The KIS Load Cell &
Weigh Modules
The Double Cantilever Shear Beam Built for Extreme Process Weighing
In heavy process industries, standard load cells fail where it matters most. Thermal expansion distorts readings. Agitation and vibration cause drift. Side forces from piping, wind, or structural movement introduce errors that compromise process control. When your silo, tank, or reactor weighing depends on accuracy, you need a load cell engineered to reject every one of these forces — not just survive them.
BLH Nobel’s KIS load cells are the answer. Built on our patented double cantilever shear beam design, the KIS series positions the applied load directly over the strain gage sensors, delivering a level of side force insensitivity, vibration resistance, and thermal stability that no conventional shear beam load cell can match.
Available from 1 kN to 2,000 kN, with ATEX, IECEx, and cFMus certification as standard options, KIS load cells and weigh modules are the proven choice for process weighing in the world’s most demanding environments.
KIS Load Cell Double Cantilever Advantage
The KIS load cell has a circular and symmetrical measuring element. It also has a sleeve which fits concentrically over the measuring element. This sleeve is the key to the KIS principle and was patented by BLH Nobel weighing systems.
It allows the loads to be applied in line with the strain gages. The measuring element deforms symmetrically, leaving the strain gages unaffected by bending movement errors.
The beam behaves in a similar way when subjected to side loads. This enables the transducer to reject errors caused by thermal or structural movement. Side loads that arise in the transverse direction due to agitation, wind or structural deflections are similarly rejected. Even under 100% side load conditions the measuring element maintains its symmetrical form and the weight measurement remains accurate and stable.
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KIS PRODUCT RANGE
THE RIGHT KIS FOR EVERY APPLICATION
KIS-1Single-ended double cantilever shear beam. Capacities: 50, 100, 200, 300 & 500 kN. The most versatile model for general process weighing. |
KIS-8Single-ended double cantilever. Capacities: 1–200 kN. Floating load point, 100% side force rejection. Suited for tanks, silos, and process vessels. |
KISD-6Double-ended, double cantilever. Floating load point, 100% side force rejection. ATEX/IECEx certified. For large-scale industrial weighing in harsh and hazardous environments. |
KIS-2Weigh module with built-in mounting hardware. Capacities: 1–50 kN. Ideal for smaller vessels, batching systems, and precision applications. A complete weigh module for process control. |
KIS-11Double-ended shear beam. OIML approved to 3,000d. For trade-approved and high-accuracy process weighing applications. |
KIMD-6Rugged cylindrical design for harsh environments. Suitable for weighing, force measurement, and overload protection. IP68 and IP69K sealed. |
CORE FEATURES
ENGINEERED TO REJECT THE FORCES THAT DEFEAT ORDINARY LOAD CELLS
Patented double cantilever design
Industry need: Accuracy under real-world process conditions, not just lab conditions.
A second cantilever sleeve over the actual sensor beam positions the load force directly over the gage pocket area. This is what makes KIS fundamentally different from standard shear beam load cells — and fundamentally more accurate under real-world conditions.
100% side force insensitivity
Industry need: Stable measurement despite piping forces, wind, and structural movement.
Even under full side load, the KIS measuring element maintains its symmetrical form. Errors caused by thermal expansion, structural deflection, piping forces, agitation, and wind are rejected — not just reduced. A truly side force insensitive load cell.
Vibration and dynamic force resistant
Industry need: Reliable weighing during aggressive mixing and agitation.
Designed for continuous operation under aggressive mixing, agitation, and process-induced vibration. Ideal as a reactor weighing load cell where dynamic forces are constant. A vibration resistant load cell by design, not by filtering.
Thermal expansion resistant
Industry need: Accuracy through heating cycles and temperature variation.
The floating load point absorbs thermal movement without transmitting distortion to the measurement. Accuracy holds through heating cycles, seasonal temperature swings, and process temperature variation. A true thermal expansion resistant load cell.
ATEX, IECEx and cFMus certified
Industry need: Safe operation in explosive atmospheres.
Every KIS load cell is available with certification for use in explosive atmospheres, making it a proven ATEX certified load cell and IECEx explosion proof load cell for hazardous area applications. Also certified for Functional Safety applications.
IP67 standard, IP68 available
Industry need: Long-term reliability in corrosive and wash-down environments.
Sealed against ingress in wash-down, corrosive, and outdoor environments. The IP68 load cell option ensures reliability in the harshest conditions, including submersion.
Stainless steel construction
Industry need: Corrosion resistance across regulated industries.
Built from stainless steel for food, pharmaceutical, chemical, and offshore applications. A stainless steel load cell for process industry use where hygiene and corrosion resistance are non-negotiable.
Capacity range 1–2,000 kN
Industry need: One technology platform across all vessel sizes.
