Multiple Scales are Better

In micro/minor/bulk ingredient weighing and batching systems the use of multiple scales, while somewhat more expensive, is a far superior choice compared to the single scale rollover hopper “tub” designs. This is always a question … why use multiple scales when one rollover tub will do? Let’s clear this up once and for all. Why is it best to use multiple scales (scale hoppers or conveyor scales) rather the single scale roller tub.

We have expertise and have designed and manufactured systems using either single rollover scale or multiple scales.  We always prefer to use the multiple scale designs for the following reasons:

1. Batching speed. This is extremely important. The manufacturers that recommend the rollover tub or rotary tub design do not talk about the speed of the design because weighing one ingredient at a time is very slow when making batches of several ingredients, never mind up to twenty-eight or more ingredients. The multiple scale designs can weigh ingredients and produce a complete batch much faster.   These ingredient batching systems can match your desired batch cycle time and increase in production throughput with using two, three, four or more scales independently or combined together in part in any manner. Once a formula and its ingredient usages are known the batch cycle time can easily be calculated.
2. Isolating Scale(s) from Support Frame.  Many rotary or rollover tub scale designs have the tub/scale mechanically attached and suspended from the bin structure (see picture above). This means you cannot be walking around on the platform above the tub scale filling feeder bins or doing anything else.  The above picture is of a rotary tub design with tub load cells attached to a bracket from the upper bin feeder structure.
3. More Accurate and Smaller Load Cells.  The measurement accuracy of each weighment is going to be better with a multiple scale design.  The rollover or rotary tub scale is much larger and heavier than each of the individual hoppers in the multiple hopper design. Therefore the load cells in the rollover design are larger to accommodate the heavier weight of the roll over scale structure even before feeding each ingredient into the tub. This means a lower accuracy (more error)( in the rollover tub design. Dust is not an issue. This is more related to how the ingredient material feeder connects and dumps into the scale tub or multiple scale hoppers.  Designs featuring multiple scales use feeders that are isolated from and attached to the scale hoppers by use heavy-duty “dust socks”, and the same is done for each scale hopper discharge to the conveyor system. Dust socks do not effect measurements as they are loose and not stretched tight (see picture).