If you’re in the market for a weigh scale you might be overwhelmed with choices, from sizes to different weighing mechanisms there can be a lot to consider. As the largest Canadian manufacturer of Electronic Truck Scales and Rail Car Scales, we’re here to share some helpful information about of the most popular types of weighing scales: Hydraulic scale systems.
We’ve all heard of hydraulics in one form or another, but how exactly does a hydraulic scale system work? In today’s article we are going to explore how it works, and some advantages and disadvantages to this hydraulic weighing system.
What Exactly Are Hydraulics?
First thing’s first. Hydraulics, or hydraulic fluids, are liquids that are used as the main motive medium in a variety of machinery. In other words, it helps extremely heavy equipment move more easily by suspending it in a liquid.
A hydraulic scale is a measurement tool that uses the compression of hydraulic fluid in order to determine the weight of an object. Typically, hydraulic scales are high traffic applications as they are reliable and easy to maintain due to their design including very few moving parts
From the power steering in your car to the brakes in a tractor, your local garbage truck or a warehouse forklift, you come across this liquid in your day to day life more than you might even realize.
Hydraulic liquid is made up of various chemicals including oils, butanol, esters and silicons to name a few. It is designed to have a very high boiling point and an extremely low freezing point so it will stay in its liquid form in extreme climates.
How Does a Hydraulic Scale Work?
A hydraulic scale measures the compression of hydraulic fluid in order to determine the weight of an object. This is typically achieved through the use of pistons or a type of diaphragm that compresses the fluid, which is then displaced into a type of tube analogue weigh gauge or an electronic sensor and display. A hydraulic weight gauge should be accurate.
Hydraulic scales are considered to be extremely accurate because liquids act in an extremely predictable manner when compressed. All hydraulic scales consist of at least one load cell as a means of translating the pressure or weight of the object and converting it to a mass measurement.
When it comes to truck scale hydraulic systems, there is typically a large platform on top of a number of hydrostatic cells. When a load is placed on the platform, the cells depress evenly and the fluid is forced through input lines and brought together in a totalizer, where the displaced fluid is then measured to produce a mass measurement.
Why Choose a Hydraulic Scale System?
Advantages of a hydraulic scale system
There are many advantages to selecting a hydraulic scale system for your business, including the fact that hydraulic scales are often considered to be extremely accurate.
Not only that, but a few more reasons to consider a hydraulic scale are:
- Hydraulic weighing system is extremely accurate
- Easy to maintain as there are very few moving parts
- Easy to spot any leakages so therefore easy to know if there are any maintenance issues
- A hydraulic system does not produce sparks therefore safe operation in various environments
- Reduced noise in operation
- Easy to repair major machine parts
- Due to the nature of the hydraulic liquid, it can still operate accurately and efficiently in extremely hot or extremely cold environments
Disadvantages of a hydraulic scale system
As with anything, there are some potential downfalls of a hydraulic weighing system you should be aware of if you’re planning to go with a one:
- If your hydraulic fluids leak, it can cause potential safety and environmental issues
- Contaminants in the hydraulic fluids can cause malfunctions affecting system performance and productivity; to combat this, constant filtration of the fluid is required
Overall, the merits of a hydraulic scale system far outweigh its weaknesses. It is certainly a scale of choice when it comes to large truckloads, or even railway rolling stock.
If you have any questions or are still unsure whether a hydraulic system is right for you, contact Active Scale and we will be sure to point you in the right direction.
