Patch-mount silo weighing system on leg-supported silos with cloud connectivity

Patch-Mount Silo Weighing System

Tons on hand — without touching the roof.

Strain sensors clip to the silo's support legs and read inventory as mass — no roof cutting, no emptying, no production stop.

Strain-gauge sensingMass measured at the legs
2 – 12 legsPer silo, retrofit-friendly
2 – 4 h installNo emptying, no downtime
RS485 · Modbus · CloudPLC, SCADA, and ERP integration
Overview

Weighing measures what purchasing actually asks for: tons.

Level instruments infer inventory from a surface. Patch-mount weighing skips the physics entirely: strain sensors on the support legs track mass directly, so pile shape, dust, dielectric constant, and material behavior play no role in the reading.

Because the sensors attach externally, retrofit needs no roof opening, no silo emptying, and no production stop — a standard installation finishes in 2–4 hours per silo.

Leg & structure reviewLeg count, material, and load path checked per silo.
AI calibrationAlgorithms learn fill cycles and temperature effects on site.
Boundary checkSkirt-supported silos route to roof-mounted radar instead.
Integration scopeFrom RS485/Modbus to ERP/MES through the Volivue platform.
Capabilities

Engineered for silos that can never stop.

Retrofit without the retrofit pain.

No crane, no roof crew, no silo emptying. Sensors clamp to the existing support legs from the ground or a short ladder, and a standard silo is live on the dashboard within 2–4 hours.

Production continues throughout — the silo never knows it happened.

Patch-mount strain sensors clamped to silo support legs

Mass, not a guess from the surface.

Strain sensors track the load path through the legs, so the output is tonnage — directly. Cone-shaped piles, rat-holing, filling dust, and low-dielectric powders that confuse level instruments simply don't participate in the measurement.

Purchasing reads the same number the silo actually holds.

Leg-supported silos at a concrete batching plant

AI calibration that keeps learning.

On-site calibration anchors the system against known fill events; the algorithm then compensates temperature drift and structural effects continuously. Trends, low-stock alarms, and in/out flow analysis come standard on the platform.

Remote diagnostics stay available after commissioning.

Volivue platform dashboard with live silo tonnage and trends
Multi-silo patch-mount weighing retrofit at a plant

Four legs. Four sensors. Live tons by lunchtime.

A typical retrofit — from first clamp to live dashboard.

Applications

Match your silo type to a proven package.

Why Volivue

Twelve points to check before you buy silo weighing.

The two right-hand columns reflect conventional load-cell weighing as commonly quoted and manual stock checks — verify the details with each vendor.

Volivue patch-mount weighing
Conventional load-cell weighing
Manual stock checks
Installation
External clamp-on, 2–4 h per silo, production keeps running
Silo lift or rebuild to insert cells under the legs
None — but every check is a climb
Downtime
Zero — no emptying, no roof cutting
Days of emptying and structural work per silo
Measured value
Direct mass — pile shape, dust, dielectric play no role
Direct mass, where structurally feasible
Visual estimate from the hatch
Retrofit fit
Designed for operating silos, 2–12 legs, steel or concrete by review
Practical mainly for new builds
Calibration
AI-assisted on real fill events; drift compensated continuously
Periodic manual recalibration
Operator judgment
Data outputs
RS485/Modbus plus cloud, API, and MQTT through the platform
Analog indicator; integration quoted separately
Paper log, manual entry
Inventory software layer
Trends, alarms, in/out flow, ERP/MES feed — one supplier
Weighing terminal only; software third-party
Spreadsheets, days behind
Safety exposure
Ground-level work; no routine climbing after commissioning
Heavy structural work during install
Height work every check
Pricing & channel
Factory-direct, configured quotation per silo farm
High hardware + structural cost per silo
Low upfront, recurring labor forever
Customization
Sensor count, mounting, and interface configured per silo structure
Fixed cell capacities and mounts
Application review
Structural and load-path review before any unit ships
Sold from the catalog
Global support
8-language response, one-business-day target, remote diagnostics
Regional service networks vary
Value for money
★★★★★
★★★☆☆
★★☆☆☆

Accuracy class, sensor plan, and structural fit are confirmed by on-site calibration and project review.

