Clean out your truck scale before it freezes
The days are getting shorter, the clocks have turned back and the leaves are falling. Yep, autumn is well underway and winter is just around the corner. Which means that it’s the perfect time to make plans for cleaning out your truck scale before winter sets in and the weather dips below freezing.
Truck scales are almost always outside and pretty much always used in bulk weighing scenarios. This means that not only can product accumulate under or around your scale, but you’re likely to get dirt and the aforementioned leaves too. If this debris freezes, it can make your truck scale completely inoperable by locking critical suspension components or joints designed to flex, impacting accuracy and functionality.
Before your first freeze, it’s very important to make sure your truck scale is clean and clear of debris. Look under your scale and clear out debris with a hose or pressure washer. Ensure that your I-beams are clear of any dirt and debris to prevent deterioration. Check the clearance between the end of your scale and the approach bulkhead to ensure that there are no trapped debris. Finally, inspect the edges of your scale deck by lifting any t-stripping and clearing away dirt and rocks that may have become trapped.
No time to do a thorough cleaning? Or don’t have the right people or ones who are willing to do it? Contact Cross Precision Measurement. We have over 80 years of experience with truck scales so you can count on us to make sure your scale is clean and weighing accurately.
Monitoring Recirculated Water in Cooling Towers
Cooling towers are an essential element in many industries, removing heat from manufacturing processes and industrial machinery. In order to make sure the cooling tower is free of leaks and running efficiently, recirculated water – both make-up water and blowdown water – should be monitored.
A conductivity meter, like those from Cross partner M4Knick, can help measure the amount of dissolved solids in the recirculating water. When the conductivity exceeds a predetermined threshold, blowdown water is drained and replaced with make-up water. Both blowdown and make-up water can be measured with specifically designed water flow meters, like those from Cross partner Flomec.
In fact, the Federal Energy Management program from the Department of Energy suggests:
“Install flow meters on make-up and blowdown lines. Check the ratio of make-up flow to blowdown flow. Then check the ratio of conductivity of blowdown water and the make-up water (handheld conductivity meters can be used to determine the relative mineral concentration of the recirculating and make-up water). These ratios should match the target cycles of concentration. If both ratios are not about the same, check the tower for leaks or other unauthorized draw-off. If the system is not operating at, or near, the target cycles of concentration, check system components including conductivity controller, make-up water fill valve, and blowdown valve.”
(https://www.energy.gov/femp/best-management-practice-10-cooling-tower-management)
The process experts at Cross can help you specify conductivity meters and flow meters for your new cooling towers or retrofit existing ones. Contact us today to discuss how we can ensure the efficiency of your recirculating water.
What's New at Cross
New Pressure Transmitter and Vortex Meter Partner: Azbil
Cross Process Solutions is also pleased to announce our partnership with Azbil North America, a division of Azbil Corporation. Azbil, formerly known as Yatanabe Corporation, was founded in 1906 and produces measurement and control technology for buildings and industrial automation.
In particular, Azbil’s differential pressure transmitters are highly advanced, well made and their two way communication enables self-diagnosis, range resetting, and automatic zero adjustment operations.
Azbil’s vortex flow meters also stand out for their superior technology and quality workmanship. With no moving parts, they need little maintenance and repair and can be used to measure liquids, gases and steam. Watch this video to learn the theory of vortex meters and the features and benefits of the Azbil line.
Planning your holiday shutdown? Consider a tool & gage sweep from Cross Precision Measurement
Watch this Chalk Talk from Cross Precision Measurement (formerly J.A. King) to see what’s involved in a tool sweep
A tool sweep is simple and it can be time consuming, but it ensures you’re audit-ready with a clean, correct slate. If you’re planning a shutdown during the holidays, that’s an ideal time to ask Cross Precision Measurement to come in. We spread out across your operation, opening every drawer and looking into every corner for tools and measurement equipment.
Once a piece of equipment is found, we compare it against your calibration record. If necessary, we update the location in our GageSuite® calibration software so you can be sure to find it again during your audit. We also verify its calibration certificate is up to date. If it’s not, we can calibrate it for you to ensure everything is current for the auditor.
Did you know?
Cross creates custom software for scale indicators
In many chemical manufacturing facilities, scales are critical to quality, productivity and revenue. A scale indicator is the smarts behind the scale. Indicators connect to one or multiple scales and, at their simplest, provide the operator with weight information.
However, this is just a fraction of what a scale controller can do. They can also:
- Record weight and other identifying information about a weighment locally
- Transmit that data to ERP and/or quality systems for record keeping and billing
- Control complex processes like:
- Automatically blend or batch ingredients for precise recipe formulation
- Monitor liquid or gas filling
- Precision dosing
- Truck scale unattended kiosks and much more…..
In fact, the most advanced of them control multiple processes so are more properly called scale controllers. Cross has over 75 years of experience programming scale controllers to do precisely what an application calls for. From custom truck scale kiosks to multiple fiber blending lines and everything in between, our software engineers work with customers to understand their process and then program the controller to work efficiently and effectively.
Do you have an existing scale/controller combination but your process has changed so it’s no longer effective? Cross’s software engineers can work with you to update the controller’s programming to match your current process. We have experience with a wide range of brands and their programming languages. Give us a call if your scale system needs to be updated.
Cross Provides Tangible Value for You
Improve Efficiency
Increasingly volatile prices of feedstock and energy mean that chemical producers are looking to control costs wherever they can. The new 10% overpressure pressure/vacuum relief valve from Cross partner GROTH helps reduce costly product evaporative loss due to normal tank “breathing.”
Different from many traditional vents, which need to be 100% open to achieve the full psi, these vents are able to achieve the same flow capacity with a far lower psi. This leads to better performance at lower cost than pilot-operated vents. They can also be paired with a flame arrestor for applications with explosive concerns.
Raise Quality
As calibration providers, we know how critical record keeping is for both quality and compliance. Cross’s award-winning, cloud-based calibration software GageSuite® is user friendly and available anywhere.
It’s also ideal for visibility of multiple production locations. Whether those are across the street or across the country, GageSuite® allows you to track every gage and ensure that all of them are within calibration, with one single log-in.
Improve Efficiency
Sometimes the little things can make your work just a bit easier. Like the new CSR 425 retractable holder for ball valves from Cross partner M4Knick. Designed specifically to work with 1″ process connections, it allows for the easy insertion and retraction of pH sensors under process conditions.
The CSR 425 is ideal for quick-disconnect sensors. You will never have to pull the cable completely through the fitting when changing out the sensor. It also allows you to easily replace old sensor technology as well as an option for applications requiring insertion depths of up to 11.5″.
