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Weighing Sensor Applications and Innovative Use Cases

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The advancements in sensor technologies have expanded the capabilities of how accurate data can improve performance of weighing equipment, tools, machines, components, and products. Design and manufacturing engineers are using precision weight measurements today with higher frequency to improve durability, usability, and reliability.

What has changed in the last decade that has spurred this high demand for weighing sensor technologies? Primarily it is related to the capabilities and features. This includes the ruggedization of load cell form factors to withstand harsh conditions, wireless capabilities to transmit and analyze data for continuous monitoring, smaller sensors like load buttons, ease of use and installation, and submersible options. There is also a growing requirement to design weighing sensors into a product to activate components for real-time user feedback and ensure safety.

Examples of how sensors in weighing applications are supporting innovation are abundant. Manufacturers utilize weight in design, build and supply. Defined weight is used in most product specifications, which requires precise accuracy in measurement. Utilizing precision force sensing solutions and instrumentation allows product engineers and manufacturers of all types to collect data in real time. IoT enabled weighing and scale solutions are frequently used in the modernization of products and industrial automation.

Interface supplies highly accurate and reliable load cells and sensor technologies for weighing and scale solutions. Industry use cases range from medical bag weighing to ice machine weighing. Weighing and scales must be dependable and always provide correct data. Precision sensors are a critical part of this requirement.

Common Weighing Use Cases for Advanced Sensor Technologies

  • Center of gravity testing
  • Inventory management and control
  • Batching and packaging
  • Check weighing
  • Process control
  • Sample testing and material testing
  • Equipment safety monitoring
  • Transporta tion technologies
  • All types of scales

The abilities to use precision weighing sensor devices in the form of load pins, load shackles, tension links, load beams, miniature load cells, and wireless load cells continues to expand the boundaries beyond what has been known as test and measurement. Facilities and cities use connected force sensing trash receptacles for optimizing schedules of waste management companies to reduce costs and increase efficiencies.  Innovative smart pallet force sensing helps to track products and goods at the dock to reduce expenses and increase productivity. Silo weighing for inventory management. Setpoints are configured to automatically generate purchase orders when product levels fall below a defined threshold.

Additional applications recently featured in Weighing Your Options Webinar demonstrate how Interface weighing solutions support breakthrough use cases and inventive new products. Here are a few examples of these weighing applications.

Tank Weighing and Center of Gravity Using Weighcheck Load Cells

Interface’s customer needs to monitor the amount of material in a tank by weight and locate the center of gravity. The proposed solution is to use Interface’s A4200 Zinc Plated or A4600 Stainless Steel Weighcheck Load Cells, along with Interface instrumentation 1280 Programmable Weight Indicator and Controller. Interface provided a solution that monitors the amount of material by weight in their tank while locating the center of gravity. Watch as Ken Bishop demonstrates the A4200 and A4600 weighcheck load cells  https://youtu.be/G6NA84I73Zo .

Produce Weighing Using Platform Scale Load Cells

A customer owns and operates a fruit packaging plant. They want to weigh the bins full of fruit that are loaded onto conveyor belts that transfer the fruit to other steps of the distribution process. Interface suggests installing SPI Low Capacity Platform Scale Load Cells, along with WTS-AM-1E Wireless Strain Bridge Transmitter Modules, in the center of the platforms the bins of fruit are loaded on. The WTS-AM-1E’s wirelessly transmit the data collected from the SPI’s to the WTS-BS-1-HA Wireless Handheld Display for multiple transmitters, and the WTS-BS-6 Wireless Telemetry Dongle Base Station when connected to a computer. Results can be graphed, logged, and seen during operation using this system.

Livestock Weighing System Use Sealed Beam Load Cells

A rancher wants to accurately weigh their cows for multiple reasons. They want to make sure their cows are at a healthy weight and want to maintain their weight. But they also want to know the optimal time for breeding based on the weight of their livestock. Interface’s solution is to bolt four SSB Sealed Beam Load Cells at the bottom of a metal platform, that is placed on the inside of the customer’s cattle cage. Once the cow has walked onto the plate, the SSB Sealed Beam Load Cells will measure the force pressure applied. With all four connected to JB104SS Junction Box, which is then connected to the 480 Bidirectional Weight Indicator combined accurate weight results for real-time display.

