Future-looking processors know sustainability relates as much to the equipment, systems, and software they use as it does the environmental impacts of their decisions. Operations managing bulk material can have a profound impact on the planet, and there are ways that automation and digitisation can help in measurement, reporting, and reaching short and long-term goals.
Penny-pinchers, environment champions, and managers focus on sustainability to ensure future generations can meet and exceed goals. It starts with bulk material management.
“We always talk about the benefits of safety, and the return on investment by automating bulk material measurements,” said Mike Mossage, BinMaster Regional VP. “But we’re seeing new benefits with sustainability. There’s less waste, less energy consumption, and even a higher utilisation of current storage because of greater visibility.”
Mossage described a concrete company in the Northwest US which operates 12 batch plants serving customers in about a 300 square mile radius across Oregon and Idaho. Recent installation of sensor technology helps to meet their aggressive sustainability goals.
“Tracking all that material is tricky,” he said. “The company sources sand and aggregates from various pits and quarries in the area, then stores it in more than 40 silos and tanks across the region. They needed to pull all those measurements into one report.”
The integration of radar level sensors and bulk material software enabled the company to optimise storage capacity and minimise waste effectively.
Once the company installed radar sensors atop silos and tanks, bulk material measurement flowed to their BinCloud software. “We pointed to some of the reports found in that software,” Mossage said. “I think people see the graphical representation of silo levels, and don’t always look into history and trendlines we built into it.”
After only three months, the company dug deeper and pulled historical BinCloud reports with forecasting. By collaboratively sharing and discussing data, bulk material inventory sustainability goals improved:
Material waste reduction: Improved inventory accuracy resulted in more than 5,000 tons of bulk materials being saved annually. Some plants saw a 15% decrease in material waste.
Energy savings: Understanding where and how much material was available in a collaborative, continuous software framework, operators maximised every truckload, and reduced travel strategically. Utilising material consumption forecasting found in CementView, the company strategised plant-to-plant coordination to create a 10% reduction in energy consumption reducing 2,500 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.
Infrastructure: The company saved about $500,000 in capital expenditures for a year, not spent to build new vessels.
Numbers are based on composite case study drawing upon various real-world examples of research findings to create one comprehensive narrative.
Sidebar: How level sensors boost sustainability across industries
Precision operations – Bulk level sensors installed in an ag operation, for example, collect data on fertiliser, seeds, grains, and liquid tanks to help farmers optimise resource usage like water, fertiliser and pesticides to reduce waste and environmental impact.
Data-driven decision making – By collecting and analysing data from level sensors, managers can make informed decisions about bulk material management practices, resource allocation, and overall operations. Optimisation leads to minimising inputs, reducing waste, and maximising productivity.
Optimised inventory management: Measuring the levels of bulk materials in storage bins or silos, sensors prevent overstocking, reduces material wastage, and minimises the need for additional transportation to replenish supplies, thereby lowering carbon emissions associated with transportation.
Reduced material waste: Continuous, precise measurements ensure that the right amount of materials is used for each project phase.
Efficient resource allocation: With continuous silo and tank level data, managers can make informed decisions about resource allocation. They can adjust material orders based on actual consumption, avoiding unnecessary purchases and reducing the environmental impact associated with the extraction, processing, and transportation of materials.
Energy efficiency: Automating material handling and batching ensures precise material measurements to optimise energy usage in machinery and equipment, leading to overall energy efficiency improvements and reduced carbon footprint.
Minimised construction delays: Accurate monitoring of material helps prevent stockouts and delays in manufacturing and construction projects. As a result, this smooths project workflows, reduces delays and associated environmental impacts, such as extended construction timelines leading to increased energy consumption and emissions.
Improved safety: Sensors atop silos measure material. This eliminates long walks, tall ladder climbs, heavy access doors, and awkward tape measures. Machines measure. People decide.
Data-driven decision making: Trendlines on bulk material software help identify trends, optimise processes, and make data-driven decisions to enhance sustainability.
Sidebar: Sustainability optimises resource usage to meet present needs without hurting future generations’ ability to meet sustainability, environmental, human-centric, and economic goals.
BinMaster
info@binmaster.com
www.binmaster.com
BinMaster
- +1.402.434.9102
- info@binmaster.com
- https://www.binmaster.com
- 7201 N 98th St Lincoln NE 68507 US
About us
BinMaster/Garner Industries is located in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
Operations that struggle with the challenges of inventory management and timely replenishment of all types of powders, bulk solids, or liquids can monitor silo levels on their smartphone, tablet, or desktop with complete solutions from BinMaster. A complete suite of continuous level sensors, point level indicators, material management, and inventory monitoring devices and software simplifies material management while keeping people safe from the risks of climbing silos.
The Lincoln Nebraska, USA company manufactures sensors and software used for monitoring levels in bins, tanks, silos, chutes, and hoppers. Continuous level measurement options include SmartBob cable-based, guided wave radar, laser and 80 GHz non-contact radar, which are all compatible with Binventory™ software. Battery-powered, wireless laser level sensors are compatible with BinView® or FeedView® web apps for remote monitoring.
The unique 3DLevelScanner measures and maps material for volume accuracy and is the only sensor to generate a 3D image of silo contents. BinMaster is the exclusive worldwide supplier of this unique technology and has commissioned these sensors in bins containing powders and solids for over a decade.
Point level indicators provide automated level alerts using rotaries, diaphragm switches, capacitance probes, tilt switches, and vibrating rod level sensors. Dust detection devices alert to baghouse leaks and unsafe particulate levels. Flow detection sensors prevent cross contamination and assist with FSMA compliance for human and animal feeds. Aeration devices keep powders and solids flowing so they don’t pack in hoppers, along bin walls, or in the cone of the vessel
Robust, custom systems can be developed for a single site or networked for every bin, tank, and silo across a multi‐national operation. Add Stockpile Reports for pile inventory using images from an iPhone or drone to a SaaS dashboard. Monitor livestock feed inventory from a phone, tablet, or PC with the FeedView® web application.
BinMaster is US manufacturer certified to ISO 9001 quality management systems – requirements. For more information about BinMaster, visit www.binmaster.com.
What we do in a nutshell
BinMaster provides accurate inventory management for processing industries that store materials in bins, tanks, and silos.
Where we supply to
UK Ireland, Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, North America
Industries we supply to
Chemicals, Energy and Power, Food and Beverage, Glass Ceramics Cement, Metals and Minerals, OEM, Paper and Pulp, Pharmaceutical Cosmetics Toiletries, Plastics and Rubber, Recycling, Tobacco, Water and Wastewater
Something interesting you may not know about us:
BinMaster is a subsidiary of Garner Industries and has fully integrated CNC machining capabilities.
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