Weighing up new options
June 1st 2005

Modern communications technology is unlocking weighing data’s value and improving reliability, according to Weightron Bilanciai Accurate weighing is a vital part of handling and storage operations, providing important data at a number of critical control points. However using that data to anywhere near its full potential has traditionally been at best laborious, at worst very unreliable and fragmented. Locally collected weight data usually requires manual manipulation to get it into a format where it can be used effectively, and, by default, the information is a long way from being ‘real time’.

The range of equipment used in storage and handling is very diverse and covers both static and mobile weighing. The list includes: floor scales, bench scales, counting scales, weighbridges, fork lift truck weighing systems, pallet truck weighers and crane scales. Now the integration of such weighing equipment with modern communication technology is set to bring significant benefits for suppliers and users alike. Technologies now being employed include Ethernet communication for remote access, RFID, wireless interfacing, the world wide web and GSM. In addition, automatic vehicle recognition systems and driver-operated terminals using smart card or key readers are improving the effectiveness of weighbridges.

Bespoke, yet configurable, weighing software packages can now be tailored for specific applications and are designed for the seamless integration with existing management systems such as ERP, MRP and CRM.

Nick Catt, sales director for Chesterfieldbased Weightron Bilanciai, explains: Weighing is now being seen more than just as a ‘means to an end’ to provide weight data. We are already seeing major changes in how data is collected, processed and distributed, and I believe this is still in its infancy. Traceability, legislation and system integration are three of the main factors driving this, coupled with competitive issues such as pressure on earnings. “Changes are happening at two levels and at Weightron we are already pioneering a number of technologies within our equipment and systems. On the factory floor wireless links between weighing equipment and local PCs are giving more operational flexibility and improving reliability, especially in busy working environments. Remote communication on a global basis gives almost unlimited possibilities: we can access and configure weighing systems from a standard web browser, which may be in the same building as the equipment or on the other side of the world.” Catt stresses that it is important for companies to appreciate that their weighing equipment should be part of a well balanced and integrated system. Often weighing equipment is purchased on an ad hoc basis – for instance because ‘we need to weigh those pallets at that point’.

There is no doubt that most industrial working environments present a reliability challenge to weighing equipment manufacturers. The ‘Achilles heel’ of most equipment is interconnecting cables – especially if scales are not in permanent installations. The advent of reliable and robust wireless interfaces together with improved battery technology is having a major impact on the way in which weighing equipment can be integrated allowing units to operate as standalone yet integrated modules.

Mobile weighing is now an important and invaluable asset in busy warehouses, production plants and storage depots. As reliability and accuracy improves, the use of forklift truck weighing systems such as Weightron Bilanciai’s Model PTE is growing steadily. As well as providing weight data on loaded pallets, these systems can also be used to ensure vehicles are not overloaded and that weight distribution is even.The optional radio link module can be used to transmit data to a remote computer or terminal. Unlike other units, the PTE is based on conventional strain gauge technology and therefore does not rely on the truck’s hydraulic system to measure weight. As a result the system is available in a legal-fortrade CE approved version – in compliance with European directive 90/384/EEC.

The weight is clearly displayed on a terminal mounted on the truck, which offers a wide range of weighing functions. These include multiple tare facility, parts counting and weight summation. The multiple tare function allows the operator to enter the weight of an empty pallet, the weight of an empty box or crate and the number of these on the pallet. The terminal then calculates the total tare weight and subtracts this from the gross weight to arrive at the net weight of product on the pallet.

For parts counting operations the system can store hundreds of coded average weight values and use this information, together with the multiple tare data, to calculate the number of parts on a pallet. Operators can load pallets in a number of consecutive stages and display the weight for each stage by zero-setting the display after each weighment.

In addition, the terminal provides function keys for entering, programming and storing alphanumeric descriptions and display information including date and time, product and customer codes.

However, although new technologies are changing the face of weighing, the accuracy and consistency of the data supplied still depends primarily on the mechanical design and build quality of the weighing equipment. As Catt concludes: “Equal attention to both the technological aspects and the mechanical features is needed to ensure long term reliability.”