Tag Archives: service

Truck Scale Planning (Checklist)

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Truck Scale Planning

Truck Scale Preparations

Buying a new truck scale is a long-term investment. Getting the best quality of scale to last you decades of service is crucial to getting a good return on investment. Preparing for a new truck scale can be difficult as there could be many places to start. We broke down a few of the essential components we think you should know when planning out your next new truck scale project.

Truck Scale Site Plans

To get the longest lifespan and effectiveness from your truck scale, proper planning for your scale is essential. We can help you select the best site, considering the traffic flow of your operation, the best location for a foundation, electrical and conduit requirements, soil conditions and drainage, ease of maintenance, and accessory locations.

 

If you want help planning your next truck scale project, contact us. We can get you on the line with our truck scale project specialist.

Truck Scale Planning
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Truck Scale Planning Checklist

Here is a small list of components to think about when planning your next truck-scale project.

  • Who will be handling the subcontractors? 
  • Do they want this to be a turn-key project?  
  • Do they need a specific type of truck processing software? 
  • What dimensions of the scale do they need (length & width)?
  • What is the expected timeline for the project?
  • What Type of foundation do you need – above ground or concrete pit?
  • Weighbridge of Scale Deck – Steel or concrete?
  • What load cell capacity do you need – What’s the highest weight you will weigh?
  • Do you need a specific kind of load cell?
  • What capabilities does your indicator need – Do you want basic functionality or a central command center for all your data?
  • Do you have a person manning the scale tickets, or do you need a ticketing kiosk?
  • Does the scale need to be legal-for-trade?
  • Do you need customizations for this project?

If you can’t figure out everything no worries, we are here to help walk you through anything you may have questions on. Give us a call!

Do You Have Process Inefficiencies?

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Production

Laying Out Your Process

At first glance, your production process may look flawless, although it’s possible it is, it’s improbable, in most cases there could be a way to optimize production. Maximizing the production process can mean more than just producing the most product possible; cutting waste, removing downtime, and proper planning can all make a difference in your business’s wallet. Laying out your process to identify inefficiencies can be difficult, here are some places we think you should start.

Can Your Production Be Automated?

Is there a place in your production that is manually done that could be done autonomously? Whether that’s checking products or activating equipment? Things like quality checks and button pushing can be turned into an automated process.

 

Is it possible to save material waste? Could you reduce waste by setting up a system that improves the cutting or measuring of raw material? Saving money is gaining money, and the more waste that can be saved and turned into product means more money in your pocket.

Process Inefficiencies

The Advantage of Being Ready vs. Reacting

Proactive maintenance uses data to seek out possible issues before they happen. Being preventive and aware of your equipment needs versus reacting when they are broken can be a time saver. Reactive maintenance seeks to restore critical process equipment, and repairing critical process equipment means that your process is down. Here are a few benefits of proactive maintenance as an effective production booster.

 

Proactive Maintenance Advantages

  • Reduced Long-term costs
  • Planned downtime
  • Longer Equipment Lifetime
  • Increased Efficiency

A Critical Choice

Producing the highest quality good efficiently is any manufacturer’s goal. We want to tag-team the efforts put into achieving these goals. Automating your production isn’t rocket science (unless you make rocket parts) which is why we at GR Metrology can help your process achieve the highest optimization possible.

 

Why tag-team with us? It’s simple, we value quality, and if automating your production increases the output of quality products we want to be there to help. Get in contact with us about your process and find out if partnering with us is the right fit.

Are You Choosing The Right Measurement Service Provider?

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Gr Metrology Service Provider

Do you Need an Accredited Laboratory?

Do you need Accredited Calibrations? This is the place to start when it comes to choosing the right service provider. Laboratory accreditation ensures that your provider is up to date and abiding by relevant quality standards. This accreditation is a good indication of the quality and competency of a service provider. ISO 17025 is the standard by which a calibration laboratory must hold accreditation in to be viewed as technically competent. This competency is reflected by each laboratories Scope of Accreditation, which is the technical way to say — all the areas they can calibrate with a high level of competency.

