Industrial Scale & Load Cell Servicesin Northwest Indiana

What does SSI do for industrial scales and load cells?

We install, troubleshoot and replace load cells. We also handle the mechanical parts of weighing systems: mounts, structure, check rods, flexible connections and cabling. Our crews work on hopper and tank scales, floor scales and in-process weighing. For certified calibration, we work alongside your calibration provider.

A load cell measures force well only when the load goes straight through it. Anything that carries load around the cell, or pushes on it sideways, shows up as a bad reading. That’s why so many scale problems are millwright problems.

Why are most scale problems mechanical?

A weighing system only reads true when the vessel or deck hangs free on its load cells. Rigid piping, debris, bent check rods, frozen mounts or structure touching the vessel all take part of the weight. The electronics are usually fine. The steel around them isn’t.

Symptom	Likely mechanical cause	Likely electrical cause
Drifting reading	Thermal growth binding piping or mounts	Moisture in cell or junction box
Zero won’t hold	Material buildup, debris under the deck	Failing load cell
One corner reads differently	Uneven support, damaged mount	One bad cell or cable
Weight reads low	Load bypassing cells through pipes or structure	Wrong trim at the junction box
No signal	Crushed cable	Failed cell, indicator or wiring

Load cell installation and replacement

We install new load cells and mounts and replace failed ones. On every job we check that the load path is right:

• Mounts suited to the vessel and set so the cell sees vertical load.
• Overload and lift-off stops to protect cells from shock and uplift.
• Check rods set to steady the vessel without carrying load.
• Flexible connections on piping and chutes so they don’t carry weight.
• Cable routing protected from heat, moisture and traffic.

Our fabrication shop makes mounting brackets, stops and support steel when the original hardware is worn or missing.

Protecting load cells during plant work

Welding current through a load cell can damage it. When we weld on or near a scale, we protect the cells following the manufacturer’s guidance. We tell other trades on the job to do the same.

Should you repair the mount or replace the load cell?

Check the mount before you buy a new load cell. A cell that failed from side load or shock will fail again in a damaged mount. Often the cell is fine and the mount, stop or check rod is the problem. We test the cell first, then decide what needs replacing.

Finding	What we usually do
Cell tests good, readings off	Correct binding, mounts or piping
Cell damaged, mount sound	Replace the cell and check the stops
Cell and mount damaged	Replace both and add overload protection
Water in cable or junction box	Dry, reseal or replace and reroute cable

How does calibration fit in?

After a repair, we run a functional check to confirm the scale responds and returns to zero. We don’t hold certified or legal-for-trade scale calibration licensing. If your scale needs certified calibration, your calibration provider handles it. We make sure the scale is mechanically sound first, so the calibration holds.

Weighing systems and controls

Many batching hoppers and feeders send weight to an Allen-Bradley PLC. We check the signal path from the load cells through the junction box and indicator into the control system. See controls and automation for more on our PLC work.

Which plants use this service?

Weighing matters most where plants batch, blend or ship by weight. That includes food and beverage plants, chemical plants, refractory plants with batching and feed systems, and steel mills. We serve plants across Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland. Load cell checks can be built into a preventive maintenance schedule. New scales can be set as part of an equipment installation.