Is Your Truck Scale Delivering Accurate Measurements?
Do you have raw materials coming into your facility by the truck load? If so, you likely rely on a truck scale to ensure you are receiving the correct amount. However, as time passes your truck scale will provide less reliable measurements if it isn’t properly maintained. With spring upon us, it’s a great time to clean your scale and ensure proper functioning.
Checking Issues
If you notice that your reading is jumping around when trucks pull on, it could be a checking issue. For scales to weigh properly they must fully sit on their load cells. They do, however, require checking systems in place that keep them from moving so much that the deck or load cells are damaged.
Traditional checking systems are designed to allow the scale to move along with traffic. These systems consist of check rods and bars as well as bumper bolts – all of which should be checked regularly for damage. If any of these components are found to be cracked or damaged they should be corrected immediately. Not addressing these issues can result in permanent damage to your scale deck. Some canister-style load cell systems have checking on the load cells themself and do not include side checking (such as bumpers).
In addition to checking for damage, checking systems should be adjusted seasonally. Steel decks will expand in the Summer and contract in the Winter. You should ensure that your calibration provider is making these adjustments during regular inspections.
Finally, to extend the life of the scales and their checking systems, trucks should be prevented from entering and exiting the weighbridge too quickly. Visible signage, check-in stations, and guardrails can all help to alert drivers that they are approaching the scale and need to slow down.
Click below to learn the other factors to consider when spring cleaning your truck scale.
What's New at Cross
Superior Long-term Stability Ensures Highly Accurate Mass Flow Control
The Brooks Instrument Mass Flow Controller (MFC) with superior long-term stability delivers key benefits to your process. Compared to a typical mass flow controller, the Brooks Instrument mass flow controller will reach target yields with accurate and stable gas control to your process equipment.
As a result, you will spend less time verifying and recalibrating your mass flow controllers while maximizing system uptime with consistent production. Finally, you will save money, time, and lost opportunity to operate your equipment to its fullest potential.
Watch the video above demonstrating how long-term stability of a mass flow controller, in the application of a bioreactor, impacts cost of ownership.
Are you ready to update your legacy control system?
The engineers at Cross Company’s Automation Group work with customers and manufacturers every day to specify the perfect single product for an application. But what happens if there isn’t a perfect product to do what you need it to do? What happens if it’s three or four products? A customized solution may be the best option.
We have the knowledge and expertise to extract the critical information from the existing configurations, graphics, and documentation and even your experienced operations and engineering personnel, a critical area of knowledge often overlooked.
Based on this assessment, we guide our customers through specific recommendations on a migration path best suited for your requirements to minimize cost, risk, and associated downtime.
From a simple HMI upgrade to a GMP validated system and even development of a five to ten-year migration plan for an entire facility, Cross Company can provide complete planning, engineering and commissioning to guide you through this process to successfully achieve your migration and business objectives.
Did you know?
Cross Hose & Fittings offers specialized hose and Transair compressed air piping designed specifically for the pharma industry. Contact our hose and fitting experts today to learn more!
Cross Provides Tangible Value for You
Reduce Risk
Continental Disc offers specialized sanitary rupture discs for the life sciences industry. The SANITRX HPX sanitary rupture disc can be used in a wide range of sanitary and hygienic applications throughout pharmaceutical and biotech facilities. These discs feature crevice free designs for easy cleaning and are in compliance with the essential criteria of the ASME BPE standard. Contact us today for a quote.
Improve Efficiency
Cross has a certified UL 508A panel and integration shop with a team that brings extensive experience and quality to our panel projects. Whether you need help from the design phase forward or just need extra hands to build quality panels that you have designed, our team is here to help!
Raise Quality
In the life sciences industry quality is key. If you use Cross Precision Measurement for your calibration needs, all of your certs can be found in our 21CFR Part 11-compliant calibration software, GageSuite. This award-winning software is completely free to you as a Cross calibration customer.
