FMS help take a weight off your mind

Swiss manufacturer looking to bring BMGZ-series belt scales to more bulk handling markets across Europe

OVER the past 25 years, Swiss engineering firm FMS (Force Measuring Systems) have quietly established their belt scale as one of the most robust and accurate solutions available for measuring material flow in applications where continuity of operations really matters. Today, the company’s BMGZ-series belt scales are used at bulk materials handling sites across Europe, including quarries, gravel works and loading stations.

Unlike with rival belt scales, the FMS belt scale’s speed sensor is housed inside the measuring roller with no exposed cables, thereby greatly reducing the risk of damage and disruption due to debris and/or local climate conditions, and, in turn, helping to maintain uninterrupted conveyor belt operation.

According to FMS, this design provides unparalleled accuracy. Scales that do not have the BMGZ’s integrated speed sensor typically use a friction wheel which is exposed to the elements, susceptible to contamination and relies on a spring-loaded lever for contact with the conveyor. This can result in slippage that makes speed measurements and, as a consequence, calculated flow rates less reliable.

Despite the advantages of their BMGZ belt scales, Zürich-based FMS remain much better known for their engineering excellence in other markets. They are, for example, a world leader in web tension measurement and web guiding solutions used in the manufacture of foil, paper, textiles, cable, wire, rope and cloth, but the best-in-class force-measuring bearings utilized in these solutions are also at the heart of their BMGZ belt scales.

One company that has discovered FMS belt scales in recent years is Holcim Schweiz AG, a subsidiary of LafargeHolcim Ltd. Nine BMGZ-series scales are in use at their Hüntwangen gravel plant in Switzerland, where head of maintenance Walter Rutschmann says the BMGZ scales have turned out to be particularly robust and reliable. ‘Since initial start-up, we have not experienced any failures at all,’ he remarked. ‘They ensure maintenance-free operation, which is particularly important to me in saving resources and costs.’

Based on this and other similar successes, FMS say they are now on a mission to bring their belt scales to more markets across Europe, and spearheading this move in the UK is business development manager Sertan Osman. He said: ‘Many of our belt scales have been in continuous use for more than 20 years and have proved to be incredibly durable. As a result, we’ve got a core of very satisfied loyal customers in the bulk materials industries. This tells us we’ve got a solution more companies need to hear about.’

BMGZ-series scales are available in a range of roller widths and their galvanized mounting frames feature extendable steel legs and slotted end plates for fine-tuning of their position, making them compatible with all conveyer types and sizes in both stationary and mobile applications. Moreover, Ethernet connectivity allows operators to configure and manage the scales from any connected computer.

BMGZ scales are installed and maintained by experienced engineers from FMS’s network of service partners.