Weighing Solutions for New SOLAS Requirements

Starting July 1, 2016 the SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) Treaty will require all ISO containers to have a verifiable gross mass entered into the ship’s manifest prior to loading. This international treaty amendment comes in the wake of several at-sea disasters resulting from overweight and improperly balanced containers; impacting the loading of all containers at all ports world-wide, container shippers are ultimately responsible for verifying and providing the gross mass number.

We have a wide variety of scale equipment from Rice Lake Weighing Systems to help you with compliance, offering several turnkey solutions that are straightforward and worry-free. The industry preferred and recommended method for verifying ISO containers mass is to weigh the entire container, once sealed, to provide a total verified mass, with the added benefit of relevant center of gravity and container balance data. Rice Lake offers several products that make this possible, including:

  • Twist lock sensors for crane spreaders and mobile equipment attachments
  • Load pin and load sensor solutions integrated into overhead cranes
  • Below-the-hook crane scale and tension link solutions
  • Forklift scales
  • Truck scales and rail scales
  • And much more

These products can integrate into existing port handling equipment and management systems, providing minimum interruption to operations and seamless merging of data.

Starting July 1, 2016, unverified containers cannot be legally loaded. Failure to comply will result in fines and penalties throughout the logistics chain as well as costly delays and interruptions. Don’t let this happen to you – contact us today to discuss options to ensure compliance with this new treaty amendment.

Intercomp HH400 Handheld Indicator Now Available

Intercomp Scales continues its history of continuous innovation and product improvement with the latest update to their HH400™ Handheld Indicator.

INTERCOMP HH400 now available

Previously known as the TL-RFX™ Indicator, it was the go-to choice for Intercomp’s TL™ Series Tension Link Scales. Now with added features such as output to RFX™ enabled wireless printers, memory storage, and RS232 output, the HH400™ Handheld Indicator available from Central Carolina Scale is ideal for monitoring and controlling CS™ and TL™ Series Crane and Tension Link Scales, as well as PT™ and LP™ Portable Wheel Load Scales from up to 300′ (90m).

With three display modes, it allows simultaneous viewing of data from up to four scales from a large, graphic display in an IP65 ergonomically designed housing. These state-of-the-industry features make this NTEP certified indicator an ideal solution for any weighing application requiring remote monitoring and control of up to four scales.

intercomp scales hh400 hand held weight readout

Additionally, an industry standard for wireless weight monitoring, Intercomp’s “Handheld Weighing Indicator,” has also been renamed the HH60™ Handheld Indicator. A proven indicator for applications requiring the monitoring of up to six scales, it also features memory storage with a RS232 port for data transfer, is capable of controlling scale functions remotely, and is NTEP certified providing users a choice between handheld wireless indicators.

Other wireless indicator options available from Intercomp include IntercompWeigh™ Software, PT20™ self-enclosed CPU, and apps to control and monitor scales from iPhone®, iPod® and iPad®.

Intercomp Company is an ISO 9001:2008 registered weighing and measurement solutions manufacturer based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota with offices in the United States and the United Kingdom, proudly serving the Industrial, Racing, ITS/Enforcement, Aviation, Military, Agriculture, and Mining and Aggregate industries worldwide.

Central Carolina Scale, Inc located in Sanford, NC has been in business over three decades and its employees have over 90 years of combined experience in weighing equipment sales and service but even with all that experience, the staff still trains regularly via both on the job training and factory supplied training. This one of the reasons why Central Carolina Scale has firmly established itself as a leader in the scale industry.

It’s also one of the reasons that many of the top scale manufacturers in the United States like Rice Lake Weighing Systems, Cardinal Scale Manufacturing, Doran Scales, Intercomp, and Avery Weigh-Tronix rely on Central Carolina Scale to distribute and service their scale equipment. Contact the sales department, (919) 776-7737 or visit centralcarolinascale.com

Load Cell Kit For Weighing Tanks and Vessels

Cardinal Scale Manufacturing has a wide variety of Made in America load cell kits which allow you transform almost any vessel or platform into an integrated weighing system. A few simple things need to be considered when choosing the right system. We’ll also discuss the proper installation and setup methods to use.

Whether utilizing beam, tension, or compression cells in either analog or hydraulic configurations, Cardinal load cell kits give you flexible options to help solve many weighing applications.

To determine the total capacity of the system, you first need to know the total weight of the structure that the load cell stands will be supporting (dead load).

Add the anticipated maximum system live load to the actual dead load, and that total will be the necessary minimum system capacity. Normally, you want to divide this total by the number of load cells and then go up to the next largest size available load cell.

For example, let’s say a tank has an empty weight of 22,000 lb and an anticipated live load of 100,000 lb for a total combined load of 122,000 lb. Using four load cell stands, each cell will be seeing 30,500 pounds of anticipated weight. We would normally use a 50,000 pound load cell in this application. Since many times these systems are under a continual long-term load it is not uncommon for load cells to be almost twice the necessary capacity in order to help reduce signal creep.

load cell kit for weighing tanks

Installation of load cell kits begin by determining if the floor (in the case of stand assemblies) or the building structure (for tension systems) is strong enough to bear the anticipated load. If not, piers or footings may be needed or additional support structures added. For all overhead suspension type systems, safety chains must be provided locally to bear any anticipated load due to component failure.

After the system is assembled, it is necessary to make sure that all of the load cells are taking equal dead load to the extent that it is possible. After the millivolt readings are as close as possible, secure the load cell stand assembles. Grouting the stands in place is the preferred method for long-term accuracy.

Most Cardinal Scale load cell stand kits come with checking designed into the stand itself. Depending on the device, some applications may require additional checking. Mixers and blenders are examples of devices that may need additional checking. Also, very tall tanks or hoppers may require additional restraints due to wind load on the structure.

Many systems using load cell kits require the connection of electrical supply or control wiring, as well as pipes and supply augers. Discharge chutes or pipes are used to get material out of the tank or hopper. It is very important to understand that anything connected to the scale structure must be installed with flexible couplings so that no path is present for force to be shunted off to ground during the weighing process. The more items that are connected to the structure the harder it is to get accurate weights.

For more information, contact the sales team at Central Carolina Scale (919) 776-7737