HTW Series
Tank Weighing System
Load-cell-based tank weighing — converts an existing or new tank into a continuously monitored weighing vessel.
- Capacity range
- 10–50 T
- Category
- Tank & Silo Weighing
- Technical details
- Available below
Manufacturing
Built, installed & supported by HMT
Compliance support
Calibration & Legal Metrology guidance
System ready
Automation, ticketing & ERP integration
01Overview
Compression load cells mounted under each tank leg (typically 3 or 4 mounting points), wired through a summing junction box to a single indicator reading total tank contents by weight — more reliable for many process liquids than level-based measurement, since weight isn't affected by density variation or foam.
02How it works
Why weight beats level for liquid inventory
A level sensor tells you how high the liquid sits in the tank, and that height is converted to a volume, and the volume to a mass, using an assumed density. But density isn't fixed — it shifts with temperature, with product formulation batch to batch, and foam or vapor can throw a level reading off entirely. A load-cell-based system skips that chain of assumptions and measures mass directly, at every mounting point, so what shows up on the indicator is genuinely the tank's contents by weight, regardless of what the liquid's density happens to be that day.
3-point vs. 4-point mounting
A 3-point mount is statically determinate — three points define a plane, so the tank's weight is always shared cleanly across all three cells regardless of minor structural flex, without needing a perfectly rigid, perfectly level support structure. A 4-point mount is more common for larger or taller tanks needing broader lateral stability, but because four points are one more than mathematically necessary to define a plane, the mounting kit and calibration need to account for slight load-sharing imbalance between the cells — which is exactly what the summing junction box's trim function is for.
Replacing a load cell without lifting the tank
The stainless steel mounting kits include integral jacking bolts, so a technician can jack the tank's weight off an individual load cell just enough to slide it out and replace it, without needing a crane or hoist to physically lift the tank clear — a meaningful difference for a tank that's in continuous production use and can't easily be taken fully offline for a routine component swap.
03Manufacturing & build quality
Mounting kits are machined from stainless steel to a common load-bearing datum, sized to the specific tank leg configuration and load cell capacity for the installation — whether the tank is a new build designed around the weighing system from the start, or an existing tank being retrofitted with weighing capability. Each mounting assembly integrates the jacking bolt mechanism used for load-cell replacement, and kits are dimensionally checked to ensure all mounting points sit at the same level once installed, since any variance there translates directly into uneven load sharing. The compression load cells themselves are calibrated and matched as a set before shipping, and the summing junction box is pre-configured for the number of mounting points in the specific installation, ready for on-site trimming once the tank is loaded.
04Problems it solves
Level-sensor inaccuracy with variable-density liquids
Products with batch-to-batch density variation, foaming behavior, or temperature-driven density shifts make a level-based volume-to-weight conversion unreliable — direct weight measurement isn't affected by any of that.
Downtime to replace a failed load cell
Without integral jacking bolts, replacing a load cell can mean scheduling a crane lift and taking the tank fully out of service — the jacking mechanism turns that into a routine maintenance task.
Retrofitting weighing onto an existing tank
Tanks built without weighing in mind can still be fitted with compression load cells and mounting kits designed to work with the existing leg or support structure, rather than requiring a new tank.
Inventory reconciliation errors
Where level-based estimates and actual dispensed/received quantities drift apart over time, direct weight measurement gives a real-time figure that reconciles more reliably against what's actually moved in and out of the tank.
05Why it matters
For a plant running a continuous or batch process off a liquid raw material or intermediate product, the tank weighing system is often the most trusted number in the whole operation — the one that drives reorder points, batch dosing calculations, and overfill protection. Getting that number wrong because of a density assumption that didn't hold isn't a rounding error; it can mean a batch made with the wrong ratio of ingredients, or a tank overfilled past a safe level because the level sensor read low. Weight-based measurement removes that particular failure mode entirely, and the jacking-bolt maintenance design means keeping it accurate doesn't cost the plant a shutdown every time a load cell needs attention.
06Salient features
- 3- or 4-point load cell mounting per tank
- Stainless steel mounting kits with integral jacking bolts for load-cell replacement without lifting the tank
- Compatible with new tank builds or retrofits to existing tanks
- Summing junction box, single-point digital readout
07Specifications
| Model | Capacity (T) | Least Count | Platform Size (m) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HTW-10 | 10 | — | — | Per-leg capacity; 3 or 4-point mount |
| HTW-30 | 30 | — | — | Per-leg capacity; 3 or 4-point mount |
| HTW-50 | 50 | — | — | Per-leg capacity; 3 or 4-point mount |
08Technical file
Need the full technical sheet?
Request drawings, model-specific details and project documentation from the HMT team. A downloadable product file will appear here once approved.
09Complete system
Plan beyond the deck.
A vehicle weighing point can combine the weighbridge with indicator, load cells, traffic management and H-Weigh software for an accountable end-to-end workflow.
08In the field
09Frequently asked
Can this be retrofitted to a tank we already have, or does it need a new tank?
Both are supported — the mounting kits are engineered to work with new tank builds designed around the system from the outset, and to retrofit onto existing tank leg or support structures, provided the tank's structure can be adapted to the mounting points.
How is the system calibrated once installed?
Typically with a combination of the tank's known empty (dead-load) weight and either certified test weights or a known volume of product at a verified density, trimmed across the mounting points via the summing junction box until the reading is consistent and accurate across the tank's fill range.
What accuracy can we expect?
Accuracy depends on the load cell capacity chosen relative to the tank's actual working weight range and on installation quality — a system specified and calibrated correctly for the application achieves accuracy well within what a level-based system can offer, particularly for density-variable liquids.
Do we need 3 or 4 mounting points?
That's driven by the tank's size, height, and structural design — smaller or shorter tanks often suit a 3-point mount for its inherently even load-sharing, while taller or larger tanks typically need 4 points for lateral stability, with the trade-off managed through junction box trimming.
Can it feed into our existing process control or SCADA system?
The indicator reading total tank weight can typically output to a process control or SCADA system over standard industrial communication interfaces — confirm the specific interface your system expects at the planning stage.
10Industries this serves
Ready to spec a tank weighing system?
Tell us the application — our team responds with model recommendations, not a generic brochure.