Category Archives: Truck Scale Preventive Maintenance and Service

Choose Reputable Scale Service Company With Correct Tools

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Most of the time we focus on how to buy scales or what features are ideal for your next truck scale purchase. Today we wanted to briefly discuss truck scale service and repairs since eventually you will have to call to have service and repair done on your truck scale.  And let’s face it, if a repair isn’t done right and efficiently, any money you saved on your truck scale purchase could be lost in a lengthy repair.  Almost every digital scale from a small bench scale to a large truck scale has a digital weight indicator. Most scales have one or more load cells. Quite a few scales have a junction box with summing board. Most electronic truck scales feature these components as well. Most of the time to test and calibrate these bench and floor scales, you just place weights in a few spots, test and calibrate if necessary. However, the testing and calibration that is performed on a truck scale varies from the standard bench and floor scales.

Most truck scales are checked with test weights and a portable test cart filled with certified weight. This allows the scale technician to drive the cart over the scale and test the scale more thoroughly than just placing weights on the end of the scale. Having a test cart with weights should allow you to get a better and more detailed test of your truck scale than if you don’t use a cart. That is one reason it is important to choose a truck scale calibration service company that has a test cart in North Carolina that can test truck scales accurately. Companies that don’t have a test cart can be at a disadvantage when it comes to finding certain hard to find errors that can creep into the picture from time to time.

Summer is almost here, Truck Scale Maintenance Ideas

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We’re just about ready to head into the busy summer months. In a lot of cases, it is also a busy time for your truck scales. Spring is the best time to get the following maintenace done, because all the melting snow (in some areas) creating running water, mud and muck can wreak havoc on your truck scale operations; washing debris into pits and foundations, and damaging equipment. Not to mention the critters who have taken up residence over the long winter. We recommend completing the following steps in late spring to ensure you are up and running in time for the busy summer season. Continue reading →

Downtime can mean lost revenue and lost business opportunities

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The economic advantages of incorporating an iQUBE junction box in a scale system are vast. For many companies, scales are virtual cash registers, documenting weight-based transactions. Downtime can mean lost revenue and lost business opportunities. While up and running, iQUBE continually verifies that the scale is weighing correctly, guaranteeing that the accuracy of an operation is never questioned. Whether iQUBE is added to an existing system to update the technology, or purchased in a new scale bundle with a truck scale and indicator, both will see less downtime and a timely return on investment. Continue reading →

Load Cells

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This month we continue looking at truck scale service.  This months topic is Load Cells. From a service perspective the overall procedure is to examine load cells and the area surrounding them. The load cell area may contain dirt and debris that has built up since the scale’s last check. Load cells must have clearance to deflect through their capacity range. The same debris that can bind the scale deck can also keep the load cells and suspension components from moving freely. Continue reading →

Checking Devices

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As we continue to look at service of truck scales, this month we look at checking devices.  Some vehicle scales utilize suspension systems that don’t require checking devices, eliminating a time-consuming step in your service protocol.  If your scale has checking devices, make sure they are working properly.  Inspect check rods to make sure the attachment points are solid.  Check for binding.  If there is a problem, weight readings will be inconsistent from section to section.  Inspect hardware to ensure jam nuts are tight, rods are level and free of foreign material, and washers are not rusted or distorted.  Even if they are working properly, replace corroded hardware components so they don’t fail in the future when you least expect. Continue reading →

The foundation of success

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This month we continue to look at the overall service and maintentance of a truck scale.  Today we look at the weighbridge and the foundation. Even the toughest scale on earth is put at risk on a poor foundation. Cracked foundations can lead to movement or settling which causes chronic calibration errors. Letting little cracks become big cracks may require removing part or all of the foundation and pouring a new one for the scale to once again weigh accurately.  It is important that the end user periodically walk around their scale and do a thorough visual check of the foundation and let your service tech know of any issue that you see possibly developing. Take a look at the weighbridge or deck. Rust or crumbling concrete can weaken the scale’s structure and cause problems. Clean and paint rusted steel decks. Continue reading →

Regularly Scheduled Maintenance

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We mentioned maintenance a few months ago in this entry.  However, we wanted to go a little more in depth with each area in the coming months.  Today, we’re going to look at regular calibration service calls.  A thorough check-up every six months at the very minimum is the general rule for truck scales.  Many companies like Central Carolina Scale offer regularly scheduled maintenance plans for your truck scales.  

When deciding how often to have your scale tested, take into consideration your number of weighments, climate and the value of the product being weighed.  Aside from Continue reading →

The foundation for success

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A proper foundation is one of the most important parts of your truck scale. If the foundation is not constructed properly, built flat and level, or according to the certified foundation drawing, your truck scale foundation could shift and bring the scale out of accepted calibration tolerance. If the movement continues, your scale will become inoperable and require costly foundation repairs. Many factors must be considered in the process, such as the slope of the site and soil conditions. Below are a few other factors that must be taken into consideration. The SURVIVOR® truck scale line’s quality design and engineering is further complemented by Rice Lake’s ability to Continue reading →

Heavy Capacity Preventative Maintenance Schedule

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It is probably a good idea to have your heavy capacity truck scales checked at least every six months at a minimum. Also, a convenient time to conduct a preventative maintenance scale inspection is during the regularly scheduled calibration check.  It’s a good idea to inspect your truck scale just prior to peak usage times, such as harvest season in agricultural operations. Click here for more detailed scale service info available from Central Carolina Scale.

Programmable Digital Weight Indicator for Truck Scales

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HMI Digital Weight Indicators from Rice Lake Weighing Systems, offer a complete line of weight indicators to fit any application. The revolutionary Rice Lake 920i® programmable HMI Indicator/Controller takes charge of process applications and provides open connectivity to the most popular networking interfaces. When used in batching / mixing applications, one 920i indicator is capable of handling multiple scales, flow, temperature and pulse. It can control hundreds of I/O set points, queue gates and conveyors, perform yield management functions and store, Continue reading →