What is Concentrated Load Capacity and NTEP?

Concentrated Load Capacity, or CLC, is an industry recognized rating of a vehicle or axle load scale. The rating defines the maximum load for which the weighbridge is designed as applied by a group of two axles with a center line spaced 4 feet apart and an axle width 8 feet apart. When a CLC load is applied to the weighbridge during a National Type Evaluation Program test, the NTEP tester records the displayed weight. If the scale falls within accepted testing tolerances, the scale has that CLC weight value recorded as the CLC on the Certificate of Conformance.

rice lake survivor truck scale

The CLC rating is not a measure of weighbridge strength or rigidity, because weighbridge deflection is not measured in the NTEP test. It is irrelevant if the load weighbridge sags 1/10th of an inch, or 10 inches, as long as the scale weighs within the accepted tolerance. The scale’s CLC weight rating passes in either case. A high CLC rating could be given to an extremely flexible deck sitting on load cell mounts which are capable of accurately handling the side loading resulting from a severely sagging weighbridge.

The Rice Lake SURVIVOR truck scale line boasts a 45 ton (90,000 pounds) CLC rating. With most legal highway weight limits being a fraction of Rice Lake’s rating, owners of a SURVIVOR scale can expect a long lifespan through the most rigorous weighing processes of two million weighments or more. NTEP provides a set of procedures for the uniform testing and evaluation of weighing equipment. For a truck scale to be NTEP-certified Legal-for-Trade, the entire truck is weighed, not just a single axle or group of axles. The SURVIVOR series is approved for up to 270,000 pound full scale capacity with a 90,000 pound CLC rating, earning NTEP certification up to 14 feet wide.

NTEP has additional guidelines for truck scales, such as the required length of approach ramps. For clarification on your state requirements, contact a qualified dealer who can help you determine the best site for your scale to meet those guidelines. For North Carolina, contact Central Carolina Scale in Sanford NC.