Table of Contents
Get Your Scale Ready for the Busy Seasons
Spring is coming and for many truck scale owners, that means preparing for the busiest time of the year, for others, it’s just the start of warm weather. Regardless we know you are preparing and we have a few recommendations for making sure your scale is ready for high-capacity daily use.
Inspect Your Scale
Inspecting your scale can take a mere matter of minutes and save you loads of money. Here are a few things to look for:
Debris
Look under the scale and check for debris. If there is dirt or other debris clear it out with a pressure washer or hose if possible.
Base Checks
Check your beams and base plates to make sure they are clear of any debris or dirt to prevent damages and deterioration. Moisture may accumulate here, so be on the lookout for corrosion.
Clear the Ends
Clearance areas at the front and back ends of your scales may pile with debris. Clear the approach clearance for any debris that may have accumulated, as well as check for any objects that may have made their way to the end of your scale.
Water
Puddled water under your scale can lead to rust and corrosion of your truck scale. Check your drains to see if they are plugged, and make sure that they are cleared. If you don’t have a drainage system in place, consider installing a gravity drain system or sump pump.
Rust
Rust can accumulate on the surface of your scale and lead to holes in your scale. Remove rust by scrapping with a steel brush and then repainting the scale.
- Repaint Bonus: Repainting your scale keeps it looking fresh and more appealing to the eyes!
Crack Check (not for plumbers)
Look for cracks in your scale’s foundation and deck. Finding cracks and repairing them while they are young can prevent large costly repairs in the future.
Scale Calibration
Scale calibrations play a leading role in getting your truck scale into top shape. Calibrations ensure that you are not overcharging your customers or undercharging, costing yourself money. With your truck scale braving the elements every day it may need periodic calibrations due to external factors affecting the accuracy. To help with how often you should calibrate your scale, look at what a small inaccuracy can do.
Example
|
Weighing Volume |
300 trucks/day |
|
|
Weighing Frequency |
5 days/week= |
1,500 weighs per week
|
|
|
4 weeks/month= |
6,000 weighs per month |
|
Product Value |
$51.4/ton= |
$.0257 per lb. |
|
Inaccuracy per Single Weigh |
150 lbs. light x $.0257= |
$-3.855 per weigh |
|
Inaccuracy Cost a Week |
1,500 x -3.855 |
$-5782.5 |
|
Inaccuracy Cost a Month |
-5782.5 x 4(weeks) |
$-23,130 |
|
Inaccuracy Cost a Year |
-5782.5 52(weeks) |
$-300,690 |
Reports
High-quality service providers are necessary for the longevity and functionality of your truck scale. After maintenance, calibration, or any other service is performed on your truck scale, a quality service provider should give a detailed report, providing documentation for what was done to your scale. It should include detailed test results like (as found) and (as left) after each calibration, any changes or adjustments, and a summary of service. They should also supply any recommendations based on the findings after the service. Need full documentation of what’s happening to your scale during service? Connect with us!
Review
Your truck scale is the foundation of your business operations and downtime can be extremely costly. Taking proper preparations to optimize your scales performance before the season begins will only increase the life and productivity of your scale. Check over your scale and make sure that the service being provided is quality service. Not sure what quality service looks or sounds like? Give us a chance to show you!