Measurement principleStrain-gauge sensing on support legs → direct mass / inventory weight
Typical applicationsLeg-supported powder, pellet, and grain silos, 2–12 legs per silo
InstallationExternal clamp-on, 2–4 hours per silo; no emptying, no roof work, no production stop
Accuracy planning±1.0% F.S. class target; confirmed by on-site calibration against known fill events
CalibrationAI-assisted; learns fill cycles and compensates temperature and structural drift
OutputsRS485/Modbus to PLC and SCADA; cloud gateway with API/MQTT by scope
Inventory reportingMass first; per-silo trend, in/out flow, and low-stock alarms on the platform
Fit boundaryRequires accessible support legs; skirt or foundation-seated silos route to roof-mounted radar
Legal-for-trade noteInventory instrument — not a certified trade scale; pair with weighbridges where settlement-grade mass is required
Review requiredLeg count and material, load path, foundation condition, temperature range, and target interface
Does my silo qualify for patch-mount weighing?

The system needs accessible support legs — typically 2 to 12 steel or concrete legs per silo, confirmed by structural review. Skirt-supported or foundation-seated silos route to a roof-mounted 80–120GHz radar instead.

How accurate is it compared to load cells?

Load cells under the legs are the laboratory reference, but rarely retrofittable. Patch-mount strain sensing targets a ±1.0% F.S. class after on-site calibration against known fill events — accurate enough for purchasing, planning, and audit in typical inventory use.

How long does installation take? Do we stop production?

A standard silo takes 2–4 hours with no emptying, no roof cutting, and no production stop. Sensors clamp externally to the legs; cabling and the gateway complete the same visit.

How is the system calibrated?

Initial calibration anchors readings against known fill or discharge events (weighbridge tickets work well). AI algorithms then compensate temperature drift and structural effects continuously, and recalibration checks can run remotely.

Is it affected by dust, pile shape, or material type?

No. The sensors measure mass through the leg load path, so cone piles, rat-holing, filling dust, and dielectric behavior play no role. That is the core advantage over level-based inventory for legged silos.

What outputs and protocols are supported?

RS485/Modbus to PLC and SCADA at device level; the Volivue platform adds Modbus TCP, OPC UA, REST API, and MQTT for ERP and MES integration. Project-specific interfaces are quoted separately.

Can it feed our ERP or MES directly?

Yes. Tonnage per silo, trends, and low-stock alarms flow through the platform into ERP/MES, so purchasing and production planning work from live inventory instead of estimates.

Can it be used for trade settlement?

It is an inventory instrument, not a certified trade scale. Where settlement-grade mass is required, pair the system with weighbridges or belt scales — many plants run both.

What about temperature extremes and outdoor silos?

Temperature effects are part of the calibration model, and operating range is confirmed per project. Outdoor leg-supported silos are the standard application — environment details are checked during review.

How do I get a price?

Volivue sells factory-direct with a configured quotation per silo farm. Send leg count and material, silo capacity, stored material, and target interface — engineers reply with a reviewed sensor plan, typically within one business day.

Can we instrument a whole silo farm in one project?

Yes — that is the typical rollout. Crews instrument multiple silos per day since no silo needs emptying, and all silos land on the same dashboard with consolidated reporting.

What information should I prepare for the review?

Leg count and material (steel or concrete), silo capacity and geometry, stored material, foundation condition, photos or drawings of the legs, and the target interface or system the data should reach.

Installation cases

Real roofs, real legs, real yards.

Field installations across cement plants, batching stations, tank farms, and stockyards.

Section 11 / Contact

Let us review your silo project.

Send silo type, drawings, material behavior, monitoring points, country or region, and integration target. We will return a practical configuration suggestion and next-step list.

Inquiry checklist
Application materialsSelect all materials or applications that match the project.

Typical scope can include Modbus TCP/RTU, REST API, MQTT, 4-20mA, and RS485. Final interface depends on project scope.

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