Continuous Panel Scale CONTI-SCALE X

Often the panel weight for evaluation of the density cannot be measured.

For many years finished panels have been weighed by a mechanical weigh scale. The weight most times will be converted to average panel density by adding the thickness values. The weigh scale consists of a belt conveyor located on typically four load cells. These load cells contain bimetals which generate a voltage depending on the force. This force will be converted to display the weight. To avoid dynamic influence on the measurement results the conveying of the panel must be stopped during weighing. This is not always possible, for example, if there is not enough time for stopping the panel. This case requires the panel to be weighed during conveying. This requires a length of the mechanical scale construction of about 1.5 times the maximum panel length. In modern panel production lines these conditions lead to several limitations. Besides space limitations it becomes impossible to accurately weigh short or thin and, therefore, light panels – it simply is not possible. Comparatively it is the same to weigh a ship with and without the captain to find out the captains weight. Example: The weight of a mechanical scale is 2.000kg [4,400lbs]. The accuracy will be about +/- 40kg [88lbs]. A thin panel can have a weight of only 40kg [88lbs]. That means an inaccuracy of 100% (!). This problem provided motivation for EWS to search other methods of weight analysis for panel production. Finally there was the idea to develop the non-contact weigh scale CONTI-SCALE X. The users of CONTI-SCALE X are excited – not only because the little space of 335mm [13.2”] required for installation, not only because of continuous panel weighing, not only because thin, light panels can be measured with high accuracy, but also because the area-weight distribution cross and lengthwise of the panel is shown.