Electronic on-board scales are not new to the trucking industry. Introduced more than 30 years ago, electronic on-board scales were used in trucking applications where monitoring gross vehicle or payload weight was necessary, but platform scales were not readily available. One of the first applications was logging trucks in the Northwest, where loggers were loading at primitive sites in remote areas. These innovative truckers tried many methods to maximize their loads, including hanging chains that showed “full loads” and looking at hydraulic and air pressure solutions. Today, a majority of North American logging trucks operate with electronic on-board scales.
EVOLUTION OF ELECTRONIC ON-BOARD SCALES
Over the years, technological advances have enabled many improvements of these early electronic on-board scales. Standard bar load cells were improved and specialty load cells were developed for fifth wheels, center hangers, single points, and most other types of spring suspensions. Vulcan developed the double shear beam load cell, which is now the industry standard. Air ride suspensions recently gained air sensors.
Probably the biggest changes have been with the electronics themselves. The improved meter displays in the cabs of the trucks have many more features, including troubleshooting capabilities that, despite the increased sophistication, are often easier to use. Vulcan developed the first digital electronics system. Today, most on-board scales are digital versus the original analog.
These advancements have resulted in on-board scale systems that are more accurate, have more capabilities, and are more reliable. Because of this product evolution, the applications for on-board scales have rapidly expanded. In addition to logging, on-board scales are found in almost all vocational and general trucking industries, including dirt and aggregate hauling, construction and demolition, mining, bulk hauling, and more.
Vulcan on-board scale systems (like the V320 shown above) allow optimum, safe use of a truck’s payload capacity, both for maximizing loads and preventing the liabilities of overloading.
BENEFITS OF ELECTRONIC ON-BOARD SCALES
Truckers using on-board scales reap benefits far beyond just monitoring gross vehicle weight to avoid overweight fines. Given the high cost of time and equipment, on-board scales have a dramatic impact on the efficiency and profitability of operating a truck. Following are some of the key benefits that on-board scales offer truckers:
- Haul the maximum legal payload: Optimize fleet efficiency by hauling the maximum legal payload on every trip without going to a platform scale. This also allows for a reduction in costs incurred by additional trips.
- Reduce loading time: On-board scales allow you to load to the maximum legal weight, quickly and on site, without having to wait in scale lines or drive to the nearest platform scale (often many miles in the wrong direction).
- Reduce adjustment time: On-board scales also eliminate having to readjust your load, requiring you to return to the loading area and wait in line again. In many applications, adjusting the load is very time consuming and may require dumping the load and starting over.
- Reduce maintenance costs and increase vehicle life: Hauling loads that the vehicle was designed to carry reduces maintenance costs for brakes, tires, and suspensions. Frames and bodies also last substantially longer, thereby reducing maintenance costs and capital expenditures for new trucks and trailers. Many operators pay for their on-board scale with maintenance cost savings alone.
- Eliminate travel to certified scales: With on-board scales, there is seldom a requirement to expend time and money traveling out of your way to a certified scale.
Eliminate overweight fines: Maximizing payload weight is more critical than ever. Customers use truckers that haul the greatest load for the dollar, but running trucks overweight is becoming increasingly expensive. Overweight fines are growing as regulations are being more strictly enforced, especially as municipal law enforcement has discovered this additional source of revenue. - Increase safety: By keeping weight within legal limits, braking distance remains constant and tracking around corners is more predictable. In many off-road applications, higher than specified payload weights can result in unstable vehicles being susceptible to tipping over.
- Reduce liability exposure: Eliminate liability exposure due to increased braking distance from overweight vehicles. The liability costs of accidents involving an overweight truck can be significant, especially if an insurance carrier determines an incident preventable and refuses the claim. Many worksites, mills, and distribution centers prohibit the unloading of overweight vehicles solely to reduce their liability exposure. Also, truckers that use on-board scales may be able to reduce their liability insurance.
- Manage operation efficiency: On-board scales can track production and operation efficiency by logging and recording weights, load cycles, dump cycles, and amount of haulback.
- Data collection and transmission: With the increasing use of on-board computers, weight information can be collected and transmitted to the home office in real time.
- Increase driver retention: On-board scales reduce the amount of time and miles necessary for drivers to accomplish their job. One of the benefits for fleets that install on-board scales is increased driver retention, as drivers have more time at home.
Truckers that consider the above benefits received from on-board scales typically calculate their payback to be from 3 to 12 months. This will only shorten in the future as the cost to haul without on-board scales increases. On-board scales are growing easier to use and providing truckers with more benefits than seen in previous years, making a haul safer, less time consuming, and decreasing the significance of wear and tear on the truck. ■
About The Author: Byron Mucke is the senior marketing communications specialist for Vulcan On-Board Scales. Byron has been with Vulcan for more than 20 years. For more information, visit www.vulcanscales.com.
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Modern Contractor Solutions, July 2015
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