EN
Industrial silos are used across a wide range of sectors — grain storage, chemical processing, cement production, food manufacturing, and plastics — to hold large volumes of bulk solids or liquids. Knowing the precise weight of contents at any given moment is fundamental to three critical operations: inventory management, mixing ratio control, and filling/discharge management.
Traditional level-measurement approaches such as ultrasonic sensors, radar, or mechanical float systems measure volume, not weight — and because bulk material density is rarely uniform, volume readings translate poorly into accurate mass figures. When the process demands accurate batching, controlled discharge rates, or real-time inventory valuation, weight-based measurement is the only reliable solution.
The customer needed a robust, weather-resistant silo weighing system capable of operating continuously outdoors, handling capacities from low-tonnage pilot silos up to full-scale 50-ton production vessels — all while delivering the accuracy required for process control rather than just rough stock estimation.
SOP's silo load cell and weigh module system was designed from the ground up to solve the specific challenges of vessel weighing. As shown in the installation photograph, the weigh module is bolted directly to the silo's structural support leg — a standard three-leg or four-leg mounting that converts the silo into a self-contained weighing platform with no modifications to the vessel itself. Key reasons the customer chose SOP:
• Scalable capacity from low to 50 tons — a single product family covers pilot vessels through full production silos, simplifying procurement and spares management
• Direct-mount weigh modules — bolt-in installation on existing silo legs; no civil works, no vessel modifications, minimal downtime during retrofit
• High accuracy in outdoor conditions — alloy steel housing, IP65 sealing, and compensated electronics maintain ±0.03% accuracy across wide temperature swings
• Overload & side-load protection — internal mechanical stops protect the load cell from surge loads during filling and from wind-induced lateral forces on exposed outdoor silos
• Full compatibility with SOP indicators & transmitters — plug-and-play connection to SOP's SOP054/SOP220/SOP800 series indicators for local display, 4–20mA output, or fieldbus integration
The weigh module design ensures that the load cell sees only the vertical load component — a critical requirement for accurate silo weighing, where wind loading, thermal expansion, and pipe connections can otherwise introduce significant measurement error.
01 |
Silo contents exert downward force on support legs — each leg fitted with one SOP weigh module |
02 |
Load cells convert mechanical force to millivolt signals proportional to the weight on each leg |
03 |
Signals from all legs are summed by a junction box and transmitted to the SOP weight indicator / transmitter |
04 |
Indicator displays net weight of contents in real time (tare of vessel structure is zeroed out at commissioning) |
05 |
Output signal (4–20mA / RS485 / fieldbus) feeds PLC/SCADA for automated filling, discharge, batching, or inventory logging |
Parameter |
Value |
Note |
Application |
Silo content weighing |
Solids & liquids, all industries |
Capacity range |
Low tonnage to 50 tons |
Scalable across silo sizes |
Load cell accuracy |
±0.03% of rated capacity |
Process-grade precision |
Protection rating |
IP67 / IP68 |
Outdoor & washdown environments |
Installation |
Bolt-on weigh modules |
No vessel modification required |
Output options |
4–20mA / RS485 / fieldbus |
Direct PLC / SCADA integration |
Following system commissioning, the customer achieved real-time inventory visibility across all silo vessels, replacing manual dip-stick checks and reducing stock discrepancies. The 4–20mA outputs were integrated directly into the plant SCADA system, enabling automated filling valves to shut off at target weight setpoints — eliminating overfill incidents and improving material consumption accuracy for downstream batching.
SOP's load cell and weigh module range has been deployed on silos across the food, chemical, cement, and plastics industries. The system's design philosophy prioritises three things: accuracy in real-world field conditions, ease of installation on existing structures, and long-term reliability with minimal maintenance.
• Capacity options: 500 kg to 50 tons per weigh module — mix and match for any vessel size
• Material: alloy steel or stainless steel load cell body — suited to food-grade and corrosive chemical environments
• Temperature compensation: factory-calibrated across -10°C to +60°C for outdoor four-season operation
• Hermetically sealed sensing element — no moisture ingress, no drift in humid or wet environments
• Compatible with SOP indicators (SOP054, SOP220, SOP800, SOP920) and third-party weight transmitters
• OEM / custom capacity and mounting configurations available on request
Whether you need to weigh a single pilot silo or build a multi-vessel automated batching system, SOP's load cell and weigh module range provides a proven, scalable foundation. Contact us to discuss capacity, installation configuration, and integration with your control system.
Load Cell Product Range: https://www.sopsensors.com/load-cell
Load Cell Indicators: https://www.sopsensors.com/load-cell-indicator
Contact SOP for a Custom Solution: https://www.sopsensors.com/contact
