Catch of the day

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jun 10, 2002

Tedea-Huntleigh load cells have enabled Nesco Weighing to produce the revolutionary motion-compensating Wave Cheater system.

Tedea-Huntleigh load cells have enabled Nesco Weighing to produce the revolutionary motion-compensating Wave Cheater system.

Modern-day fishermen no longer rely solely on the wisdom and experiences passed on to them by their peers.

Nowadays they are more likely to reach for the GPS system rather than the compass.

And, with the increasingly heavy burden of quotas, 21st century fishermen are being forced to maximise output from an every-decreasing resource reservoir.

One method of achieving greater profitability is to weigh caught fish on board fishing vessels, enabling skippers to sell fish in a more accurate and controlled manner.

The Wave Cheater, launched by Nesco Weighing three years ago, is a single unit system that not only provides accurate weighing in even the most atrocious weather conditions, it also logs fish types and weights, where the fish were caught and by whom.

Gordon Norman, Technical Sales Director at Nesco, explains that the Wave Cheater system was developed by working closely with the industry to produce an invaluable piece of fishing technology.

"We really listened to the industry to improve and modify the system to meet all the required specifications".

To ensure that the Wave Cheater delivers the same level of performance in all conditions, Nesco uses two Tedea-Huntleigh high-accuracy load cells, the 1140 and the 1510.

One measures the pitch, roll, rise and fall of the ship and the other weighs the fish.

The 1140 load cell measures the G-forces experienced by the vessel and feeds the data into the Wave Cheater computer, which then compensates the loads measured by the 1510 cell.

This ingenious system ensures that the Wave Cheater can be used in the roughest of seas.

The load cells, Norman explains, are an intricate part of the system.

"Although the credit-card sized computer is the heart of the unit, without reliable load cells we would be snookered - changing cells in the North Sea is pretty difficult".

Norman reveals that previously Nesco used a different manufacturer to supply its load cells which was, in retrospect, an expensive arrangement due to the costs of each unit.

Ultimately, the company was forced to consider an alternative and a decision was made to change manufacturers.

The decision to opt for Tedea-Huntleigh cells was, Norman explains, based on commercial considerations intertwined with performance prerequisites.

Since the Tedea-Huntleigh load cells have to endure "the most hostile environment for electrical equipment", Norman insists that the stainless steel, fully-welded product casing is vitally important to the success of the Wave Cheater.

He says: "The 1510 has made a massive difference because of the stainless steel construction".

Moreover, the decision to use Tedea-Huntleigh load cells was based on the ability of the cells to provide the expected levels of performance, with lightning quick reaction times.

Norman says: "The Tedea solution simply fitted the bill".

Norman admits that Tedea-Huntleigh load cells play a vital role in the company's quest to find solutions to weighing problems, and to design and manufacture weighing machines.

Norman says: "We're always looking at Tedea-Huntleigh products for future projects".