Automate Weighing, Increase Production Efficiency
Effective process automation can increase production efficiency with fewer operators. ICS terminals enable automated completeness checks and counting applications for significant time and labor savings.
Automated weighing can reduce labor costs and time spent transporting parts. METTLER TOLEDO ICS5 counting scales, which enable checkweighing, counting and filling, also offer specialized software and digital input/output (I/O) signaling that helps free up staff for value-added work.
A typical automation set-up
Counting or checkweighing for completeness control and order picking is usually done at production machines. This typically involves a certain degree of automation, with a weighing terminal connected to one or two weighing platforms.
With ICS5 compact scales, a checkweighing or fill-to-target feature can be activated so that the terminal can monitor the number of parts against a target weight. When the target is reached, the terminal signals to redirect flow to a second bin. No operator intervention is required.
Interface enhances automation
Alarms and other signals are achieved through an optional digital I/O interface. This interface generates 12V DC outputs to control external alarms or bin pushers. A total of four outputs can be used to send digital information from the scale to a PLC. Similarly, inputs allow instructions to come to the scale for critical tasks such as tare or zeroing.
An external light alarm notifies the operator to replace the filled bin with an empty one; however, the action of replacing bins can also be automated with the help of pushers.