Permanent or Portable Truck Scales: Determining the Ideal Fit for Your Requirements

Accurate and durable permanent and portable weight scales for trucks are essential for monitoring loads, avoiding overloading, and preventing premature mechanical failure.

Whether you’re managing logistics or monitoring payloads, choosing the right truck scale is crucial to the smooth running of your operations.

We’ll explore the advantages and significant differences between portable and permanent truck scales, offering insights to aid your decision-making process.

Understanding Permanent Truck Scales

Permanent truck scales embody stability and reliability. They serve as enduring fixtures in demanding environments. Designed for long-term use, these scales offer unmatched durability and consistent performance, making them indispensable assets across various industries.

Let’s understand the different types of permanent truck scales available:

Permanent Weighbridge Truck Scale

A weighbridge, also known as a truck weighbridge scale, consists of a flat, sturdy platform mounted on load cells, which are electronic sensors that measure the weight applied to them.

A Permanent Weighbridge Truck Scale is large enough for the entire truck to fit at once, ensuring accurate measurement of the vehicle’s weight. The scale’s accuracy can be achieved as less than 0.1%, indicating high precision in truck weighing. This is also why these scales are considered legal-for-trade, which means they can be used for commercial enterprises such as buying or selling goods.

Weighbridges are typically installed flush with the ground for easy vehicle access and can be made from various materials, such as concrete or steel, depending on specific applications and load capacity requirements.

Permanent Truck Axle Scale

A permanent truck axle scale is designed to measure the weight of individual axles or groups of axles on trucks and trailers. Unlike a weighbridge, which measures the total weight of the entire vehicle, axle scales provide axle-by-axle weight measurements and it’s accuracy can be between 0.5% to 1% when installed and used correctly. And because of that, this scale is a not-legal-for-trade option.

Massload’s permanent truck axle scales have a wide range of options, starting by length, that can be decided based on the type of truck you will mostly be measuring:

• 84″ x 30″ x 6″ – for Tandem
• 144″ x 30″ x 6″ – for Tri-axle
• 168″ x 30″ x 6″ – for Super-B train

Other important characteristics are the type of installation in or above ground, if a wireless or wired option is best and so on.

Advantages of Permanent Truck Scales

• Legal-for-trade: Permanent weighbridge scales adhere to industry standards and regulatory requirements, making them approved for commercial transactions and logistical operations.
• Enduring Durability for Long-Term Use: Built to withstand continuous use and environmental factors, permanent scales offer reliable performance over extended periods.
• Time-Saving Process: Once installed, permanent scales require minimal setup, providing convenience and efficiency for ongoing operations.
• Consistent Performance in Demanding Environments: Fixed installations ensure reliable weight measurement accuracy, even in challenging conditions, contributing to seamless logistics management.
• Enhanced Accuracy for Precise Measurements: Because they are permanent, this type of scale has a solid foundation, which significantly increases their consistency and accuracy.

How Do Portable Truck Scales Work?

As the name suggests, portable truck scales offer mobility and convenience without sacrificing accuracy.

These scales are designed to be easily transported and set up at different locations, providing flexibility for dynamic operations.

To visually understand how portable truck scales work, check out our video showcasing their mobility and accurate measurement capabilities.

Let’s explore the types of portable truck scales available:

Portable Weighbridge Truck Scale

In legal-for-trade scales, the portable weighbridge truck scale can still be commercially used despite being portable, as it can measure all the axles of the truck at once.

These scales typically consist of modular components that can be assembled and disassembled, making them ideal for temporary or remote sites where a permanent scale may not be feasible.

Portable weighbridges offer the same functionality as their permanent counterparts, accurately measuring the weight of vehicles such as trucks and trailers.

Portable Truck Axle Scale

Portable truck axle scales are designed to measure the weight of individual axles or groups of axles on trucks and trailers in a portable and convenient manner.

Massload Technologies axle pads provide weighing surfaces and deliver axle weight readings with an accuracy of up to 0.25% FS.

While our axle pads are typically sold in pairs, they can also be acquired in multiples to capture the complete weight of trailers or trucks in a single weighing session.

It’s important to note that this system is not intended for use in applications requiring legal-for-trade measurements.

For above-ground installations, our axle pad scales are conveniently portable and forklift-compatible. They can also be paired with Massload’s quick disconnect cable for enhanced functionality.

Their mobility gives them more resilience than their permanent counterparts.

Ultraslim Portable Vehicle Scale

Ultraslim portable vehicle scales are compact and lightweight scales designed to measure the weight of individual wheels of vehicles.
These scales feature a low profile and a slim design, making them easy to maneuver and deploy in tight spaces.

Ultraslim portable vehicle scales are often used for applications such as weight enforcement, load balancing, and weight verification in industries like transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing.

Massload’s portable ultraslim scale for trucks measures 39 1/4″ x 28 1/2″ x 0.8″ and has a weighing surface of 16 3/8″ x 28″.

It can be found in two main configurations: with an LCD Display attached to the pad or wireless with a handheld display.