Within Their Scope of Accreditation

Finding a lab that is accredited may not be the hardest part of finding a good service provider. Figuring out if their scope of accreditation can meet the measurement uncertainties that you need may prove to be the most difficult part. Most accredited calibration laboratories will have a “scope of accreditation” document that states the uncertainties in which, they can provide competent service in. View our Scope of Accreditation Here! (our scope is printable)

 

Another key point to look at is if they can calibrate all your equipment. Can your service provider be the single source for all your measurement service needs? A single source service provider is long-term decision as it can reduce logistic complications as well as give you more immediate attention for urgent incidents.GR Metrology is capable of being your single-source service provider via our scope of accreditation and our large network of other providers want to learn more, contact us here!

 

If you are doing business with a non-accredited lab you will need to ask about their measurement uncertainty, and you will have to determine if that is good enough for what you need. If you go with a non-accredited lab, this will also mean that you may not get an accredited certification for your compliant for your calibrations.

Calibration Certificate Access

Calibration certificates come with all accredited calibrations, a few things the certificates include are: the equipment that was calibrated, the lab that calibrated it, the calibration data, “as found” and “as left” data points, measurement uncertainties, and a signature of the person who performed the calibration and the date. As said before you may not get a calibration certificate that is compliant to your quality standards if you are not using an accredited calibration provider.” 

Asset Management

Does your service provider offer an asset management system or data portal for your calibration certifications and service information? Asset management systems are of growing importance in our digital age. If you are still holding calibration certificates in a filing cabinet, or even worse lying around on your desk; an asset management system will be of use to you. An asset management system houses your calibration data and other data from services done by a provider. Some can even send you reminders for when you have equipment that is getting close to its calibration due date. (Our Asset Management System does this!) 

Onsite Calibrations?

Onsite calibrations can save you extensive periods of downtime and have your equipment fully calibrated and certified in your own facility. Cutting the need to package and ship your equipment out to a laboratory. Checking if your service provider offers this can be a huge bonus for you as it will eliminate downtime costs and keep your production running.

Express Service or Rapid Response?

Some providers offer expedited or rapid response services for businesses that need a quicker turnaround time than normal. Being without your devices for long periods of time is expensive and often requires additional compliance activities. This small service can be the make or break for some businesses that need their equipment back to them ASAP.

single source provider

Do They Explain What They are Doing and Why?

Does the provider explain what they are doing when they service your equipment or provide notes of service? Providers should tell you what they are doing and why when they are servicing and after servicing your equipment, they should also say if that equipment passed or failed. Your provider should be transparent with you on all the details of service.

Repairs, Service, Maintenance

Is the calibration laboratory competent in performing repairs or other maintenance services needed? GR Metrology not only offers repairs, emergency repairs, preventive maintenance, and other services, but we have a full custom automation department!

Provider’s brand and reputation - Is the service provider someone you want to work with again?

Is the provider a brand you trust? Having a provider that can take care of things for you is a huge bonus when it comes to your measurement equipment needs. Not needing to re-check if the service was done properly, or worse, having to have them reservice it shortly after calibrations were made is a clear sign of a good service provider. Finding a trustworthy brand to go back to may not always be easy or cheap, but the long-term benefits of having a loyal service provider is ten times better than switching providers every year.

Agreements and Future Reminders

Does the calibration lab offer the possibility to make continual calibration and service agreements for providing future service?

 

Do they send you a reminder when it is coming time for your next calibration? Will they tell you when equipment has gone obsolete?

What GR Metrology does as a service provider

GR Metrology has been ISO certified since 1996 and has been expanding its scope of accreditation nearly every year since. With one of the largest scopes in Michigan, we can service nearly all types of equipment. We strive to be world-class and helpful in all aspects of business, here is a look at what we can offer:

 

  • ISO Accredited Calibrations and Certifications
  • Certlink (our Asset Management System) to store your service information and give you upcoming calibration reminders
  • A single-source service provider (Oh yes, we can do it all!)
  • On-site calibrations and expedited service
  • Repairs, maintenance, 24/7 emergency service
  • A custom Automation team, building custom systems for automating production systems.
  • A brand providing quality since 1922
  • Long-term agreements
  • Automated reminders for calibrations
  • 35+ State registered technicians

What Are Calibrations, Why Are They Needed?

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Calibration Weights

What is Calibration?

Calibration is an “operation that, under specified conditions, in a first step, establishes a relation between the quantity values with measurement uncertainties provided by measurement standards and corresponding indications with associated measurement uncertainties and, in a second step, uses this information to establish a relation for obtaining a measurement result from an indication.”(1) Simplified it means calibrations are a direct comparison of a known standard of measurement and the measurement that you are using. 

