A truck scale is a large set of scales, usually straddled on a solid concrete foundation that is used to weigh entire rail or road vehicles and their contents. By weighing the vehicle both empty and when loaded, the load carried by the vehicle can be calculated. Truck weighing is vital for the profitability of companies whose main occupation is sale or purchase. The robust design of truck scales enables a long lifespan, reliability and precision in difficult working environments such as quarries, industrial sandpits and landfills.
Truck weigh stations are used for these tax purposes as well as to monitor the weight of a truck to ensure that it falls within the safety guidelines that each state has in place for its road system. Truck scales are built to handle an enormous amount of abuse. They are built out of steel, concrete or, in most cases, a combination of both. The kind of weighbridge most suitable for your company depends on the intended location of the weighbridge and the desired weighing accuracy.
Load-cell systems are the most popular technology used. Each cell includes a durable material, with one or more strain gauges attached to or embedded in it. A strain gauge consists of a wire (or wires) that transmits a mild electric current. As the cell is subjected to weight, the wire in the strain gauge is altered or compressed slightly. The change in the wire results in a difference in the resistance to the current passing through it. The signal from each cell is sent to a junction box where sensors measure the variance in the current and calculate the amount of weight the scale is supporting.
A bending-plate system uses metal plates with strain gauges attached to them. As weight is applied to the scale, the plates are subjected to stress. The strain gauge on each plate measures the amount of stress and calculates the load required to cause it. The amounts from each gauge are added together to get the total for that axle.
Apart from this, there are three different ways to get the weight of a truck:
- One-Axle Weighing- The truck drives around a single scale, stopping each time a set of wheels is on a scale. If all the axles have been weighed, the total is added together.
- One-Stop- A series of scales are used so that the truck can be weighed at once. The scales are typically connected to a single electronic controller thar automatically combines the axle weights to get the net weight.
- Weigh-in-motion: A method that is gaining momentum, WIM uses a series of embedded sensors to calculate the weight per axle as a truck drives over the sensor pad. Unlike the other two methods, there is no need for the truck to come to a complete stop while on the scales. In fact, some WIM systems are installed in highways so that all traffic is monitored at speed.
Features
The scales are compatible with our unattended weighing system Alba BOS, which can further increase the effectiveness of your business.
- Weighbridges with a classical load bearing mechanism integrated into the ground (cement of metal construction).
- Pitless or pit type weighbridges.
- Drive-through weighbridges for axle load weighing.
Recommended Read: On Board Weighing System – Kanta King