Crane Weighing Verification Using Wireless Tension Link Load Cells

A customer wants to verify that their crane is strong enough to safely lift a heavy load, at its rated maximum load capacity. A wireless solution helps to avoid long cables and for faster installation time. Interface WTSLTL Lightweight Wireless Tension Link Load Cells can measure the load’s maximum capacity. The WTS-RM1 Wireless Relay Output Receiver Modules also can trigger an alarm that can be set when the maximum capacity of weight/force has been reached. The data is transmitted and can be reviewed with the WTS-BS-1-HS Wireless Handheld Display.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Cranes and Lifting

Garbage Truck On-Board Weighing

CPG Snack Weighing and Packaging Machine

Weighing Your Options Webinar Recap

CPG Veterinary Weighing Scales

CPG Water Bottle Dispensing and Weighing

CPG Water Bottle Dispensing and Weighing App Note

 

 

Interface Solutions for Waste Management Applications

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Interface measurement and sensor solutions exist in all kinds of industries. If lifting or pulling an object, verifying torque, or testing the weight or load is required for monitoring safety or performance, chances are there are sensor technologies in play. Interface load cells, torque transducers, shackles, and load pins are commonly used along with various types of instrumentation for these kinds of specialized measurement functions.

An industry that heavily relies on Interface precision technologies for weighing, testing, and measurement is the waste management industry. This is an industry that requires an ability to measure various functions and materials, from hazardous waste disposal to recycling technologies, to operate. Waste management utilizes Interface sensors to provide routine data in real-time that provides accurate performance information for equipment, from garbage transport vehicles to waste and storage containers.

The reason product design engineers and manufacturers of waste management equipment and vehicles choose Interface is because we provide quality sensor components for accurate and reliable output that they can depend on for this critical service.

The various types of equipment and vehicles used for different functions of waste management must perform at high standards ensure the safety of users and consumers. It also is a requirement in maintaining the proper use, production and sanitation tasks related to storage, treatment, reuse, recycling, and disposal. The following are a couple of application notes that highlight the use of Interface products utilized by our customers that are in the waste management industry.

WASTE MANAGEMENT CONTAINER WEIGHING

A waste management company wanted to measure the capacity of their waste containers to know when it is time to dispose the waste. Interface provided Model WTS 1200 Standard Precision LowProfile™ Wireless Load Cells to be installed at the bottom of each waste container leg to measure the sum weight of the container. The real time weight data is then transmitted to the WTS-BS-4 USB Industrial Base Station with the supplied Log100 software. Using this solution, the customer was able to determine when their waste container was at full capacity to dispose of the waste, or to transfer it in a timely manner.  Read more here.

GARBAGE TRUCK ON-BOARD WEIGHING

When a garbage disposal company wanted to test the load capacity of their garbage truck bins to know when it has reached maximum capacity, they reached out to Interface to suggest a system that could provide data in real time. Interface’s solution was to customize and install four SSB Sealed Beam Load Cells under the garbage box body, on either side. When trash continues to be piled inside the box body, it will push more force down onto the SSB Sealed Beam Load Cells. When maximum load capacity has been reached, the results can be reviewed and displayed when connected to the 482 Battery Powered Bidirectional Weight Indicator in real time. Using this customized system, the customer was able to test the maximum load capacity of the garbage bin attached to the truck, so they know when to empty the truck’s garbage at the transfer station. Learn more here.

We offer off-the-shelf solutions to the waste management industry suppliers and equipment manufacturers. We can build to custom products based on exact specifications for one or many devices to fit every vehicle or for testing functions in the lab. Success happens when we work directly with our customers get the best products in hand for their unique requirements.