Why Calibrations are important:

Accuracy is the reason why calibrations are important. Accuracy of a device degrades over time, just as a battery deteriorates with time, so does equipment accuracy. Time isn’t the only factor on equipment; power surges, overloading, and other factors can affect your equipment making it inaccurate.

 

Why does becoming inaccurate matter?

 

  1. Inaccurate equipment means that your products are going to be of lesser quality than if it was done with accurate equipment.
  2. Inaccurate equipment can create high amounts of rejected parts that don’t meet a product’s quality standard. These rejected parts mean that you might need to make more parts to replace the rejected ones, resulting in production inefficiencies and costing you mounds of money. Even worse it could result in wasted materials that you have to scrap which can trigger pushbacks of products to customers.
  3. Brand damage, nobody likes brand damage, but it can happen from the continued output of low-quality products. Imagine going to a fancy restaurant that served you boxed macaroni & cheese. You’d be furious with what you were served and might even ask for a refund. This can happen for manufacturers due to inaccurate equipment and bad product output, affecting your brand.
Calibrations why get them

Accuracy leads to quality, quality leads to great products! If you are having inaccuracies with equipment, adjusting your equipment should be a top priority. Calibration services can be done to get your equipment back into peak performance and get your production back on track.   

Review

Calibrations may not seem like a big deal, but they can be the reason that you don’t have a big deal on your hands. The simple act of calibrating can minimize inefficiencies resulting in the longevity of quality products. Preventing inaccurate equipment and low-quality products is the reason for calibrating your equipment, GR Metrology offers accredited calibrations for a huge range of equipment, — view or scope of capabilities.

 

 

1 – JCGM 200:2012 International Vocabulary of Metrology, Basic and general concepts and associated terms (VIM) 3rd edition; Calibration (2.39).

Get Your Truck Scale Ready for the Season

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GR Metrology Truck

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!

Metrology in Manufacturing

It is important to note Metrology is the science of measurement. Now, how does this fit into the manufacturing world? The answer is simple, through quality assurance.

Manufacturing revolves around hundreds or thousands of parts being produced each week. These parts must meet precise specifications to ensure quality is met. This is where metrology comes in. Through a series of measurements, the quality control inspector will determine if parts meet the requirements. If most parts are out of spec, then this is where GRM comes in.

A potential reason for poor quality could be due to the machinery. Over time machinery wears down, becomes dull or loses alignment. This causes problems in the quality of production. To avoid recalls, downtime and other production problems, many manufacturers partner up with GRM, an accredited measurement service provider.

Grand Rapids Metrology performs repairs and A2LA ISO 17025 accredited calibration services to adhere to your industries standards and regulations. Be sure to check out our accredited scope of capabilities!

 

How to Properly Store and Handle Test Weights

Test weights are used to perform calibrations. It is very important to maintain their accuracy, and to do so there needs to be proper handling and storage of the test weights. If their accuracy is compromised, then calibrations will be off and product will be out of spec.

 

Class 1-7 test weights are held to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards and are most used in the laboratory.

These test weights should be kept in their original packaging. This with help keep dust and residue off the weights and keep them together. Store the weights near the balance to ensure they are controlled within the same temperature during use. An ideal temperature is 68 degrees Fahrenheit ± 2

When handling the test weights, be sure to use non-magnetic and non-abrasive tweezers. When possible, wear approved gloves. You should never use your bare hands to handle the test weights. The oils from your skin can affect the accuracy.

 

Class F test weights are held to NIST standards and are most often used in an industrial setting to calibrate larger scales.

These test weights aren’t required to be in as specific conditions as Class 1-7 test weights due to the tolerances involved. Just store these test weights in a clean dry environment and away from major contaminants.

 

Keeping your test weights under these conditions will save money because failure to do so results in re-calibration and decontamination of the test weights.

If you are in need of a calibration, we would be happy to assist you.

 

 

Sources:

Calibration Weights

What’s Involved in Obtaining a Truck Scale?

Let’s start with the basics. Why would a company need a truck scale? A truck scale has many uses from determining the weight of bulk goods to ensuring trucks are compliant with vehicle weight limit. They collect incoming and outgoing weight to make sure legal-for-trade requirements are met. They are used for transaction pricing, profit margins, quality control, inventory management, and legal compliance. Truck scales are a major investment and are critical to the success of a company. One will want to make sure that every decision made is the right decision.

