Producers face the difficult challenge of transforming ingredients measured by weight into products sold by volume. Product quality depends on meeting tight measurement tolerances. Even a 0.5% inaccuracy can result in a product that does not meet spec.
Consistent, high-quality concrete is impossible to produce without reliable measurement technology. There's one aspect that is common to all mixes: The ingredients must be measured precisely. Fortunately, manufacturers have introduced a wide range of scales and associated products that are more accurate and user-friendly than ever. New features include touch-screen controls, compact design, LED readouts, analytic tools, and even wireless data transfer.
In today's economy, the producer's ability to tighten operations is crucial to being efficient and profitable. With the computer technology available, installing accurate weighing equipment offers a fast payback on a capital investment.
For more information on the following scales and measurement technologies, circle the numbers on the reader service card. Or if you plan to attend the World of Concrete, Feb. 3–6 in Las Vegas, we've provided booth numbers, which were correct at time of publication.
Digital weight indicator
The 210FE digital weight indicator features an extra large display that truck drivers can see when loading over a scale or at the scale house. They can control it remotely or directly from the driver's seat. The 15-in.-wide x 9.7-in.-high enclosure is made of rugged stainless steel for the harshest environments. Its 2.24-inch-high LED digits and giant key sizes are ideal for gloved fingers. Cardinal Scale. 800-441-4237. www.cardinalscale.com.WOC booth #N1070
Weighing wheel loaders
The WLS-1 is an on-board weighing management tool for wheel loaders. The system allows load accuracy within 1% without stopping the loader or bucket to capture a weight. This optimizes truck loading, reduces trips to a scale, and avoids overloads, underloads, and costly fines. An LCD display provides easy monitoring, load collection and storage, products, customer data, and more. Rice Lake Weighing Systems. 800-472-6703. www.ricelake.com.WOC booth #N3260
Weighing admixtures
The Model AC Concrete Admixture Metering system weighs admixtures using electronic load cells rather than volumetric flow meters. One scale pre-weighs multiple admixtures into separate scale cylinders. This electronic load cell technology is available with up to 3000 resolutions for precise metering accuracy of +/-0.1% maximum weight. Advanced Concrete Technologies. 603-431-5661. www.concretebiz.com.WOC booth #N237
Portable beam scales
The Twin Beam TB830 Scale uses an independent twin beam design for easy positioning. Its steel construction has floor mounting tabs for permanent installation in conveyor line weighing applications. The U-Beam US840 Scale's accurate and lightweight design is ideal for easy positioning, storage, and transporting to hard-to-reach locations. These portable beam scales have capacities up to 10,000 lb. Intercomp. 800-328-3336. www.intercompcompany.com.
Smart control system
Smart-Touch STC touch screen concrete batch control system is designed to help small to mid-size producers gain tighter control over mix accuracy, repeatability, and quality. It features integrated scale control and a control pad that enables users to store up to 10 batching recipes. The system installs directly on the plant floor to save space and costs. Advanced Control Systems. 603-373-6400. www.acscontrols.biz.WOC booth #N1166
