Weighbridges are exposed to extreme conditions brought on by their environment and application, and the mining industry is no exception. These conditions can lead to issues with scale reliability and ultimately downtime, resulting in long lines, lost business and out-of-pocket repair costs. Many facility managers consider those costs to be a normal part of owning a weighbridge, but you can avoid them. As advances are made with each new generation of weighbridge technology, they are becoming increasingly more reliable.
Traditionally the main causes of weighbridge downtime can be attributed to the load cell system and problems brought on by the scales environment. Unfortunately, load cells are an unavoidable piece of equipment necessary for a weighbridge to operate. With typical full-length weighbridges requiring six to 12 load cells, there are many opportunities for something to go wrong. For this reason choosing the right product is important to help avoid hidden costs.
Cables are an important part of any load cell system, connecting the various components and transferring the captured weight readings from each cell finally to the indicator. Cables can contribute to reliability issues and downtime if they are not properly protected from the elements. Products with stainless-steel braided sheathing are available to protect cables from damaging environments and rodents. Additionally, consider a load cell system with detachable cables. Unlike systems with cables that are permanently connected, if damage is done to a single cable it can be replaced quickly and for a fraction of the cost of a new load cell.
Weighbridges are naturally prone to lightning strikes due to their environments. Although most weighbridges have grounding features, when lightning strikes it can cause damage to the load cell system. If your operation is located in an area that frequently experiences severe weather, it would be beneficial to shop for options that offer improved lightning protection.
One of the leading causes of scale breakdowns and poor reliability is junction boxes. Most traditional load cell systems require a junction box. Their function is to connect the cables from each load cell sensor and transmit the weight readings to the terminal for summation. However, the connections made with the junction box can be easily compromised by moisture and corrosion. When a connection with a junction box is compromised, it can cause inaccurate weight readings and breakdowns. While many scale companies have tried to effectively seal junction boxes from moisture, it has been proven over time that this is not possible. Servicing a junction box requires that it is open, and inevitably condensation will get in the box and eventually erode key components. To avoid many of the hidden expenses associated with poor weighbridge reliability, look for load cell systems without junction boxes.