As one of the many types of truck scales on the market, truck axle scales are an excellent weighing solution for many in the trucking industry and beyond. To help determine whether an axle scale could be the best choice for your unique weighing needs, we’ve answered some of the most common questions about truck axle scales and how they work.
What Is an Axle Scale?
First, let’s start with what exactly an axle weighing scale is. An axle weighing scale measures the weight of each axle of a truck, a commonly accepted way to determine the truck’s overall weight.
This method is considered to be the most accurate weighing system, measuring within a margin of error of 0.25%. Scale owners and operators love them because they are low profile, easy to transport and compatible with forklifts.
Vehicle axle weighing scales come in many different sizes and maximum capacities depending on their design and use.
There are two main types of axle scales; portable and fixed. Portable axle scales are much more cost-effective in addition to the added benefit of moving the scale anywhere at any time. While axle weighing scales are most popular in the trucking industry, they are also used in the mining and farming industries.
Axle scales are typically built with aluminum only to help with durability as well as being lightweight.
truck axle scale
Why Should You Use an Axle Weighing Scale?
With all of the different types of truck weigh scales available, you might wonder why some companies choose to use an axle scale over other types.
They Can Be Dynamic
Because axle scales can measure while the vehicle is still in motion, it is easy to quickly check whether the load is overweight or not.
Stable or Dynamic? The Choice is Yours
Truck Axle scales come in either dynamic or stable models so depending on your industry you can choose what suits your business best.
Functional
Axle scales are remarkably accurate and all have fairly high capacities so they are suitable for a wide variety of industries.
Cost-Effective
Compared to other scales, Truck axle scales are considered to be cost-effective because they don’t need to be given a constant power supply. Once it’s charged, it can operate for a good length of time.
How Does an Axle Scale Work?
Now that we know what an axle scale is, its time to talk about how an axle scale works:
The vehicle is made to run over the scale so the wheel load is over the proper sensors. Unlike other scales where all four wheels must be still in order to obtain a measurement, axle scales can work while the vehicle is still moving, even up to almost 5 km/h.
As the vehicle passes through the scale, the metal plates underneath bend and gauge the pressure emitted from the tires above. The more stress on the plates, the more weight the scale calculates.
The scale records the weight derived from each of the individual wheels and adds all of the weights together, known as gross weight.
Axle scales have revolutionalized the way we measure heavy vehicles and loads by making it easier and more efficient to weigh different loads. Some axle scales can even measure up to 8 wheels of a truck at a time, saving you time and money.
