Steel
Deck - BMS-HD, Heavy Duty Brochure
For more than two decades Weigh-Tronix has built premium truck scales that
have become the performance benchmark for ruggedness and performance in heavy
use applications. Now Weigh-Tronix has introduced a new class of truck scale,
the BridgeMont. It is a scale for the majority of users, the people who require
a scale they can count on, day in and day out.
BridgeMont designers asked new questions: How do you reduce the cost of truck
scale ownership?
As they began the development of the new BridgeMont truck scale, Weigh-Tronix
designers recognized that their strength was building truck scales with long
service life. Now they needed to ask, "How do we build the same quality into a
scale for general use? How do we provide the product that gives long years of
service without over building? What design choices do we make that will reduce
the cost of truck scale ownership?"
Bridgemont preserves the best elements of proven Weigh-Tronix design BridgeMont
installs anywhere. Depending on your state regulations, space requirements and
environmental conditions, you can use it as a pit type scale, place it on a
concrete slab, or simply set it on concrete piers. The heart of the BridgeMont
Steel Truck Scale is the Weigh Bar weight sensor. Weigh-Tronix machines Weigh
Bars from high quality aircraft alloy steel bar stock. Each Weigh Bar goes
through a three-step process of heat treating, quenching and then tempering. The
process has two benefits. First, it increases the weight sensor's resistance to
corrosion, and secondly, it enhances the performance of the Weigh Bar, ensuring
its high degree of repeatability by minimizing hysteresis. The Weigh Bar has
proven to be the most dependable and long lasting electronic weight sensor in
the industry.
Structural integrity, the biggest variable in cost of ownership
Weigh-Tronix designers employed a technology called Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
to the design of the BridgeMont to substantially reduce the cost of the standard
truck scale without sacrificing structural integrity. The FEA technology
permitted Weigh-Tronix engineers to create computer generated models of each
proposed design. They measured critical stress factors on virtually every
component of the scale.
As a result, they developed a new configuration for their proven sandwich steel
deck that reduced the weight of the deck but maintained the strength.
Their test also reaffirmed the choice of sandwich steel construction. When they
tested several designs that eliminate the bottom plate, they found that the
bottom plate serves as a critical load stabilizer. Designs tested without bottom
plates were subject to high fatigue stresses and premature failure when
improperly loaded.
The second value the bottom plate adds to the BridgeMont is that it allows for a
100% seal weld of the deck structure. This lengthens the life of the scale,
protecting it from exposure to moisture and early corrosion.
Simplified installation cuts cost
Another significant choice that Weigh-Tronix designers made was to simplify the
installation of the BridgeMont.
The traditional truck scale installation uses grout plates as bases for the
stands that hold the load cells. Grout plates require precise positioning and
must be perfectly level to ensure that all load cells are level. Anchor bolts,
positioned in the foundation to tight tolerances, secure each grout plate.
In contrast, the BridgeMont positions its Weigh Bars in the deck sections
instead of on stands which need to be perfectly level. It has no need for grout
plates. Installers simply drill and insert anchor bolts at the time of
installation. This saves hours of highly skilled, precision foundation
preparation.
BridgeMont's 20- and 23-foot deck sections are longer than the industry
standard. Therefore, the BridgeMont truck scale will often have one less deck
section than a competitive scale of the same length. This results in a
three-time savings. One less deck section saves the cost of load cells, cable
and junction boxes. One less deck section speeds the installation process and
simplifies calibration. One less deck eliminates one pier, lowering the cost of
the foundation.
In addition, each deck section arrives with Weigh Bars already mounted in the
deck. The cables are hard wired to the Weigh Bars (No connectors to corrode or
fail from dampness). Protective conduit for the wiring and junction boxes are
already in place.
BridgeMont Truck Scales- Another example of a better way from Weigh-Tronix
BridgeMont Truck Scales capitalize on the strengths of a Weigh-Tronix
twenty-five year tradition of building premium truck scales. In addition, they
offer the unbeatable combination of structural integrity and cost effectiveness.
Count on Weigh-Tronix to find the better way.
