iron ore and ice weighing in extreme conditions · empty wagon and the permissible total weight to...

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Founded in 1890, the Swedish mining com-pany Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag (LKAB) mines iron ore in Kiruna, 145 kilo-meters north of the Arctic Circle. Through-out the course of a year, Kiruna is subjected to an extreme range of temperatures. It faces icy winters with temperatures as low as –40° Celsius (–40° Fahrenheit) and sum-mers during which the midnight sun heats the air to 30° Celsius (+86° Fahrenheit).

In Kiruna, LKAB runs the world’s largest and most advanced iron ore mining opera-tion. It digs high-purity magnetic iron ore from mines in the two mountains of Ki-irunavaara and Luossavaara. After extract-ing the iron ore, LKAB processes it into pel-lets the size of cherries. The small size of the pellets allows them to be melted quickly at lower temperatures.

The high-quality pellets are automatically loaded onto 68 rail wagons, each weighing 121 tons. They are then sent on a 173-kilo-meter journey through the tundra and Arc-tic landscape to the port of Narvik on Nor-way’s Atlantic coast. From there, cargo ships transport them to customers throughout the world.

Before this valuable cargo is shipped over-seas, it is weighed in Kiruna by three METTLER TOLEDO dynamic rail scales. The first scale weighs the empty wagons, the second weighs the wagons as they are filled, and the third weighs the wagons again at an unloading station.

“While the train is moving, the first scale weighs the empty wagons and transmits results to the filling station”, explains

The Arctic can be brutal on weighing equipment. When a Swedish mining company

needed vehicle scales that would stand up to this far northern climate, it turned

to METTLER TOLEDO. The solution was POWERCELL® technology with its proven ability

to weigh accurately and reliably in extreme environments.

Iron Ore and IceWeighing in Extreme Conditions

Industrial Weighing and Measuring

Mining & Aggregates

2 METTLER TOLEDO Mining & Aggregates News 6

Publisher / ProductionMettler-Toledo AGMarCom IndustrialHeuwinkelstrasseCH-8606 NänikonSwitzerland

Subject to technical changes© 08/2011 Mettler-Toledo AGPrinted in Switzerland

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es Jeff Holcomb, European Market Manager for METTLER TOLEDO vehicle scales. Holcomb negotiated the sales conditions with LKAB and worked with Lars Olsson (Sales) and Harry Koski (Service) of the METTLER TOLEDO market organization in Sweden to coordinate the delivery and installation of the scales.

The in-motion weighing system uses the difference between the weight of each empty wagon and the permissible total weight to determine how much iron ore to load into the wagons. The second scale then establishes the actual weight of each filled wagon.

LKAB must ensure that the wagons are accurately filled to the permissible total weight. If the wagons are overfilled, there is a risk that pellets could fall from the wagons during transport or that the weight could place too much strain on the track system. If the wagons are not sufficiently filled, they are not being used to their full capacity.

METTLER TOLEDO rail scales are built to handle the demands of heavy-capacity weighing in any environment. (Photo courtesy of Stephan Horlak)

The coupled in-motion scales save time by weighing individual wagons as the train travels over a weighbridge.

3METTLER TOLEDO Mining & Aggregates News 6

Webinar: How to GetMore Out of YourVehicle Scale

Find out how POWERCELL PDXload cells have revolutionizedvehicle weighing. They increaseweighing accuracy and reliabilitywhile reducing your total cost ofownership. The webinar coverslightning protection, predictivediagnostics, eliminatingdowntime, and other topics.

Visit our website to register forthe POWERCELL PDX webinar.

Best Practice

www.mt.com/powercell-webinar

While the filling operation can be moni-tored and controlled, there is no way to control the weather in the far north of Sweden. The harsh climate 145 kilome-ters north of the Arctic Circle includes temperature differences of up to 70° Cel-sius (158° Fahrenheit). This can have a huge impact on the accuracy and dura-bility of a scale.

How do the METTLER TOLEDO rail scales withstand these extreme condi-tions and continue to provide highly ac-curate weighing? “Our rail scale system is equipped with POWERCELL load cells,” says Holcomb. “POWERCELL load cells are designed in such a way that they can compensate for a total of seven different extreme weather conditions, such as se-vere cold and heat.”

