Tanks, wind and basketball: our May load cells news roundup
A round up of some of the interesting load cell stories we’ve spotted this month.
Have tank, will travel
Many pharma and biotech companies are now using single-use tanks, mixers and totes for specific processes, to reduce waste and downtime. These companies are also increasingly using small capacity mobile tanks, so products can literally be wheeled from one location to another.
Each tank will have instruments to weigh, measure and monitor the process with extreme precision, even when it’s being moved from one location to another. The issue was that there was the chance that the load cells weighing the content could become misaligned and require recalibration when the tank moved to another location.
According to an article in Weighing Review magazine, a European load cell manufacturer solved the issue with digital load cells that:
“Do not require mechanical overload and sideload protection, thereby eliminating the risk of the mechanical installation becoming misaligned.”
In addition to a cables data collection solution, the load cells and the tank terminal were equipped with an onboard battery backup, enabling monitoring to take place even on the move.
Got a load cell usage challenge and not sure how to solve it? Call us – we design and manufacture our own load cells here in Reading Berkshire. We’ve also helped many customers design bespoke systems and solutions to suit their specific requirements.
Wind and wild weather
As the UK looks to increase its production of offshore renewable wind energy, there is a growing need for subsea monitoring for the cables, shackles and lines that help tether wind turbines to the seabed. Load cells have been used for years at the centre of such monitoring, as
“Ongoing mooring load monitoring mitigates against the risk of underestimating loads and stresses that can cause mooring line failure and potentially serious consequences.”
Load cell monitoring also enables wind turbines to be put into the optimal position for maximum energy harvesting position. Equally, electronic monitoring reduces the need for physical inspections by divers, and gives early warnings of other issues such as displacement, erosion and oceanographic changes.
Jumping through hoops for a gig rig
As live entertainment begins (slowly) to return, a Californian rigging company had an unusual dual event rig to complete. Pop star Miley Cyrus performed in between the first and second semi-final games in the NCAA’s FINAL Four basketball tournament on 3rd April.
The venue, the Lucas Oil Stadium in Minneapolis, is big, high and strong, so overloading wasn’t a problem. However, as rigging company Cassidyrig explained:
“We had a couple of large cable bridges for audio and lighting, load cells on the structure, an elaborate set of lighting and four LED scenic wall elements and it’s absolutely vital to monitor that kind of weight.”
The positioning of the scenic walls was constantly tweaked in the week preceding the show;
“This was a 30,000 – 40,000lb structure in itself, so every change that was made, in terms of moving it slightly to gain a little elevation, needed to be accounted for. Knowing that it’s been built properly, and that weight is being distributed accordingly is vital.”
The limited access and time frame also stretched the company’s teams of riggers:
“It was a round-the-clock job with our teams working in shifts to come in and adapt the building while dealing with numerous floor obstructions: seating, camera platforms and some other sizeable structures… This was huge and time was really limited. It was an eye-opener (after being dormant for over a year) that’s for sure.”
Load cells for rigs, gigs and more
Whatever your load cell requirements, we can help. Call us to discuss your specific requirements for any project, from R&D and university research, to real-world working situations.
