It’s critical to understand the precise factors that boost truck scale durability once you’ve grasped the fundamentals of truck scale construction, such as foundation and deck types. The longevity of a truck scale is influenced by factors such as load cell housing, steel content, and deck type.
Deck Plates
To ensure truck scale endurance at a reduced initial cost, a popular design for weighbridges is to use top and bottom deck plates with fewer longitudinal support beams. The disadvantage of this design is that temperature variations cause moisture to build up between the deck pieces. This causes rust, which weakens the truck scale’s structural integrity and leads to component failure. Other truck scale models have additional longitudinal support, thus a bottom deck plate isn’t required. While the higher steel composition may result in a higher purchasing price, it allows for an open-bottom design, allowing condensation under the module to drip to the foundation and evaporate, preventing rust.
Strengthening Stress Points
The ends of the weighbridge surrounding load cell pockets are among the most stressed areas on a truck scale. The isolated force on the module ends as cars enter and exit a truck scale can induce stress fractures in the deck, jeopardising the integrity and accuracy of the scale. Load cell pockets fastened to the modules on some truck scales can stretch away from the module, causing irreversible damage to the system. Load cell pockets are built into other truck size models. Integrated load cell pockets are secured between longitudinal I-beams that run the whole length of the module, providing additional support at high-stress places on the weighbridge.
Concrete Decks
In a concrete deck truck scale, the neutral axis is the point at which the expected compression from vehicle weight shifts to destructive tension. Some companies will build a 10- or 12-inch concrete deck that will crack prematurely as the concrete below the neutral axis expands to relieve tension. Other companies create concrete deck scales with the goal of keeping the concrete above the neutral axis. A steel I-beam substructure may support the concrete while also allowing tension to release without causing damage to the concrete deck, resulting in a more durable concrete deck truck scale.
Steel Content
Longitudinal support for truck scale modules comes in a variety of forms. Some modules are supported by bent sheet metal or C-channels, while others are supported by I-beams, which vary in size. Larger I-beams positioned closer together in models ensure vehicle wheels are supported regardless of weighbridge alignment, reducing stress on individual components. This can assist keep the modules from bowing or dimpling, extending the life of the scale.
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