For any given weighing solution, there are a variety of component parts that could be implemented, based on customer requirements, industry, operating environment, mode of operation, operating hours, product being weighed and other variable factors.
Standard Truck Scale
With a standard truck scale installation, where the customer needs to be able to print gross/tare/net weights, but has no requirements beyond that (will manually input charges into accounting system, will print single tickets to hand to each truck driver), the items involved could be:
- truck scale
- weight indicator capable of printing time & date, also weighing inbound and outbound to record gross/tare/net weight
- ticket printer*
- scoreboard, or remote display--displays weight in large format outside at the scale
- Systems Integration
*Note: all ticket printers are not equal. It is important to utilize a ticket printer capable of operating in the environment in which it is utilized (many lower grade ticket printers are offered at low cost, but have short useful life in a gritty, industrial application).
Automated Truck Scale
With a truck scale solution requiring more data management and greater flexibility in storing and maintaining information on products, customers, pricing, trucks, scale tickets, and where there is a scalehouse attendant, a scale management and control system would be utilized. This is a Windows based system operating on a P.C., also allowing for greater security in transactions, as well as reporting and data transfer flexibility (see Scale Management Systems). Components in this solution could be:
- truck scale
- weight indicator
- ScaleQ Scale Management and Control software
- Remote Administration software application
- Interface with accounting systems
- P.C.
- Line/ticket printer (can use laser, but line printers offer greater speed for ticket printing, as well as options for full/half/third page tickets)
- Scoreboard
- Traffic lights
- Cameras--with digital image capture, stores image to scale transaction
- Digital signature pad--with signature capture, stores driver's signature to scale transaction
- Wheel sensors--makes sure truck is completely on the scale
- Systems Integration
Unattended Truck Scale
When the requirement goes beyond the automated, attended scale, an Unattended Truck Scale solution offers the automation and data management capabilities of the computer software system, with the flexibility of being able to operate the scale and manage the transaction from the truck (note: some operations require more information to be input than can be reliably managed by a truck driver--while it is still possible to run the scale unattended in these instances, additional input devices, such as wireless handhelds or terminals, may need to be implemented). Components additional to above could include:
- Unattended Truck Scale kiosk--ATM style kiosk, utilizes RFID tags/cards, keypad, LCD prompting display, thermal ticket printer
- Remote ticket printer
- RFID--long range or short range, or combination
- Wheel sensors--mandatory for unattended systems
- Cameras--image capture more of a pressing issue for customers operating their scales unattended, or after hours
- Intercom
- Automated gates
- Systems Integration
Unitec provides an integrated weighing solution, offering a single point of contact to manufacture, research, source, supply, configure, install, train and support your weighing solution.
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