Following intensive comparisons with oth-er technologies, LKAB decided to purchase rail scales from METTLER TOLEDO. Since being installed, the three rail scales have demonstrated their reliability while meet-ing the stringent demands of both the mining company and the local climate.

In Kiruna the same applies to both man and machine: exceptional conditions call for exceptional solutions. Using METTLER TOLEDO rail scales allows LKAB to master the extremes with the greatest success.

www.mt.com/vehicle

The tare scale enables LKAB to load the correct amount of iron ore into each wagon. (Photo courtesy of Stephan Horlak)

POWERCELL technology enables the scales to stand up to extreme Arctic temperatures. (Photo courtesy of Stephan Horlak)


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es Predictive DiagnosticsThe Cure to Your Weighing Problems

There’s more to your vehicle scale than meets the eye. Hidden from view beneath

the scale platform are key components such as load cells and cables.

With conventional vehicle scales, many potential problems are hidden too.

A vehicle scale that seems fine on the sur-face can be hurting your business by weighing inaccurately. With convention-al weighing technologies, you have no way of knowing when load cells are fail-ing or have failed completely. The weigh-ing errors that faulty load cells produce can go undetected for long periods, caus-ing you to lose money and customers.

POWERCELL® PDX® load cells provide the ultimate in weighing accuracy and reliability. Their unique predictive diag-nostics system goes the extra mile to keep your weighing operation up and run-ning:

• It monitors load cell performance to verify weighing accuracy.

• It adjusts weight signals to compensate for environmental conditions.

• It alerts you to potential problems.• It identifies the source of a problem to

speed up repairs.

Constant MonitoringPOWERCELL PDX load cells use a unique predictive diagnostics system to monitor the performance of the entire load cell network. It is like having a service tech-nician checking out your scale every minute of every day. The system verifies network health and identifies any com-ponents that might need attention.

All diagnostic information is at your fin-gertips 24 hours a day. By opening the

scale terminal’s diagnostic screens, you can view up-to-date data for each load cell. The system monitors supply voltage, COM voltage, temperature, calibration data, enclosure integrity, and other oper-ating parameters.

Automatic AdjustmentsThe diagnostics system uses the informa-tion it collects to maintain the highest weighing accuracy. It tracks environ-mental conditions such as temperature, hysteresis, linearity, creep, and vibration. As conditions change, the system adjusts the load cell output to compensate for those changes.

A microprocessor in each load cell uses a series of algorithms to cancel out the ef-fects of internal and external influences.

POWERCELL® PDX® Load Cell

An IND560 or IND780 scale terminal provides easy access to diagnostic data for the POWERCELL PDX load cell network.


Digital compensation enables POWERCELL PDX load cells to weigh accurately in extreme environments.

By identifying the source of a problem, the diagnostics system enables service technicians to make repairs quickly.

While conventional load cells lose accu-racy in extreme conditions, POWERCELL PDX load cells deliver the same accurate weighing in all environments.

Instant AlertsIn a conventional load cell system, load cells, cables, and junction boxes can fail. When a problem occurs, it is often hid-den from view. Weighing errors are passed on to the scale terminal and can go undetected for months. Meanwhile, the lost revenue adds up.

POWERCELL PDX load cells change all that. If there is a potential problem, the predictive diagnostics system detects it instantly and alerts you before weighing errors and downtime affect your profits. Your scale can be set up to send alerts by E-mail to the scale operator, mainte-

nance department, or local service technician so that proactive service can be performed immediately.

Identifying Problems Predictive diagnostics tools eliminate the guesswork that makes other scales hard to service. They do more than tell you when service is needed. They identify the source of the problem, providing the pre-cise information your service technician needs to make repairs quickly.

With POWERCELL PDX load cells, there are fewer problems to solve. The load cells connect to one another in a simple network that does not require junction boxes to sum the weight signals. By elim-inating hard-to-seal junction boxes, the

network eliminates the most common cause of vehicle scale failure.

