Feeder controller SmartConnex

Overview
K-Tron SmartConnex provides integrated control, diagnostics and connectivity for industrial feeding systems. It supports weigh belt feeders, loss-in-weight feeders, volumetric feeders, batchers, flow meters, Bulk Solids Pump (BSP) feeders, PID-controlled devices and pneumatic refill systems. SmartConnex centralizes intelligence at each feeder while enabling line-level supervision and host connectivity.

Key Benefits

• Control intelligence located at the feeder for distributed management
• Fewer components and reduced wiring lower installation costs
• Simple configuration with minimal programming effort
• Integrated control options for vacuum conveyors and vertical agitators
• Improved short-term gravimetric accuracy
• Remote diagnostics and configuration capability
• Host connectivity at machine and line levels

Simple Control Architecture
Each SmartConnex system combines a Control Board & Motor Drive Module (KCM) per feeder with optional operator interfaces. Operator devices include the compact KSU-II single-unit interface and the K-Vision-III line controller; they can be used individually or together depending on application needs.

SmartConnex Controls — Key Components
KCM-III Control Module
The KCM-III integrates feeder control and motor drive in a compact stainless-steel enclosure with a 5-inch LCD, context-sensitive help, built-in Ethernet and optional Wi‑Fi, and a web-accessible feeder interface. It is prepared for Industry 4.0 functions such as predictive maintenance, electronic service options, OEE, outlier detection and machine optimization.

KSU-II Single Unit User Interface
An economical single-feeder interface that can operate as a portable display for maintenance or configuration. The KSU-II views one feeder at a time, can switch between feeders and network to multiple KCMs.

K-Vision-III Line Controller
K-Vision-III manages up to 24 devices on a process line via a 15-inch color touchscreen. It provides recipe entry, process overviews, real-time feeder monitoring, configurable charting and trending for performance analysis.

Features
Screw Speed Modulation
Addresses discharge pulsation in single-screw loss-in-weight feeders by recording pulsation and adapting drive commands to smooth massflow.

• Short-term accuracy typically improved by a factor of 2
• Significant improvement in 2-sigma accuracy at a 10-second sampling time
• Ideal for low feed rates (speed < 1 screw rotation per second)

Optimized Feeder Refill (Smart Refill Technology)
During hopper refill, Smart Refill memorizes recent gravimetric performance at varying hopper weights and adjusts screw speed to compensate for density changes, maintaining accuracy and smoothing the transition back to full gravimetric control.

Vibration Immune Weighing (Dynamic Digital Filtering / SFT)
Dynamic filtering continuously identifies and removes spurious inertial components from weight measurements caused by vibration and shock, improving gravimetric performance in demanding environments.

• Reduces weighing errors from environmental vibration
• Improves signal quality for high-accuracy gravimetric feeding

Technical specifications

• Product family: SmartConnex Feeder Controls
• Supported devices: weigh belt feeders, loss-in-weight feeders, volumetric feeders, batchers, flow meters, BSP feeders, PID-controlled devices, pneumatic refill systems
• Maximum controllable devices (with K-Vision-III): up to 24 devices per line
• KCM-III features: integrated control + motor drive, 5-inch LCD, context-sensitive help, stainless steel enclosure, built-in Ethernet, optional Wi‑Fi, web interface, Industry 4.0 readiness
• KSU-II: single-unit economical user interface, view/switch between feeders, portable for maintenance/configuration
• K-Vision-III: 15-inch color touchscreen HMI, recipe entry, real-time monitoring, charting and trending
• Control algorithms: Screw Speed Modulation, Smart Refill Technology, Dynamic Digital Filtering (SFT)
• Functionality: remote diagnostics/configuration, host connectivity, improved short-term accuracy