Revolutionizing Efficiency: A Pit Scale Installation Success Story

A leading manufacturer of composite pellets faced a persistent challenge in their tote-filling process. The existing system relied heavily on manual labor and outdated equipment, creating inefficiencies that slowed production and introduced costly errors. Each cycle began with a forklift hoisting an empty tote onto a standard floor scale. Operators then filled the tote with pellets, watching the scale until it hit the target weight, at which point they manually shut off the flow. Once full, the forklift returned to remove the tote, and the process repeated.

While functional, this method was far from flawless. Human oversight led to frequent overfills or underfills, wasting materials and time. Worse, forklift collisions, which are unavoidable in such a repetitive, high-traffic operation, damaged equipment, endangered operators, and caused unplanned downtime. The company knew there had to be a better way. They turned to UniFide CST, a leading scale solutions provider, to design a system that would streamline their workflow, boost accuracy, and enhance safety.

UniFide CST, with its expertise in precision weighing and automation, proposed a transformative upgrade: replacing the cumbersome floor scales and forklift-dependent process with a fully automated system built around pit scales. The plan was ambitious yet practical and included installing five pit scales embedded into the facility floor and pairing them with a cutting-edge diverter system. Instead of forklifts, totes would now roll smoothly onto the scales via a simple hand-operated system. The real game-changer? An automatic diverter, guided by Mettler Toledo’s new IND400 indicator, complete with a check-weigh app and digital input/output (DIO) capabilities.

Here’s how it works: as a tote rolls onto a pit scale, the diverter feeds it with composite pellets. The IND400 monitors the weight in real time, and when the tote reaches its programmed setpoint, the system seamlessly redirects the flow to an empty tote on the adjacent scale. Operators then wheel the full tote away and replace it with an empty one, keeping the cycle moving without interruption. No more guesswork. No more forklifts. Just precision and efficiency.

The company greenlit the project, and UniFide CST oversaw the installation of the five pit scales. Leveraging their deep knowledge of scale solutions, they ensured each scale was seamlessly integrated into the facility’s workflow, with the diverter system calibrated to switch effortlessly between totes. The Mettler Toledo IND400 served as the brain of the operation, its advanced automation eliminating the need for constant human intervention. The transition from forklifts to a roller-based system required minimal retraining, and operators quickly adapted to the intuitive, hands-on process.

The impact was immediate and profound. Human error, once a persistent headache, vanished. Overfills and underfills became a thing of the past, thanks to the IND400’s pinpoint accuracy. Safety soared as forklifts were phased out, removing the risk of collisions and protecting both workers and equipment. Downtime, previously a regular occurrence during tote swaps, was virtually eliminated. Full totes rolled off and empty ones rolled on without pausing the line.

The numbers told an even more compelling story. Fill efficiency skyrocketed, and throughput of filled totes surged, all while maintaining perfect consistency. The company saw an immediate return on investment, as the system paid for itself by slashing waste, reducing repair costs, and boosting output. What began as a quest for improvement evolved into a model of modern industrial innovation.

This pit scale installation is more than a success story, it’s a testament to the power of smart automation and expert design. By partnering with UniFide CST, a scale solutions provider renowned for precision and innovation, and leveraging advanced technology like the Mettler Toledo IND400, the company turned a flawed process into a competitive advantage. For businesses facing similar challenges in precision, safety, or efficiency, this project offers a clear lesson: the right solution doesn’t just solve problems, it redefines what’s possible.

2025

Pellet manufacturing

Pit scales and software solutions