Stop paying the hidden costs of conven-tional load cells and the weighing errors they produce. Let POWERCELL PDX load cells give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your vehicle scale is weighing accurately.

www.mt.com/powercell

The diagnostics system alerts you to potential problems so that you can perform proactive service.


Softw

are

If weighing is important to your bottom line, it should fit seamlessly into your business.

METTLER TOLEDO vehicle scale software works hand in hand with other business systems

to streamline the entire operation. With the right software, you can do more work and

do it more efficiently.

Vehicle Scale SoftwareComplete System Control at Your Fingertips

Vehicle Scale Software Unattended Weighing

OverDrive® SoftwareOverDrive software saves time and money by giving you complete control of your weighing operation. It simplifies weigh-ing transactions while giving you instant access to weighing data for billing, in-ventory control, and compliance.• Controls multiple scales• Generates reports and tickets• Fully customizable

Add-on ModulesBoost your profits with add-on software modules. These options add valuable ca-pabilities to the OverDrive system.• Invoicing module generates invoices

from the OverDrive database.• Credit card module accepts credit card

payments for transactions.• Video server module monitors scales

and captures images.

Unattended TerminalsUnattended driver terminals allow drivers to process their own weighing transac-tions without a scale operator on duty. They save time and money for scales in remote locations, scales that operate 24/7, and facilities with multiple scales.


Unattended Weighing Complete Scale Systems

Unattended SoftwareKeep traffic moving over your scales while collecting the weighing informa-tion that is critical to your business. Over-Drive unattended software enables unat-tended driver terminals to use the power-ful OverDrive database to process transactions quickly and store complete data for each transaction.

Weighing TerminalsOverDrive software is compatible with a variety of scale terminals, including models IND560 and IND780. These two high-performance terminals enable you to combine the unmatched accuracy and reliability of POWERCELL® PDX® load cells with the complete control of Over-Drive software.

Peripheral EquipmentOverDrive software can control the periph-eral equipment used with your vehicle scales. It enables METTLER TOLEDO to supply complete vehicle scale systems, including everything needed to process transactions and regulate traffic:• Printers• Traffic lights• Traffic loops and gates

www.mt.com/OverDrive


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Tool

s Use www.mt.com as a Resourceto Work More Efficiently

Vehicle weighing videos

Watch short video programs that show how METTLER TOLEDO uses advanced technology to protect your vehicle scale against the most common causes of unplanned downtime.

www.mt.com/vehicle-videos

Learn how accuracy protects your profits

A simple calculator demonstrates how much money you can save by using the most accurate weighing technology available. Just meeting legal requirements for accuracy might not be enough to avoid the financial uncertainty that comes with charging too much or too little for the materials you weigh.

www.mt.com/powercell-accuracy

Determine your return on investment

Find out how much money a METTLER TOLEDO truck scale can save you. Use this simple calculator to estimate the return on investment you can expect from the greater weighing accu-racy and reduced downtime of POWERCELL® PDX® technology.

www.mt.com/powercell-reliabilityFREE


See what makes POWERCELL load cells the most accurate and reliable in the world

METTLER TOLEDO revolutionized vehicle weighing more than 20 years ago with the first POWERCELL® load cell. Since that time, innovations have continued to add more value. Today, POWERCELL load cells are the world leader in accuracy and reliability.

www.mt.com/powercell

Find products to meet your specific need

If you need a truck or rail scale, if you weigh 20 loads a day or more than 300, if you weigh small trucks or massive 500t vehi-cles, METTLER TOLEDO has the right solution for your busi-ness. With a wide range of standard and custom solutions, METTLER TOLEDO is ready to help you succeed.

www.mt.com/vehicle

Download comprehensive documentation

You can download technical documents about products and en-gineering drawings for foundations and scale layouts. Full sys-tem engineering specifications are also available for your next new scale bid package.

found on individual product pages


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The cost of repairing a malfunctioning vehicle scale can be expensive. But it pales beside the cost of shutting down production while the scale is out of order. The longer the scale is down, the more the costs add up. Let’s take a look at ve-hicle scale downtime and how it affects your business.

