Zemic Europe B.V. (Netherlands) - Reliable weighing solutions for the Process Industry

The Process Industry covers many areas like chemicals, food and beverage, oil and gas, cement, pharmaceuticals, etc. These industries are characterized by continuous or batch processing, where raw materials are transformed into finished products through physical or chemical processes.

In this environment, accurate and reliable weighing of bulk materials is essential for maintaining consistent product quality, optimizing efficiency, and ensuring compliance with safety and regulatory standards.

Bunkers and silo's are widely used to store large volumes of raw materials such as powders, granules, and liquids. To monitor stock levels, control dosing, and optimize process efficiency, these bunkers are often equipped with weighing systems. The most common and precise method involves the use of load cells, which measure the weight of the contents by sensing the force applied.

Zemic load cells for the Process Industry

• High accuracy and reliability
• Robust design and materials
• Compatible mounting accessories
• Easy integration with systems

Load cells in the Process Industry

Load cells are essential for measuring weight and force in industrial processes, playing a key role in quality control, process efficiency and safety. Different types of load cells, such as compression, tension, shear beam, and bending beam, are selected based on the application’s load direction, capacity and environmental conditions.

In process plants, load cells are integrated into silos, tanks, conveyors, packaging machines and weighbridges to provide real-time data for batching, dosing, filling, and inventory management. By connecting to transmitters, PLCs, or DCS systems, they enable automated operations, safety interlocks, and precise material tracking.

Examples of industries where load cells are used:

• Food and beverage: Load cells are integrated into filling machines and hopper systems to measure ingredient weights accurately during production. This guarantees recipe consistency and compliance with regulatory standards.
• Chemical manufacturing: Load cells are used in chemical reactors and mixing tanks to monitor the precise weight of raw materials and chemicals being added. This ensures the correct proportions are maintained, which is crucial for product consistency, safety, and reaction control.
• Pharmaceutical industry: Load cells are used in tablet presses and powder blending systems to control the amount of active ingredients and excipients. Accurate weight measurement ensures dosage accuracy, product quality, and regulatory compliance.
• Oil and gas: In environments exposed to harsh conditions load cells are used in tank weighing systems and pipeline monitoring to measure storage tank levels and flow rates. This helps in inventory control, leak detection, and custody transfer, ensuring accurate accounting of valuable fluids.
• Cement and minerals: Load cells are used in crushers, feeders, and conveyor belts to weigh raw material continuously. This helps optimize process control and improve efficiency by ensuring consistent material flow, accurate batching, and reduced energy consumption during production.
• Pulp and paper Industry: Load cells monitor the weight of raw pulp and chemicals added during paper production. This precise measurement helps maintain product quality, optimize chemical use and reduce waste.

With a wide range of capacities, mounting accessories, indicators and transmitters, Zemic offers trusted solutions for diverse and demanding applications.

Compression load cell in focus:

One of the most widely used load cell types in the process industry is the compression load cell, designed to measure forces applied in a straight downward direction. These are often used for weighing large containers such as silos, hoppers, and bunkers that experience vertical loading. Mounted beneath support structures, they detect the downward force of the material inside and convert it into an electrical signal.

Advantages of compression load cells:

• High accuracy and repeatability for batching, blending, and inventory management
• Large load capacity, ideal for heavy tanks, silos, and reactors
• Non-intrusive measurement that avoids issues with sticky, abrasive, or corrosive materials
• Rugged (stainless) steel construction for harsh environments
• ATEX certification is available for most models, making them suitable for use in explosive environments and ensuring compliance with the highest safety and regulatory standards.

All Zemic load cells work on the strain gauge principle: the metal body deforms slightly under load, causing bonded strain gauges to change resistance. This change is converted into a small voltage, which is then amplified and processed into a readable output. In typical installations, three or four load cells support the vessel, with their signals combined in a junction box and sent to a transmitter, which outputs standardized data for display, logging, or automated control.

Zemic's compression load cell BM14C is designed for bunker, silo, and tank weighing in demanding industrial environments. Made from stainless steel and hermetically sealed, it offers IP68 protection, ideal for wet, dusty, or washdown conditions.

Read more on our website or contact us. Our weighing experts are ready to help you!