THE VALUE IN A HIGH-QUALITY TRUCK SCALE FROM AMERICAN SCALE
The Factors that Determine the Cost of a Truck Scale
For more than 20 years, American Scale has provided the North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia regions with industry-leading scale technologies. We offer scale sales, service, calibration and more to key market areas, including Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh-Durham, Columbia, Richmond, Blacksburg, Wilson, Sanford, Asheville, Rocky Mount, Wilmington, and others throughout the Southeastern United States. If you’re in the market to purchase a legal for trade truck scale, it likely is the first time you’ve purchased one. The experts at American Scale have got you covered and are here to help you determine the best truck scale for your needs and long-term budget over the life of the scale. When purchasing a large piece of equipment, such as a truck scale, it can be hard to look past the price tag. However, to ensure you are investing in quality equipment that will last your business a generation or more, it is important to understand the factors impacting total purchase price. Elements such as design, craftsmanship, components and foundation of a truck scale all impact the final purchase price. This is true for just about every weighing application.
Truck Scale Design
Although the weighbridge (the structural body of a truck scale) can have varying designs depending on the manufacturer, it performs the same basic function across all brands and models: weighing trucks. Scale Manufacturers who use a wide flange I-beam weighbridge design often have a higher steel content in their truck scales than manufacturers who utilize an orthotropic, bent plate or steel tubing design. The number and size of beams in a weighbridge can also impact steel content. Designs that place larger beams closer together offer more support for vehicles than designs with smaller beams placed further apart. The support from larger beams means the deck won’t bend as easily, so the truck scale will provide accurate weighments for a longer time. To better understand the cost of the truck scale steel content, divide the cost of the scale by its shipping weight to get the price per pound of the scale. This can be used to compare the price per pound of similar scales from different manufacturers. You may find the scale with higher steel content actually costs less on a price-per pound basis.
Value in Quality
Quality craftsmanship also contributes to a truck scale’s integrity. Purchasing from a company that invests in engineering and manufacturing ensures that there is a highly skilled team behind each and every truck scale. The components that make up a truck scale are just as important as the team behind it. From considering what type of steel deck that will be used, to the qulity of the scale indicator helps build quality. Companies who take the time to source high-quality load cells, steel, cables and other components often have a higher quality product.
Installation
The installation of the truck scale will also impact the final price. Installation includes excavation, the cost to pour the concrete for the truck scale foundation, off-loading and positioning the scale, installing electronic components and performing the initial calibration of the scale. The truck scale installation should be performed by professional scale technicians who have experience working with scales from the manufacturer you chose. This expert installation will ensure proper scale operation and reliable weighments over the life of the scale. If there are scale accessories that need to be installed (scoreboards, stainless steel scale indicators). A truck scale is a significant investment, and design, quality and installation all impact the final price of a truck scale. Choosing a truck scale with a heavy-duty design, superior engineering and components backed by industry experts gives you a scale that will last for a generation or more. After purchasing a truck scale, you may wish to enhance your system with truck scale accessories. Quality truck scale accessories increase efficiency and optimize truck flow in and out of your plant. Are you looking for a remote display or analog or electronic load cells? Do you want a stainless steel junction box? All these are what need to be considered when looking at a truck scale. American Scale offers truck scale automation systems for truck identification, load assignment, weighing and ticketing. We also create custom software and automation systems to suite your unique needs. Improve driver safety and optimize truck traffic with a truck scale system suited specifically for you and your long-term budget over the lifetime of the scale with American Scale. We also perform truck scale calibrations to improve the overall lifespan and accuraccy of your scale.
Conclusion
At American Scale we strive to bring you informed and useful content on all things scale systems related, including products from the top scale manufacturers. Be sure to check out our truck scale articles about truck scale foundation or how much do truck scales cost. We even have a guide to warranties. To learn more about bench scales, it would be good to check out our other articles such as “Bench Scale Basics'' and “How Much Does A Bench Scale Cost?”. These articles will help with the basics of bench scale ownership. Also, take a look at our“Common Problems With Bench Scales'', to help prolong the lifespan on your scale.