Silo Load Cells
Benefits of Silo Load Cells
Verify Supplier’s Weights
Load cells can be used to verify that the 60,000 pounds of product your ordered is actually 60,000 pounds. This can happen for a number of reasons, but we will say that having load cells will make weight discrepancies more rare.
Monitor Product Loss
In a complex system you will notice at times that you’ve added 4,000 pounds of product, for example, but you’re only getting 3,950 lbs. of final product, so where is this loss coming from? Putting everything on load cells helps you keep track. If used as the primary method of telling feeders when to stop and start, you will inevitably lose some product (see more in the automating systems bit). The load cells will be able to verify how much your batch is off and which ingredients you too much or too little of.)
Inventory Management
By knowing how much is in your silos, you know when to reorder. But this should generally only be an ancillary benefit; if this is your main goal, use a level indicator or get a silo with a sight glass. Load cells are more precise than level indicators but are more expensive and monitoring can be done with a central weighing system, which we’ll get to later.
Weighing & Automation Systems
When everything is on load cells you can tell your system to pull different amounts of product from various sources, thus creating a load cell system. But this method is inherently inferior to central weighing solutions, which are cheaper to implement and significantly more precise. To learn why this is, see our scale package, which is a product we designed for brewers and distillers, based on what we do for the food industry. If the goal is to automate your system, the only reason you would use silo load cells is if everything else is already on load cells, you need a new silo, and it’s cheaper to put the silo on load cells than get a central weighing solution.
Silo Load Cell Systems
Our silo load cell systems combine current technology with robust engineering. Each system includes:
System Design: Drawing up your layout if integrating a system, ensuring product flows sensibly.
Instrumentation: Displays, controllers, and data acquisition systems for real-time monitoring.
Software Integration: Seamless integration with inventory and automation systems.
Wireless Options: Remote monitoring capabilities for added convenience.
Load Cells: High-quality sensors fitting to your application.
Silos: High-quality smooth wall or corrugated SILOS, available in custom shapes, volumes, and colors.
Types of Silo Load Cells
Shear Beam Load Cells
LOW COST
Load cells measuring shear forces, where each load cell differs slightly and requires its own slightly different voltage.
Applications: Lower cost, they are just fine for smaller silos, but become less recommended the bigger you go.
Pros: Less expensive
Cons: Requires careful alignment during installation (more impacted by imbalances and side-forces), are more difficult to calibrate, and when one fails you will not be able to weigh the silo while you wait for a replacement.
Canister Load Cells
IDEAL
A cylindrical design optimized for high-capacity loads where every load cell is exactly the same.
Applications: Heavy industrial silos and tanks.
Pros: Robust and suitable for extremely high loads. Because each cell is identical, they can be auto-calibrated almost instantly and if one fails you can still get a weight reading while it’s being replaced. This makes it a no-brainer for people in remote areas.
Cons: Higher cost
Hydraulic Load Cells
SPECIALTY CASE
Designed to measure weight through compressive pressure on fluid
Applications: When there is constant flooding or high risk of lightning
Pros: Impossible to kill, easy to replace cells
Cons: Very expensive and sensitive to tipping and side forces
All load cells above are under the umbrella classification of Compression Load Cells. Tension Load Cells are not used for silos; first, they are intended for hanging applications and compression is an improper use of them. Second, the options for suppliers of tension load cells that large are extremely limited and therefore expensive.
Silo Load Cell Installation
Professional installation is important for optimal performance and longevity of your silo load cell system. Our expert technicians and engineers, when necessary, provide:
Site Assessment: Evaluating the foundation, environment, and best location for silo if needed and providing recommendations.
Code Assistance: Helping navigate city ordinances and offering creative solutions when possible.
Controls: Establishing which types of controls and interfaces that humans and software will deal with.
Integration: Ensuring proper alignment, secure mounting, and integration with existing hardware and software systems.
Testing and Training: Comprehensive testing and training for operators.
Silo Load Cell Services
Calibration: We ensure your load cells (new or old) are weighing correctly and sign off on your State paperwork if an NTEP application.
Repair: If one load or more load cells fail prematurely but the others are working fine, we can often repair them.
Replacement: We can replace faulty load cells or swap one technology for another if your previous solution is not working at intented.