To learn more about how Interface serves the waste management industry, or any of the other industries we serve, please check out our solutions overview here.

Interface Solutions for Weighing Applications

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Interface sensors are used for an extremely wide variety of test and measurement applications. We also supply different technologies and instrumentation for a range of weighing applications, from packaging to waste management. Determining accurate weight is a key data point that manufacturers in all types of industry use cases. Whether they need the information for transporting an object, lifting the object, or just creating a specification sheet, accurate data on weight, accuracy in weight measurements are fundamental for safety and function.

Here is a quick review some of the weighing applications, everything from the food and beverage industry to agriculture and industrial. And it’s important to note, weighing across these different industries doesn’t always involve a simple scale, each object large or small that needs to be weighed has a different method for doing so and different force sensors to get the most accurate data built into machines or used in conjunction with other hardware components.

SNACK WEIGHING AND PACKAGING MACHINE

A snack manufacturing brand wanted to weigh the amount of their snacks that are automatically dispersed into the bags during the packaging process. In this case, they wanted to weigh the potato chips being packaged and ensure the potato chips are at the exact weight needed due to regulatory standards. Interface provided a solution using multiple SPI Platform Scale Load Cells, and installed it to the potato multi-head weigher and packaging machine. The SPI Platform Scale Load cells were installed inside of the mount that attaches the head weigher to the packaging machine. Force results from the potato chips were read by the load cells and sent to the ISG Isolated DIN Rail Mount Signal Conditioner, where the customer is able to control the automated production from their command center. Using this solution, the customer was able to determine the weight of the potato chips being distributed into their bags with highly accurate results. They  were able to control the automated production process with the provided instrumentation. They will use this same weighing method for other snacks that need to be packaged. Read more here.

WASTE MANAGEMENT CONTAINER WEIGHING

When a waste management company wanted to measure the capacity of their waste containers in order to know when it is time to dispose the waste, Interface proposed a solution using Model WTS 1200 Standard Precision LowProfile™ Wireless Load Cells. The load cells can be installed at the bottom of each waste container leg to measure the sum weight of the container. The data is transmitted to the WTS-BS-4 USB Industrial Base Station with the supplied Log100 software. The customer would then be able to determine when their waste container was at full capacity in order to dispose of the waste, or to transfer it. Read more here.

GARBAGE TRUCK ON-BOARD WEIGHING

A garbage disposal company wanted to test the load capacity of their garbage truck bins so they know when it has reached maximum capacity. Interface’s solution is to customize and install four SSB Sealed Beam Load Cells under the garbage box body, on either side. When trash continues to be piled inside the box body, it will push more force down onto the SSB Sealed Beam Load Cells. When maximum load capacity has been reached, the results can be reviewed and displayed when connected to the 482 Battery Powered Bidirectional Weight Indicator in real time. Using this solution, the customer was able to test the maximum load capacity of the garbage bin attached to the truck, so they know when to empty the truck’s garbage at the transfer station. Read more here.

MEDICAL BAG WEIGHING

In the medical industry, it is important to monitor the amount of material in a medical bag carrying fluids for an IV. Medical staff also need to know if a medical bag is empty or if the dispensing tubes are blocked. Force measurements can track this. Using Interface Model MB Miniature Beam or MBP Miniature Beam with built-in overload protection combined with Interface instrumentation, force readings can be captured, displayed and stored for this need. Health Professionals can then review and monitor medical bag weights to ensure medicine is properly dispensed and bag is replaced when empty.

Weighing applications are at the foundation of measurement. The earliest force sensors were designed for this purpose, and they continue to be a large part of application testing today. The only difference between now and then is that Interface has nearly perfected their accuracy across different applications with different types of force sensors measuring very large weight and very small, minute forces.

ADDITIONAL WEIGHING APPLICATIONS

Chicken Weighing

Silo Monitoring and Weighing

Crane Force Regulation

Water Bottle Dispensing and Weighing

To learn more about Interface weighing applications and other applications of our load cells, torque transducers, multi-axis sensors and more, contact us today.