Optimize Batching with Flow and Components Control

Due to the high cost of raw materials, companies have sought new methods to reduce material waste and improve batch consistency. Flow meters fit the bill by accurately measuring the amount of liquids required in a batch process. An emerging trend in batch control is to incorporate flow meters into processes to manage the addition of liquids while also weighing materials to a target weight. The IND780batch terminal from METTLER TOLEDO offers a solution that is easy to configure and use, while allowing process management from a single controller.

Automatic material feed control
The IND780batch has a specific pulse-interface card that accepts a pulse input from a flow meter, allowing the user to add liquid materials to a specified target weight. The flow meter's electrical output is typically calibrated to a specified number of pulses per unit of volume.

Reduce batch-cycle times
Some liquids can cause unstable readings on a scale due to movement, which may require time for settling. That can extend batch-process time, which leads to long cycle times and slow production. To speed up the process, with IND780batch, the user can configure the flow meter to calculate the exact amount of material to use based on pulses and volume settings. A built-in adjustment factor allows the user to adjust for the specific gravity of liquids other than water.

Certain applications may require liquid materials to be added to a location other than the scale vessel, which means the flow meter is the only means to determine the amount of product to add to the batch. To reduce batch-cycle times, users can employ a concurrent filling sequence. An example is weighing all the solid materials in a weigh hopper and adding the liquid materials into a mix hopper that sits below the weigh hopper. That allows simultaneous weighing of solids in the weigh hopper, while adding the liquids to the mix hopper.

Specifications
With the ability to control four scales or four flow meters or any combination of the two, IND780batch allows users to manage the entire batch process from a single controller, store up to 1,000 recipes with 999 materials and control ancillary equipment, including mixers or conveyors, to streamline the batch process.

IND780batch does not need a programmable logic controller or distributed control system connection; it is a fully integrated and configurable batch-control solution. For easy article recall and for tracking and tracing, a barcode scanner can be connected to the terminal. The included PC-configuration tool provides easy management of batching data on the computer and allows the user to generate predefined batch reports. It can be used for as many IND780batch terminals as necessary.