FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE INSTALLING A WEIGHBRIDGE. Leave a comment
It’s a million-shilling investment and you wouldn’t want to invest in something that will endlessly fail. You would like to get into a project that will either secure you profits or help you cover any loopholes for loses. Scales technology is here to help with installing unmanned weighbridges and service them for you. All you have to worry about is make money. Just like any other thing you buy, you have to consider even the simplest of things like the brand before you purchase an item, a weighbridge is no exception. You have to be diligent in installing one.
There are different types, from the way they are installed to the way they are used, making a decision can be cunning but you can seek an expert. Let’s share a few tips on things to check on before installing a weighbridge.
- CHECK THE LENGTH REQUIRED
Before choosing a weighbridge, you will need to factor in the maximum vehicle size that it needs to accommodate. This will be dictated by the trucks using the weighbridge. In most cases, consider the wheelbase as it is only the wheels that need to be on the weighbridge for weighing purposes.
- WEIGHBRIDGE AUTOMATION
Consider the benefits offered by a driver-operated docking station, entry and exit barriers, signage, traffic lights and even automatic number plate recognition (ANPR). Unattended systems also provide more efficient processing of vehicles and allow the weighbridge to function without a dedicated operator, thereby reducing operating costs and extending the hours of availability.
- SUPPLIERS REPUTATION
Your choice of a supplier is just as important as the choice of the weighbridge. You need to be sure of backup and support when the weighbridge requires repairs, maintenance and technical support when you also need advice. Weighbridges are huge precision instruments and its is imperative that you feel at ease knowing you’ve invested in a reliable product.
- ENSURE IT FITS YOUR PURPOSE
Today, there are many different weighbridges available on the market, which all serve a range of purposes and industries. Therefore, you must have a clear vision of your needs and requirements before making such an investment. For instance, think about the kind of vehicles you need to weigh, the dimensions of these vehicles and the kinds of products you’ll be weighing.
If your weighbridge is located at a site entrance, consider any very heavy plant vehicles, such as cranes, that that may need access. Some of these vehicles may have an axle load that exceeds the weighbridge’s maximum axle load. Indeed, if it is a surface-mounted weighbridge, access maybe impossible. Check with your supplier to ensure that the weighbridge you select is fit for purpose.
- LOCATION AND SPACE.
It sounds obvious, but quite often people will not leave enough room to maneuver, and weighbridges are installed too close to buildings where wing mirrors get knocked off or vehicles simply cannot access the bridge. And after spending so much money to get it installed, that’s the last thing you want! As such, the weighbridge should not be installed where it’s likely there’ll be any pedestrians, as well as thinking about how to avoid traffic queues if you’re thinking of putting it near the entrance or exit to a site. Weighbridges are often positioned near the entrance and/or exit to a site, so it is necessary to think about how to avoid causing traffic queues out on to the main highway.
