Buyers often wish truck scales they purchased can work for 10~20 years, based on this point, buyers should take future needs into the consideration when doing location planning for truck scales. So a good layout of truck scale is able to ensure whole weighing process smooth and efficient, and adapt to weighing business development for many years as well.
The numner of trucks weighed per day should be considered. In most of weighing processes,each truck will be weighed twice,for heavy load and no load. Three situations can be referenced as following.
Weighing for Low Frequency,generally it means that weighing number is less than 100 times every day. There’s the least request for parking lot and turning place of trucks unless all trucks will arrive at the place simultaneously. So for low frequency condition,a truck scale is enough for trucks’ bi-direction driving. Meanwhile a side road near truck scale is also needed in order to provide way for vehicles and persons without weighing tasks.
Weighing for Middle Frequency,means weighing number between 100~200 times every day. In this case,designers should think of the time for vehicles’ arriving and departure,and set up the parking lot and the turning area. Vehicle queue shouldn’t wait in line on main road when weighing is busy. Even during peak hours,a single truck scale with the side road can also deal with busy tasks if traffic flow is well controlled,of course,setting two truck scales is better for weighing management.
Weighing for High Frequency,weighing number is often more than 200 times per day. For such weighing,a completely set of traffic system should be designed,like traffic lights, automatic lifting bar and the signpost, parking lot, etc. Two or more truck scales should be equipped for dealing with heavy weighing tasks,such as ports with huge traffic flows. In short,multiple truck scales are optimal for flexibly weighing heavy tasks,and proper side roads should be designed as well.
Site Layout
* Draw a site layout first, imagine the status in weighing processes every day.
– Where will trucks go after they arrived?
– Will one or two long lines of trucks wait in line to be weighed?
– Where will trucks go after being weighed.
– Take the maximum radius for truck’s turning into account,then think carefully whether there is enough space between truck scale and unloading point
– Will a trailer’s park need to be reserved?
* Next,consider some possible situations may happen.
– What should we do if truck scale is on regular maintenance or under repair?
– What to do after a heavy snow or rain?
– What to do if the factory will be expanded in future?
– What can we do once drivers will be forced to wait loading or unloading?
– What can happen in the peak season?
Test for Chosen Place
Doing a test is practical and valuable before starting building. Mark the points of truck scale and surrounding devices by means of traffic signs or other signs for test. If conditions permit,drive the vehicle across the testing area to verify the feasibility of the plan. And ask some experienced drivers if move space for car’s moving is not sure.
Site Clearance
Debris accumulation under or around truck scale is very likely to affect the service life and performance of truck scale, like residual material,rain,ice and snow,etc. That’s the reason why many users prefer foundation-pit-free design,in this way,regular clearance is convenient. And reserve a water hydrant around truck scale is helpful to daily cleaning for truck scale, make sure water spray will not damage the load cells,cables and junction box of truck scale.
Some factories of mining or concrete particularly equip the exclusive lane for trucks’ cleaning. Before weighing,cleaning device will wash trucks once they stop on the lane,then sludge or weed of truck will largely reduce. This can lower the possibility of affecting weighing caused by debris,so truck scale can achieve more accurate reading when weighing.
Filling Application
In some occasions,trucks scale will be served as filling device to weigh the goods on trucks. Filling device on the scale will restrict the mounting height of truck scale,so users can communicate with scale supplier about the application for filling device in advance,then supplier can provide professional solution with suitable accessories for filling application.
Estimate the traffic flow combined with practical use of truck scale,this will help the layout.
– Is the traffic flow balanced? Is there the seasonal factor?
– How long will truck stay on truck scale?
In conclusion,reasonable layout and site selection should base on practical applications and the status of peak seasons.