Advantages of Portable Truck Scales

• Legal for Trade: Portable weighbridge truck scales are certified for trade transactions, ensuring compliance with legal standards for weight measurement in commercial operations.
• Flexibility and Versatility: Portable scales can be deployed at various sites, accommodating temporary operations or shifting logistical needs.
• Cost-effectiveness: Compared to permanent installations, portable axle pad scales offer a more economical solution, especially for short-term projects or remote locations. On the other hand, portable weighbridge truck scales can be more expensive to purchase and transport.

Applications and Industries where Portable Scales Excel

1. Agricultural Harvests: Portable truck axle scales facilitate efficiently weighing crops at different farm locations during harvest seasons.
2. Construction Projects: Contractors benefit from the mobility of portable weight scales for trucks when managing material transportation and monitoring load limits.
3. Mining Sites: In mining, scales are mainly used for checking onboard loaders to ensure no over/underloads of mining trucks. Portable scales are ideal for measuring payloads in temporary mining operations, where equipment may need to be relocated frequently.

Comparing Portable and Permanent Truck Scales

In comparing portable and permanent truck scales, several factors come into play:

Assessing Performance Metrics and Accuracy

Both portable and permanent scales deliver high levels of accuracy, meeting industry standards for weight measurement.

However, when comparing the accuracy of each option, the results are as follows:

• Weighbridges, whether portable or permanent, are somewhat more accurate.
• Permanent axle scales are more accurate than their portable counterparts.
• Ultraslim scales are as accurate as axle scales when used with a leveling track.

Analyzing Maintenance Requirements and Costs

Permanent scales may incur lower maintenance costs due to fixed installations and the protection of cables and interconnections from the environment.

In contrast, a portable truck weigh scale can be serviced off-site, possibly reducing the cost of maintenance.

On the other hand, portable truck scales may demand more maintenance because when moved, there are more chances of issues arising, such as accuracy and calibration problems.

Considering Long-Term Investment Implications

Permanent scales represent a significantly larger long-term investment, offering durability and reliability for continuous use over many years.

Conversely, portable scales provide a more cost-effective solution for short-term projects or operations with fluctuating requirements.

Everything comes down to the necessity of having or not having a legal-for-trade scale and where it is going to be used.

Evaluating Environmental Impact and Adaptability

Portable scales offer mobility and versatility, making them suitable for temporary operations and remote locations. In contrast, permanent scales provide stability and reliability, catering to industries with consistent weighing needs and demanding environmental conditions.

Weighing the Options

We’ve compared all the different features and scenarios of each scale side by side to help simplify your decision-making process.

	PERMANENT		PORTABLE
	Permanent Weighbridge Truck Scale	Permanent Truck Axle Scale	Portable Weighbridge Truck Scale	Portable Truck Axle Scale	Portable Ultraslim Vehicle Scale
Legal-for-trade	x		x
Non-legal-for-trade		x		x	x
Accuracy	0.1%	0.5% to 1%	0.1%	0.5% to 1%	0.5% to 1%
Stability	Higher	Highest	Lower	Lower	Lower
Durability / Resilience to damage	Highest	High	Moderate	Moderate	Low
Installation cost	Very high	Moderate	High	Lower	Lowest
Scale Cost	High	Lower	Highest	Lower	Lowest
APPLICATIONS
Selling Produce off the Farm	x		x
Selling Grain by weight	x		x
Minimizing input variance	x	x	x	x	x
Weighing harvest	x	x	x	x	x
Verifying combined yield monitor	x	x	x	x	x
Verifying air drill settings	x	x	x	x	x
Verifying incoming materials	x	x	x	x	x
Avoid truck overload	x	x	x	x	x

Factors Affecting the Decision

Legal or not-legal for trade: The first assessment to be made is whether the scale needs to be commercially used or not. If it needs to be, your decision will be limited to a permanent or portable weighbridge scale; otherwise, you can choose whatever option suits you best.

• Project Duration and Scale of Operations: Consider the duration of your project and the frequency of scale usage to determine the most suitable option.
• Frequency of Scale Usage and Mobility Requirements: Evaluate your operational needs to choose between the flexibility of portable scales and the stability of permanent installations.
• Budget Constraints and ROI Considerations: Balance upfront costs with long-term benefits to make a financially sound decision.

When choosing between portable and permanent truck scales, the decision hinges on the need to be legal-for-trade, their usage, and installation location. Each type of scale is best suited for specific situations.

Weighbridge scales are the right pick for legal-for-trade operations, whether they are permanent or portable, depending on the use and location.

Ultraslim Truck Scales are the most cost-effective option, but they require at least 2 people to operate the measurement (one operating the scale and other driving the truck); and close attention is needed to ensure correct usage.

Truck axle scales can be good alternatives for operations that don’t require legal-for-trade weight but still want to be cost-effective, precise, and agile.

By understanding the advantages and considerations of each option, you can make an informed decision to optimize your weighing operations.

Find Your Truck Scale Solution with Massload

Whether you opt for portable or permanent truck axle scales, Massload has you covered.

Reach out to our team for further assistance in selecting the right truck scale solution for your business. Talk to us today!