Automated Fill of Mixing Containers

batching in mixing containers

Sterling, IL June 15, 2018:  Sterling Systems & Controls, Inc. is pleased to announce the design, manufacture and availability of a customized automated ingredient batching fill system for three different size mixing containers. The carts that the ingredient system batches into will be directly connected to a “container mixer”. The Sterling Systems’ automation was custom designed and manufactured to provide for the automated fill of mixing containers.

Items included in this customized automation system includes three (3) transfer/mixing scale carts (each a different size capacity) with structural frame, two (2) single scale control panels with Allen Bradley PanelView Plus operator interface terminals and CompactLogix PLC’s (one located at each end of system), two (2) VFD (variable frequency drive) electrical control panels (one located at each end of system), and one (1) common PLC system panel. The eight (8) ingredient feeders and bins were provided by others. Sterling Systems’ automation controls the batching process by operating the two-stage feeders as required, and therefore controls the automated fill of mixing containers.

Operation

Two (2) transfer/scale carts start their travel during the batching process from points at opposite ends of the system from each other. Once the first cart that begins its travel completes its collection of batched ingredients, including automatic and semi-automatic hand adds, the second cart is automatically controlled to then begin its travel to collect its batch of ingredients. When a cart completes its batching cycle it is then manually removed and brought to the mixer where it is connected and the mixing process begins.  Once mixing is complete the contents of the cart are emptied downstream in the overall process and the cart returned to the ingredient filling system for the next batch. This system provides an expandable solution for automatically batching formulas with multiple dry ingredients.  The system indexes the mixer containers to the proper locations, then automatically controls the feeders and weighs each ingredient into the mixer container that is sitting on the transfer/scale cart(s), in a gain-in-weight fashion.

The Sterling Systems & Controls automation system also tightly interfaces with a “corporate system” and provides for remote supervisory control using Sterling’s WebCentral™ application. Sterling Systems & Controls, Inc. has 40+ years of experience providing efficient solutions for process equipment, batching, micro, minor and bulk weighing, bag unloading systems, as well as plant automation.  Sterling Systems’ designs utilize the latest technology to provide specialized data management, raw material management, along with production data tracking.  For more information contact Sterling Systems & Controls at 1-815-625-0852 sci@sterlingcontrols.com, and at www.sterlingcontrols.com.