Applications Load Cell | Automatic Filling Machine

Automatic Bottle Filling Machine Sensors | FUTEK

One of the major automation engineering challenges in the food, beverage, pharmaceuticals or chemical industry is to ensure that bag packaging and bottle filling meets the stated weight, both to minimize waste and meet regulatory requirements.

Beverage manufacturers recognize that bottle overfilling can cause enormous production losses. Reducing overfill by just one gram or milliliter per bottle can save thousands of dollars per year, per production line. Hence, engineers and production managers need accurate sensor solutions that allow for precise weight and load measurement and filling closed-loop control systems on automatic filling machines.

Though several methods and sensors for checking fill levels exist, the physical weight is the most important process variable than even mass, density, level, or volume. By weighing the bottle, the control system is basically “counting molecules”, given that each atom has its own weight. Additionally, weight measurement is not influenced by differences in liquid density, temperature, viscosity or material aeration. None of these variables affects the final product weight.

The alternative solution is the conventional volumetric automatic bottle filling machine (aka automatic liquid filling machine), which controls the flow valve based on volume. The drawback with the volumetric method is that the material conditions can affect the final weight. Thus, switching from a volumetric filler to a weighing filler makes economic sense, given that the latter will provide the control system with higher filling accuracy irrespective of the type of material or its physicochemical conditions.

How it Works

An LSM Series Load Cell is mounted inline below a platform supporting a container being filled.
As the container is filled, the LSM series sensor weighs the fluid dispensed into the container.
The weight signal from the LSM series sensor is sent to an IDC305 Digital Controller(SPI signal), IPM650 Digital Display (Amplified Analog Signal), or IAA series Analog Amplifier (Amplified Analog Signal) to convert the signal and send it to a compatible PLC or microcontroller.
The PLC or microcontroller reads in the signal and shuts off the dispenser when the correct weight of fluid is dispensed.
In addition to a low non-linearity and non-repeatability, the LSM series sensor exhibits minimal creep and has built-in overload protection to protect the sensor from unforseen accidents.
Creep is the drift of a load cell’s output when a fixed load is applied. This means that the LSM series sensor is minimally affected by the platform and container weights, maximizing accuracy.
Lastly, FUTEK offers OEM solutions for the LSM series load cells that offer I2C, RS232, and UART signal outputs.
This level of precision is also key in chemical and pharmaceutical applications compounding processes, where it is crucial to monitor the dosage rate of the various components to maintain a precise chemical ratio.