From precision batching at low forces to heavy silo and vessel weighing at high capacities. Single-ended models (KIS-1, KIS-2, KIS-8) and double-ended models (KIS-11, KISD-6) cover the full range.
Cylindrical shape for easy installation
Industry need: Fast retrofit and replacement with minimal downtime.
The round profile simplifies mechanical integration and allows easy replacement of existing load points, reducing downtime during retrofit.
Integrated amplifier option
Industry need: Reduced cabling complexity and signal noise.
Embedded amplifiers send the signal directly to the next component, reducing cabling and improving signal quality in electrically noisy environments.
INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS
WHERE KIS LOAD CELLS DELIVER RESULTS
Silo & Tank Weighing
Silos and tanks are subjected to thermal expansion, wind loading, piping forces, and structural movement — all of which introduce errors in conventional load cells. The KIS double cantilever design rejects these forces completely, making it the definitive tank weighing load cell and silo weighing load cell for process industries. Whether storing chemicals, food ingredients, pharmaceutical intermediates, or raw materials, KIS load cells deliver stable, accurate weight data for inventory control and process feeding.
Reactor & Vessel Weighing
Reactors present a unique challenge: aggressive agitation, heating and cooling cycles, and chemical exposure. Standard load cells drift under these conditions. The KIS beam’s vibration resistance and thermal expansion immunity make it the ideal reactor weighing load cell — maintaining accuracy during mixing, heating, and filling without recalibration.
Big Bag Filling & Batching
Accurate batching depends on stable, repeatable weight measurement under dynamic conditions. KIS weigh modules provide the precision needed for recipe-controlled filling and batching, even when material flow creates impact forces.
Offshore & Hazardous Areas
With ATEX, IECEx, and cFMus certifications, KIS load cells operate safely in explosive atmospheres found in oil & gas, chemical processing, and offshore platforms. The stainless steel construction and IP68 sealing handle salt spray, corrosive chemicals, and extreme weather.
Food, Pharmaceutical & Chemical Processing
Hygienic stainless steel construction, wash-down capability (IP68/IP69K), and certified hazardous area operation make KIS load cells the natural choice across regulated process industries where accuracy, compliance, and cleanability are non-negotiable.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT ENGINEERS ASK US MOST ABOUT KIS LOAD CELLS
What is the best load cell for silo and tank weighing in harsh environments?
The BLH Nobel KIS series is specifically engineered for silo and tank weighing in harsh environments. Its patented double cantilever shear beam design rejects errors from thermal expansion, piping forces, wind loading, and structural deflection — the exact forces that cause conventional load cells to drift or fail in vessel weighing applications. With stainless steel construction, IP68 sealing, and ATEX/IECEx certification, KIS load cells deliver stable, accurate weight data in corrosive, hazardous, and extreme-temperature environments.
How does a double cantilever shear beam load cell handle side forces and vibrations?
The KIS beam adds a second cantilever sleeve over the actual sensor I-beam, positioning the applied load always directly over the strain gage sensors. This means the measuring element maintains its symmetrical form even under 100% side load conditions. Side forces from thermal expansion, agitation, structural movement, or vibration are rejected entirely — not attenuated or compensated after the fact, but physically prevented from reaching the measurement. This is what makes the KIS a truly side force insensitive load cell and vibration
resistant load cell.
Which load cells are ATEX and IECEx certified for explosive atmospheres?
All BLH Nobel KIS load cells are available with ATEX, IECEx, and cFMus certification for use in explosive atmospheres. This includes the KIS-1, KIS-2, KIS-8, KIS-11, KISD-6, and KIMD-6. They are also certified for Functional Safety applications, making them suitable for safety-critical installations in oil & gas, chemical processing, pharmaceutical production, and other hazardous area environments.
How to achieve accurate process weighing with thermal expansion and agitation?
The key is a load cell with a floating load point that absorbs thermal movement without transmitting it to the measurement, combined with a beam design that is inherently insensitive to the dynamic forces caused by agitation. The KIS double cantilever design achieves both. The floating load point allows the vessel to expand and contract without affecting the weight reading, while the double cantilever geometry rejects the oscillating forces from mixers and agitators. This eliminates the two most common sources of error in process weighing, delivering a thermal expansion resistant load cell that also handles dynamic process forces.
What makes KIS beam technology different from standard shear beam load cells?
A standard shear beam load cell has a single beam where the load is applied at one end. Side forces, thermal expansion, and vibration distort the beam and introduce measurement errors. The KIS beam adds a patented second cantilever sleeve that positions the load force directly over the strain gage sensors, regardless of where or how the external force is applied. This double cantilever architecture makes the KIS immune to side forces up to 100%, insensitive to thermal expansion, and resistant to vibration — performance characteristics that standard shear beam designs simply cannot achieve.
