An EMC ModWeigh belt weigher can use a combined processor and display or a system of separate modules. The model letters help identify what each unit does: MP processors, MD displays, MT transmitters and MR/MO input/output hardware have different roles. This guide explains the main components and the checks that matter when selecting, servicing or replacing an EMC weigher or weightometer.
ModWeigh is designed and manufactured in New Zealand. Accurate Industries designs and manufactures its own weigh frames in Australia, and can assess a complete system using compatible EMC electronics. We welcome equipment enquiries worldwide. For service and calibration support, see our EMC ModWeigh MP1 and MP2 servicing guide. For model specifications and supply enquiries, use the EMC belt weigher integrator product page.
What is the modular idea behind ModWeigh?
The range offers different ways to arrange the display, weighing electronics and field connections. An MP1 or MP2 combines processing and a local display. A separate MD display and MT transmitter provide another arrangement, with I/O selected for the application. Not every installation uses every module.
Identifying those parts can help narrow down a fault and avoid replacing working equipment. It does not mean every symptom maps to one failed module: power supplies, wiring, configuration and mechanical conditions can affect several parts of the system.
How is a ModWeigh system built to suit the site?
We start with the weigh frame, load cells, speed sensor, operator location and plant-control requirements. We then select a suitable processor or transmitter/display arrangement and the connections it needs. A remote transmitter can be useful where the display belongs away from the weigh frame. Cable routes, communications limits and enclosure conditions still need checking.
Multi-instrument arrangements require compatible hardware, software and addressing. Do not assume that adding another transmitter automatically makes it available to every display.
What do the MP1 and MP2 processors do?
For belt weighing, the processor combines belt loading and speed to calculate flow rate and accumulated mass. It also holds the configuration used by that application.
The MP1 has the larger display; the MP2 is more compact. Both are panel-mounted, and they differ in field I/O as well as screen size. Check the required outputs, expansion hardware, panel cut-out and supply before choosing between them. The name alone does not make an MP1 obsolete or an MP2 a direct replacement.
Identify your EMC MP1 or MP2
Use these exterior views to recognise the front panel, then check your unit’s model label and software version. The render displays are illustrative and do not show live readings or a calibration procedure.
EMC ModWeigh MP1 exterior tour
EMC ModWeigh MP2 exterior tour
What are the MD1 and MD2 displays for?
MD units provide the operator screen and keypad for a compatible modular system. They should not be confused with MP processors just because their front panels look similar. Read the identification label and record the connected equipment.
During service we check display clarity, keypad operation, supply and communications. A blank screen alone does not prove the display is the failed component, or that weighing continues correctly elsewhere.
Where do the MT1 and MT3 transmitters fit in?
MT transmitters are weighing instruments used with compatible displays and plant connections. The selected model and application determine its inputs and functions.
In EMC’s MW95A technical information, separate monitoring and corner adjustment for four load cells are identified as MT1-only features. They should not be advertised as general MP1, MP2 or MT3 capabilities. The MT1 also has an optional removable P-Module for application and calibration settings.
We check sensor wiring, signal stability, supply and communication before recommending replacement. The transmitter, application software and settings module must be compatible.
What does the MR1 input/output module do?
The MR1 provides additional field inputs and outputs in compatible configurations. These can connect the weighing system to plant status signals, rate outputs and external totalising equipment. The MP2 uses the MO3 expansion option for its additional local I/O; the modules are not interchangeable simply because they provide similar functions.
We confirm which signal each output represents and compare it with what the PLC or control-room display receives. Output scaling, wiring and the receiving system can cause a mismatch even when the local weight reading is correct.
Which modules do I have?
Record the model and serial number from each accessible label, plus the software version shown by the instrument. Photograph the front panel and any existing wiring drawing. The front-panel appearance helps, but a picture alone may not identify the fitted expansion hardware.
The two videos above show MP1 and MP2 exteriors using illustrative renders. They do not show an MD/MT arrangement or establish what is fitted inside your enclosure.
What mechanical parts sit around the electronics?
The weigh frame and idlers transfer the material load to the load cells. The speed sensor measures belt movement. Build-up, binding, poor alignment, vibration or slipping speed-measurement hardware can affect the result even when the electronics appear healthy.
Read how a belt weigher works and the belt weigher speed sensor guide for the fundamentals.
Junction boxes and field wiring are part of the inspection too. Moisture, damaged insulation, loose connections and unsuitable terminations can cause intermittent faults. Inspection and repair should follow site isolation procedures.
Where do Accurate Industries interface and switching PCBs fit?
