Load cells for filling and dosing machines

Accuracy at the gram level is not the hard part. Holding that accuracy while the equipment is washed down with chemicals every day is.

Filling and dosing is the most demanding combination of precision and environment in industrial weighing. The cell has to resolve a fraction of a percent of a small load while surviving a washdown regime that would destroy most electronics.

What actually goes wrong

These are the failure modes we see repeatedly in filling and dosing installations. In most of them, better hardware would not have helped.

Chemical washdown

Alkaline and acidic detergents attack aluminium and many plastics. 316L stainless and a welded hermetic seal are the only realistic answer in a CIP environment.

Vibration from the machine

A dosing head running at speed transmits vibration into a small load cell, where the signal is small relative to the noise.

Air pressure and flow

Pneumatic conveying creates pressure fluctuations that appear as apparent load changes on a low-capacity cell.

Product residue

Build-up around the loading point changes the load path. A removable load cell with a sealing lip and a cleaning access is worth designing in from the start.

Models used in this application

These are the models our engineers usually start from for filling and dosing. The specification on each product page is the full one — no abbreviated versions.

MI-50

Miniature

50 g / 100 g / 200 g / 500 g / 1 kg / 2 kg / 5 kg

Accuracy
C6
Protection
IP65
Combined error
≤ 0.005 %F.S
Creep
≤ 0.008 %F.S
Full specification →

SP-200

Single-point

5 kg / 10 kg / 20 kg / 50 kg / 100 kg / 200 kg / 300 kg

Accuracy
C3
Protection
IP65
Combined error
≤ 0.02 %F.S
Creep
≤ 0.015 %F.S
Full specification →

Selection notes

  • 316L stainless with IP69K for anything that gets chemically hosed
  • Miniature or low-capacity single point for gram-level work
  • Vapour barrier where the cell sits above the product zone
  • Specify the sealing and cleaning regime, not just the IP rating

Filling and dosing questions

What protection do I need for a filling machine?

For a dry or washdown-only application, IP67 with a sealed junction box is usually adequate. For food, beverage and pharmaceutical lines cleaned with chemicals and hot water at pressure, IP69K with 316L stainless is the standard specification. IP67 alone will not survive a chemical washdown regime.

How do I get stable readings on a small-capacity cell?

Small cells have a low signal-to-noise ratio, so mechanical isolation matters more than filtering. A rigid mounting frame, a decoupled base plate and shielded cable will do more than any amount of digital averaging. Filtering is the last resort, not the first.

Do I need a hermetically sealed cell for CIP applications?

For clean-in-place systems, yes. A welded hermetic seal with a purged fill is what keeps moisture out over years of thermal cycling. Standard elastomer-sealed cells eventually fail in that environment.

Can the same cell handle both gross and fine weighing?

Often a machine needs two: a higher-capacity cell for the hopper inventory and a low-capacity cell at the fill point. One cell trying to do both gives you the worst of both readings. Tell us the two measurement points and we will specify each separately.

Discuss your application

Tell us the load, the environment and the signal your PLC needs. A named engineer replies within 24 hours.

Enquiry

If you already know the model, mention it. If you are not sure, describe the application and we will shortlist three options.

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