For this reason, there are many people involved. There’s the internal project team that oversees facilities, operations, traffic, computer software, and finances. There’s the general contractor that puts in the foundation, the engineer that certifies the plan for foundation, the scale supplier that installs the truck scale, and the electrician that connects vital signals.

The internal team will want to assess the site. Water, sewer, gas, and electric can affect where to put the scale. They will want to consider the flow of traffic, the type of scale they want installed, and many other decisive actions.

The scale could either be a pit type or surface mounted scale, it could be open sided or have rails, the truck scale could have a steel or concrete deck. There are pros and cons to consider for each. Grand Rapids Metrology installed a surface mounted, open sided, concrete deck scale that is pictured below. We spent quite a bit of time balancing the load cells and correctly wiring the cables. Both of which are very important steps to the installation. The load cells are used to measure the weight and the cables transmit information from the load cells to the indicator. The indicator is the control panel for the scale and displays the weight value.

Grand Rapids Metrology not only supplies, installs, calibrates, inspects, and maintains the scale; but we are also able to serve as the general contractor and electrician. We strive to be the most effective supplier in the Mid-West. Grand Rapids Metrology certifies scales to some of the highest standards in the metrology industry with our IS0 17025 and A2LA accreditation. For more information or consultative advice, contact us at 800.348.5701!

Types of Calibration

The service of calibration is a major facet of Grand Rapids Metrology’s business. When seeking the calibration of equipment, you, the customer, should be aware of the various methods of calibration we offer.

First, GRM provides In-House Calibrations. This type of calibration occurs when GRM technicians use our A2LA accredited ISO 17025, environmentally controlled calibration lab to inspect and work on your equipment. This control is crucial to proper calibration of precision measurement devices, but not limited to that array of mechanisms.

Grand Rapids Metrology likewise offers On-Site Calibrations, a customer favorite! For minimal disruption to your business, GRM offers per piece, hourly, and daily calibration rates on equipment service. Why is this our most popular method of calibration? It’s convenient – our technicians come to you! Your equipment is properly calibrated without ever removing it from your own facility. 

Lastly, GRM provides Managed Outsourced Calibrations. This method of calibration is done outside of both your facility and GRM’s facility. The handling of these outsourced calibration goes to a pre-approved, accredited lab. The only instances in which we utilize this method is when equipment falls outside of our accredited scope of capabilities. However, we ensure the calibration is done properly with top-notch quality.

Regardless of which method of calibration you may choose, we guarantee the following for all metrology equipment service:

  • A2LA accredited certification of calibration for each piece of equipment
  • Pick-up and delivery, on-site or ship-in service
  • Option of expedited turn-around time

Need something calibrated? Contact us – we’re happy to help! Call us at 800.348.5701 or email us at customerservice@grmetrology.com.

Investment in Technology

Important CERTLINK Changes

In July of 2014, Grand Rapids Metrology launched its incredible online calibration management system- CERTLINK. This software has allowed our customers the ability to easily view and maintain their calibration certifications, equipment list (including manufacturer, model number, serial number, etc.), review their calibration schedules, and see full reports from previous calibrations. The technology is also free to all GRM customers and is available 24/7/365!

As a Grand Rapids Metrology customer, you probably know most of that information. However, what you may not know is that we have recently improved and updated this system and there are a few changes we want to make sure you are aware of:

  • Two new flowcharts: Service Flowchart and Rental Flowchart. These new flowcharts give more information on where equipment is at any time due to the tracking statuses. They also show more events to give a clear representation of how the equipment flows though the different processes (work in process, awaiting shipment, etc.).
  • There are new packing slips attached to receiving and shipping event on the website which can be emailed if preferred.
  • The handwritten Customer Acknowledgment Form will be replaced and instead will be created electronically and then emailed. It will soon be called Summary of Service Report. You will see this in use very soon.

The goal of these constructive changes have many purposes: to continuously improve our efficiencies while reducing our paper consumption, investing in technology to streamline the service process, and create a more visually engaging and logical experience for our customers and employees.

If you have any questions regarding the new system updates, please contact your Service Manager for more information.

Luis Bedevia: Grand Rapids & Benton Harbor | luis.bedevia@grmetrology.com | 616-249-1211

Jennifer Turner: Metro Detroit | jennifer.turner@grmetrology.com | 734-857-1104

Dan Garland: Bay City | dan.garland@grmetrology.com | 989-316-7410