CausesAny number of problems can put your ve-hicle scale out of commission. A weigh-ing operation can be stopped cold by a lightning strike, severed cable, faulty junction box, or damaged weighbridge. But a complete scale failure isn’t the only thing that will cause downtime.

Many older scales require frequent main-tenance to keep them weighing accurate-ly, and each service call means down-time. A scale must also be shut down for periodic recalibration. The amount of downtime depends on how often the scale needs to be recalibrated and how long it takes to recalibrate.

ResultsRegardless of what causes downtime, the result is lost money. If you buy or sell material by weight, you have two options. You can shut down completely or you can continue operating by estimating weights, assuming that is legal. Either way it will cost you.

When you shut down completely, you lose the business you cannot transact during the downtime. Don’t assume that the loss is temporary. Customers who are forced to go elsewhere to fill an order might never come back.

Estimating weights has its own risks. When you charge too little for materials, you lose money. When you charge too much, you risk losing customers.

If your scale is part of a processing or filling operation, a shutdown will affect the entire production line. Your losses can snowball as orders are not filled and work stops in other production areas.

Nothing gobbles up profits faster than downtime. It can turn a vehicle

scale that is vital to a business into a costly bottleneck. Making an

informed decision when buying a vehicle scale can help you avoid this

problem.

Don’t Let DowntimeEat into Your Profits

Unreliable vehicle scales can turn your weighing operation into a costly bottleneck.

Junction boxes are frequent causes of failure and difficult to troubleshoot.


FREE

How Much Does Downtime Cost?

Don’t be taken by surprise. Find out how much money you stand to lose if your vehicle scale is shut down temporarily.

The METTLER TOLEDO return-on- investment (ROI) calculator lets you see how much money downtime can cost you and how much POWERCELL PDX technology can save you.

Visit www.mt.com and use the ROI calculator to estimate your savings:

www.mt.com/powercell-reliability

Tips and Tricks

eliminates junction boxes, the most com-mon cause of scale failure. A built-in pre-dictive diagnostics system warns you of potential problems and makes it easy to solve them before they shut down a scale.

When purchasing a vehicle scale, look at the total cost of ownership. Downtime is potentially a big part of that cost. Choos-ing a scale with proven reliability and low maintenance costs can save you plen-ty of headaches down the road.

www.mt.com/vehicle

SolutionsThere is no way to guarantee that a vehi-cle scale will never face a shutdown. But there are ways to reduce your risk. One option is to add an extra scale. If one scale shuts down, you can keep weighing on the other one. While this helps prevent shutdowns, it is an expensive solution.

No matter how many scales you have, the best solution is to make sure they are reliable. POWERCELL® PDX® technology provides the most reliable vehicle weigh-ing available. Its unique load cell network

POWERCELL PDX Load Cell

POWERCELL PDX load cells have proven their ability to withstand the lightning strikes that cause costly repairs and downtime for conventional vehicle scales.

Revive Your Vehicle Scaleand Your Profits

Extreme environments and heavy traffic take their toll. After years of use, vehicle scales can become less accurate and require more frequent service. If the weighbridge and foundation are structurally sound, replacing a scale might not be necessary. In many cases, worn out load cells and junction boxes are the problem.

Upgrading to POWERCELL PDX load cells can give a scale a new lease on life. It provides the benefits of the latest POWERCELL PDX technology: predictive diagnostics, a watertight network, and unmatched lightning protection. An upgrade can pay for itself with the money it saves by improving weighing accuracy and lowering mainte-nance costs.

Ask your METTLER TOLEDO representative about a vehicle scale upgrade today.

www.mt.com/vehicle

Are you looking to improve your weighing operation but your budget

doesn’t allow for a new vehicle scale? An upgrade might be the answer.

Upgrading to POWERCELL® PDX® technology is a cost-effective

way to increase the accuracy and reliability of an existing vehicle scale.

A POWERCELL PDX upgrade can give new life to an old vehicle scale.

Mettler-Toledo AGCH-8606 GreifenseeSwitzerlandTel. + 41 44 944 22 11Fax + 41 44 944 30 60

For more information

www.mt.com/ind-mining www.mt.com/ind-aggregates

iron ore and ice weighing in extreme conditions · empty wagon and the permissible total weight to...

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