Load cells let bottler run at 38,000/hr

    Nov. 20, 2003
    Bottling-machine maker Krones AB found the key to a uniform fill is precise weighing. The best way to do that, the company says, is with a PW2 load cell from HBM Inc., Marlboro, Mass. It's capable of 100 measurements/sec.

    The PW2 10 kg load cell handles 100 measurements/sec and comes with a housing to protect it from spills and washdowns. Each unit can connect to an RS-485 network. The load cell needs no trigger signal.
     
    A soybean oil bottling machine uses 72 load cells on a carousel and runs at 38,000 bottles/hr.

    Bottling-machine maker Krones AB found the key to a uniform fill is precise weighing. The best way to do that, the company says, is with a PW2 load cell from HBM Inc., Marlboro, Mass. It's capable of 100 measurements/sec. The built-in electronics for the load cell let it receive settings and adjustments by serial bus. The A-to-D unit allows adjusting output speeds for measured values, storing operating parameters in EPROM to protect against power failures, and connecting as many as 32 load cells to one bus.

    A soybean oil-filling machine with 72 load cells runs at 38,000 bottles/hr. Housings protect the load cells against food spills and harsh cleaning solutions. What's more, vibrations must be compensated for with the electronics. Otherwise, vibrations would be damped before weighing. Waiting for vibrations to settle and high-speed operations don't mix.

    -- Paul Dvorak

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