Comparison of Different Electronic Belt Scale Structures: Why Suspended Electronic Belt Scales are More Accurate

Electronic belt scales are efficient metering devices installed on belt conveyors for continuous dynamic weighing. They are widely used in scenarios with belt conveyors, such as in construction materials, cement, steel, and other industries. Particularly, advancements in microelectronics and network information technology have significantly promoted the development of dynamic weighing technology for belt scales.

The weighing process of electronic belt scales is dynamically completed as the belt conveyor operates. This process is more complex than static weighing, with numerous factors influencing its accuracy, including belt speed, conveyor conditions, belt tension, ambient temperature, conveyor vibration, as well as the installation, maintenance, and calibration of the belt scale itself. Apart from these conditions, the performance, structure, and quality of the electronic belt scale also have important impacts. Among these, the scale frame structure is a crucial aspect. When using the same sensors, instruments, and environmental conditions, different scale frame structures can achieve significantly different levels of accuracy, and the scale frame structure is the main aspect that distinguishes between different types of belt scales.

The belt scale frame is a device that transmits the weight of the material on the belt to the weight sensors, serving as the first crucial step in the material weighing process. This step plays a decisive role in the overall performance of the belt scale. Common scale frame structures include lever-type, cantilever-type, and suspended-type. Lever-type scales are further divided into single-lever and double-lever types. Cantilever-type scales have gradually been phased out due to their insufficient accuracy and stability. Lever-type belt scales are still commonly used, but single-lever types are less common, with double-lever types being more prevalent. Currently, the increasingly recognized and newer type is the suspended electronic belt scale.

Single-lever belt scales feature a scale frame with only one set of weighing levers, supporting one or several sets of weighing idlers. This structure is simple and easy to install but lacks precision in measurement, especially for single-idler scales, making them unsuitable for high-precision metering applications. They are only used in economically applicable scenarios where the material value is low.

Double-lever scale frames consist of two symmetrical sets of weighing levers, each supporting one or several sets of weighing idlers. This structure, with its symmetrical levers, can cancel out some horizontal forces (such as belt tension and lateral forces) during the weighing process. Therefore, it is characterized by higher measurement accuracy, uniform force distribution, and greater stability. However, the disadvantages of this scale frame structure are its complexity, bulkiness, and difficult installation.

Suspended scale frames are structures where the weighing idler groups are directly connected to the weighing sensors, also known as "three-no" scale frames (no levers, no fulcrums, no counterweights). Unlike lever structures with force transmission links, the direct load-bearing design reduces force transmission steps, avoiding force losses that affect measurement results and ensuring high accuracy. Suspended weighing structures also come in single-idler and multi-idler configurations. The former is known as a directly load-bearing single-idler scale frame, characterized by simple structure and easy installation, but its measurement accuracy is lower than that of multi-idler suspended scale frames.

Many manufacturers currently use directly load-bearing single-idler scale frames in combination to form a modular multi-idler suspended scale frame. This modular design leverages the advantages of the directly load-bearing single-idler scale frame while avoiding its disadvantages, significantly improving measurement accuracy and stability. Additionally, each unit operates independently.

In summary, electronic belt scales have diverse scale frame structures, each with its own advantages. However, suspended scale frames, characterized by simple structure, easy installation and maintenance, high accuracy, and good stability, have become the development and application trend of electronic belt scales. The multi-idler modular suspended scale frame, composed of directly load-bearing single-idler scale frames, is a highlight among suspended scale frames.