-2906 www.sartorius-usa.com
Convey and Weigh Modules
Convey-N-Weigh (CNW) modules neatly integrate a vacuum powder loader and a volumetric feeder on a scale. With a CNW module, bulk powders are vacuum conveyed and loss-in-weight dosed to any size batch. Each module consists of a tool-free take-apart quick-clean vacuum filter receiver with a live bin discharger, a precision volumetric feeder, a unitary-mount frame, and scale set. Either top-load or horizontal-load modules are available. Every module is preassembled, wired, and tested before shipping. Convey line size ranges from 2–4 in. in diameter.
HAF Equipment Inc., Centerville, MN 651-653-5098 www.hafequipment.com
Manual Dump to Rigid Bin Weigh Batching System
This manual dump to rigid bin weigh batching system eliminates dust during manual dumping from bags, boxes, drums, and other containers. The system delumps the material and feeds it gravimetrically from the mezzanine level into rigid bins placed on a floor scale. Features include a high-velocity dust collector, a low-profile delumping device, and a gravimetric feeder connected via a PLC to a scale on the plant floor, allowing accurate batch weights to be loaded into rigid totes.
Flexicon Corp., Bethlehem, PA 888-353-9426 www.flexicon.com
Multiingredient Batching System
This compact multiingredient batching system provides precise, high-volume batching of difficult powders. Ingredients extracted from bulk sacks are returned to the bulk sacks or portable bins for transport to blending equipment, with the ability to quickly change to pneumatic delivery in the future. The dispensers utilize massage, sack stretching, and live bottoms to keep products moving to the heavy-duty screw conveyors. Microingredients, morsels, or other tender shapes are manually added directly to the batch scales from skids on the adjacent platform.
Applicon Company, Inc., Indianapolis, IN 317-635-7843 www.appliconco.com
You May Also Like