Tenfold increase in weighing accuracy for waste recycling centre

• 
• 23rd October 2008
• Recycling
 

 

LAS Recycling Ltd's material recycling facility has improved its weighing accuracy by a factor of ten and has halved the amount of time it takes to weigh processed waste thanks to Avery Weigh-Tronix's forklift truck scale.  The system also uses RF data transfer to improve data collection, recording and reporting.

The material recycling facility has a contract with Ceredigion county council to sort its recyclable waste.  LAS Recycling sorts the clear bags collected from the council's residents into different recyclable materials.  This is then either further processed or collected by other reprocessors.

Before installing the forklift truck scale, LAS Recycling would use a weighbridge to weigh its processed material.  After sorting, the waste was separated into different cages, which when full would be taken to the weighbridge by a JCB forklift and weighed.  The driver would collect a ticket from the weighbridge and would input the data into the computer system later.  Finally the cages are taken to larger bins where they are emptied. 

Says Rhys Griffiths, weighbridge operator for the materials recycling facility:  "We felt that we could improve our process.   Drivers would typically take a minute and a half to lift a cage, take it to the weighbridge, weigh it, take it to the larger collection bins and empty the contents.  On a busy day we would weigh more than 60 loads, which would also cause congestion with incoming and outgoing traffic at the weighbridge and further slow the whole process."

Accuracy was another issue, with the weighbridge recording loads to the nearest 20kg.  To save time, tare weights for the empty cages and the forklift were pre-recorded.  This further added to inaccuracies since the amount of fuel in the forklift could affect the results by up to 60kg.

Now by using the on board forklift scale LAS Recycling can lift, weigh, move and record a load in one operation.  It eliminates the need for a separate trip to the weighbridge and by using RF technology transfers the data directly into the company's ISIS software system.  It also weighs to the nearest 2 Kg and will record the cage's full and tare weight.

Says Mark Saunders, director at LAS Recycling:  "The Forklift truck scale has made a huge difference to our business.   Our revenue comes from waste delivered over the weighbridge and also from sale of the recyclable materials.  There can be a vast difference in the value of the various materials, so the weight data that we collect is extremely important. 

"Operationally we have become far more efficient and as a result have increased the capacity on site.  Most of our customers require information regarding the breakdown of the waste they deliver to us and with this system we can give them accurate and up to date information.  Also, because the forklift system interfaces directly with our computer system, data is entered automatically and discrepancies due to manual inputting are eliminated."

Avery Weigh-Tronix's forklift scale is designed for harsh operating environments   and the company claims that it is the most durable system available.

Its patented Weigh Bar® weight sensors and out-of-level compensation delivers accurate readings even when fork positions change, when wheels are on uneven surfaces or if the mast is tilted.  The heavy-duty carriage comes in a range of widths to fit any ITA class II and class III cleat type forklift truck and can be fitted with a choice of instrumentation to suit the application.

The Simulcast WI-130 indicator is mounted inside the cab.  It requires minimal space and is simple to operate with easy to read large digits on a backlit display.  It provides a simple and efficient solution for capturing, integrating and managing weight data within an organisation's management system.  The indicator stores up to 750 records and can produce data and reports in several different formats.  SimulCast WI-130 supports bar code scanners, infrared transceivers and RF communication for wireless data transfer. 

For further information about the forklift truck scale contact:  Avery Weigh-Tronix, Foundry Lane, Smethwick, West Midlands. Tel 08453 66 77 88. Email info@awtxglobal.com, or visit the company's website http://www.averyweigh-tronix.com/.

Associated Links

• Hub-4 Profile of Avery Weigh-Tronix
• Avery Weigh-Tronix Company Website