While most typical truck/vehicle scales incorporate similar basic design elements and choices (such as decks and foundations), each manufacturer incorporates their own specific elements into their truck/vehicle scale designs to offer different application advantages.
Understanding those advantages, as well as the fundamentals of truck scale designs can help you decide which one is best suited for your operation and business needs – for more specific questions, give us a call!
Truck Scale Designs
Most truck scale manufacturers offer standard vehicle scales, but some will make custom designs to fit existing foundations, saving you time and money by eliminating site reconstruction.
To ensure your scale is large enough for your application, plan your truck scale needs based on the largest truck you ever plan to weigh at your operation. This should include future trucks since truck scales should easily provide 25 years or more of dependable service with reasonable care.
The space available, your weighing application and your long-term needs will also determine what type of scale deck design you select. Some of the choices available include pit design and surface mounted models.
A portable vehicle scale is always an option if your weighing needs aren’t long term or if it would be useful to be able to move it to various locations around your property.
Steel or Concrete Deck?
A big consideration when choosing a truck scale design is whether to select a steel deck or a concrete deck weighbridge. Both have advantages. Here are just a few differentiating features that will help you choose the right type.
Concrete Deck Advantages:
- Concrete provides better traction in wet or icy weather
- Five to seven years longer life, and less maintenance needed
- More mass means less friction and wear
- Better load distribution
A concrete deck, which needs approximately 21 to 28 days to cure, is poured during installation and usually done by an outside contractor. Cured, factory-poured concrete decks may be damaged during transport and may have higher installation and transport costs due to the heavy weight of the concrete.
Steel Deck Advantages:
- Fast installation, and easy relocation and expansion
- Lower profiles and variable deck plates available
- Less initial cost and no need to wait for a concrete deck to cure
Installation usually takes less than one day, and a steel deck scale weighs less, making it easier to relocate and expand if needed. Steel decks usually offer traction treads on the driving surface which can be beneficial in wet conditions due to rain or snow.
Popular Scales
Two of our most popular scales available are the Modu-Deck Scale, and the Tuff-Deck Scale – both of which are built strongly to withstand harsh environments. With a range of features and accessories available, they have what you need to make your weigh scale operation complete.
Modu-Deck:
- Our Modu-Deck series scales come in either steel or concrete to suit your industry and application. The Modu-Deck parallel link suspension and rocker fulcrum load cell provides a unique and vastly superior load sensing system.
Tuff-Deck:
- Active Scale Tuff-Deck vehicle scales come in steel and concrete to suit your industry and applications. We provide efficient and durable vehicle scales and our advanced technology & accessories can be used to weigh and collect data from a wide range of vehicles.
Regardless of what truck scale design you choose, Active Scale can provide the scale you need or design a custom model to meet your unique specifications. Contact us today toll free (1-800-850-8770) to get started with installing a new truck scale for your business.
