SG Systems - Scale Requirements
V5 Traceability Setup Guide
Introduction
Scale integration forms a critical component of the V5 Traceability System, supporting both Manufacturing Execution System (MES) operations (e.g. ingredient scaling) and Warehouse Management System (WMS) operations (e.g. when receiving goods and other warehouse activities).
This document outlines supported scales, connection methods, communication parameters, and configuration requirements necessary for successful integration with V5 Traceability.
Table of Contents
1. Supported Scales
The V5 Traceability System is compatible with a wide range of industrial and laboratory scales from leading manufacturers, including but not limited to:
- Doran
- Junior
- Minebea Intec
- Mettler Toledo
- Ohaus
- Optima
- Pennsylvania Scale Company
- Rice Lake
- Rinstrum
Other manufacturers producing compatible indicators or balances that adhere to standard communication protocols can also be supported.
2. Connection Methods
The V5 Traceability System supports two primary connection methods for integrating scales:
- Serial Connection (RS232)
- The most common method used for MES production terminals.
- Requires a direct RS232 connection between the scale indicator and the V5 Terminal.
- Network Connection (TCP/IP)
- Applicable when the scale is connected to the same local network as the V5 Terminal or WMS device.
- Allows for flexible placement of scales within production or warehouse environments.
While these 2 methods are the primary ways that the majority of clients connect scales to V5, SG Systems can provide a scope to integrate with other connection methods as needed.
3. Communication Modes
Most scales integrated with the V5 Traceability System operate using one-way communication, transmitting weight data from the scale to the V5 application.
In this mode:
- The V5 application becomes the control point for tare and zero functions.
- Manual tare/zero adjustments must be performed within V5 rather than on the physical scale indicator.
In terms of bi-directional communication, V5 can be configured to maintain synchronization between the scale indicator and the V5 Terminal. This enables consistent tare/zero functionality regardless of whether commands are initiated from the hardware or the software interface.
Successful bi-directional communication has previously been implemented with scales from the following manufacturers*:
- Minebea Intec
- Junior
- Mettler Toledo
- Pennsylvania Scale Company
If a particular scale supports bi-directional communication, but is not supplied by the above manufacturers, then an additional service can be provided to implement this feature. In these instances, it is the client’s responsibility to allocate appropriate resources for the configuration and testing of their scales with the SG Systems support team.
*Not every scale model from these manufacturers may support bi-directional communication. Clients are advised to consult the relevant manufacturer to ensure that their models support this mode.
4. Configuration Requirements
Serial Connection Requirements:
When connecting scales via RS232 V5 supports a wide variety of different scale configurations in terms of output modes, Baud rates, stop bits, parity, flow control etc.
Network Connection Requirements:
For scales connected via TCP/IP, the following configuration parameters must be met:
- Static IP address assigned to the scale.
The following details are then required to complete network configuration within V5:
- IP Address of the scale.
- Port Number used for communication.
