How Does A Conveyor Scale Work?
Conveyor systems are a common sight today. Even if you've never stepped inside a factory or plant that uses conveyors, they are commonly shown on TV. And we see their smaller cousins in super markets and other stores on a regular basis. Conveyor systems are used inside and outside by many industries, from food processing to quarrying rocks. Manufacturing and production can be a big ordeal and much of it is automated, using few people to do the work. This is where a conveyor scale can come in handy.
How Does a Conveyor Scale Work?
A conveyor scale is made up of a weigh bridge located on top of load cells, an electronic integrator, and a belt speed sensor. When a product or material is placed on the belt, the integrator receives two data signals: one from the load cells and one from the belt speed sensor. The belt speed sensor is connected to a tail or bend pulley and sends the information to the integrator as electronic pulses per revolution. Once the integrator has the information from both points, it makes a calculation based on the equation Weight x Speed = Rate. The answer to how much material is on the belt is then translated in pounds or tons per hour.
So how does installing a belt weigher benefit a company? A conveyor scale can help control three things: the use of raw material, inventory, and product consistency. In choosing the type of scale to install you should consider how accurate you need it to be, how dependable the scale should be, and how much money you can spend on one. The more precise the measurements, the more a scale will cost. So it's worthwhile to think about how much precision you need versus how much you would like to spend.
On the other hand, inaccurate measurements can lead to loss of funds. Going back to the three ways a conveyor belt scale can help a company, by not having an accurate conveyor scale, you can lose in all three departments. You can waste raw material, end up with an inaccurate inventory, and inconsistent products. Such losses may easily outweigh whatever you saved on the scale. Taking proper consideration of how accurate the measurements should be will help you decide on what type of scale to buy.
Once that decision is made, it's time to contact a scale manufacturer. Before they can sell to you, they will need to know a little about your operations and conveyor system. Some things to have on hand when you're ready to talk to a seller include:
- Type of material
- Belt capacity, speed, and width
- Carrying idler spacing
- Idler/trough angle and diameter
- Conveyor incline angle
The more information you provide to the seller, the more accurate the scale will be according to your requirements. Conveyor scale prices will vary depending on the accuracy of the scale, but also on the manufacturer or supplier. You want to buy a scale you can depend on for accuracy but also for length of use. So seek out a manufacturer with a solid reputation for making accurate and reliable conveyor scales.