These are Accurate Industries field-wiring assemblies, not EMC processor modules. Our integrator interface PCB is included when we supply a complete integrator kit in an enclosure. It brings labelled terminals, power connections and pulse indicators together for installation and servicing.
Our four-channel load-cell switching PCB provides individual channel switching and organised load-cell and speed-sensor connections. This is different from electronic corner adjustment inside a compatible MT1 system. We check suitability before recommending either assembly for an existing installation.
How does ModWeigh gear cope with living outdoors?
The complete installation needs protection appropriate to heat, dust, moisture and vibration. A front-panel IP rating does not describe the rear of the instrument or the complete enclosure. Solar heating, cable entries, seals, condensation and access for maintenance all matter.
We inspect enclosures and connections as well as the electronics. Equipment exposed to water or corrosion needs assessment before being returned to service; drying a box alone does not establish that it is reliable.
Can ModWeigh compensate for a conveyor that changes angle?
Some configurations support inclination compensation. Tell us the software, fitted inputs, angle sensor and conveyor arrangement so we can confirm what is available and how it should be commissioned. Compensation does not remove the effects of belt tension, loading changes or mechanical movement. Performance needs checking across the required operating range.
How do you get the numbers out of a ModWeigh system?
MP1 and MP2 provide serial Modbus communication over RS232/RS485. Analogue, pulse and digital connections depend on the fitted processor and I/O. For an industrial Ethernet network, specify the required protocol and control system so the compatible interface arrangement can be confirmed.
Choose the connection around the data the plant needs, then verify signal selection, units, scaling and update behaviour. A correctly displayed local total does not by itself prove that the PLC is counting the same quantity.
Why should the software version be recorded?
Hardware labels are only part of the picture. EMC notes that Modbus addressing and byte-order defaults differ between software generations, while an upgraded unit can retain its existing settings. If plant data looks wrong after a change, check the actual configuration and the receiving system before changing calibration. EMC’s software support notes explain this version distinction.
How do you read a fault back to a module?
Start with the exact symptom and identify which part reports it. For a blank display, check supply and communication as well as the display. For no speed, investigate the sensor path and configuration. For incorrect plant data, compare local values with the output and receiving system. For unstable weight, inspect the mechanical scale, load cells and wiring.
These checks guide the investigation; they are not a parts-replacement diagnosis. Our EMC servicing guide outlines common symptoms and the information to send.
How is the calibration kept safe if a module fails?
Keep a current backup and service record for the exact instrument and application. Where a compatible removable settings module is fitted, it can help retain setup information, but transferring it is not a substitute for checking the replacement hardware and calibration.
For systems we service, our recorded configuration provides a useful starting point. We confirm what has changed since that record and test the replacement before handover.
What happens with spares and repairs on a ModWeigh system?
We assess the fault, identify the module and confirm hardware and software compatibility before quoting a repair or replacement. Some repairs can retain the surrounding equipment. The scope depends on the condition and configuration, so send the module labels and symptoms rather than ordering only from its appearance.
Looking for the manual for your MP1, MP2 or other ModWeigh module?
Accurate Industries can provide EMC manuals from our technical library. Email the model labels and software version to request the correct manual. EMC publishes application manuals as well as technical information, so the document must match the instrument, modules and software. MW95 covers belt weighing; MW96 covers weighfeeding. They are not simply successive generations.
Reference documents include MW95A technical information SV6.09f and the MW95A instruction manual SV6.09f. For equipment outside that scope, ask us to identify the appropriate document.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to replace the whole system if one part fails?
Not necessarily. We identify the cause and check whether a compatible module repair or replacement can retain the rest of the installation.
Is the MP1 an older model that should be replaced by an MP2?
The model names alone do not establish replacement need. Compare condition, application, display format and I/O requirements before deciding.
Can the display go in the control room?
A suitable MD display and transmitter configuration can separate the operator interface from the field electronics. Hardware, software, cabling and communication limits need checking.
Can the scale cope with a conveyor that changes angle?
A suitable inclination-compensation arrangement may help. Its availability and performance must be assessed for the actual equipment and operating range.
Can ModWeigh connect to a PLC or SCADA?
Yes. Select serial communication or the required field signals for the fitted configuration. Ethernet network requirements should be confirmed before ordering an interface.
Do you service the mechanical scale as well as the electronics?
Yes. We inspect the weigh frame, idlers, load cells, speed sensor, junction boxes and wiring along with the ModWeigh equipment.
Need help identifying an EMC ModWeigh component?
Email photographs and model details to admin@accurateindustries.com.au, call 1300 101 666 or send an enquiry.