Trucks have to be weighed in a wide variety of industries, from shipping to construction. This wide range of needs has led to the creation several types of truck scales. Many of these scales are large and some are permanent. But, with a variety of choices, you don’t have to buy an expensive, permanent pit scale if you don’t need to! Likewise, there are applications where a large scale simply isn’t feasible.

Mining and construction firms are always on the move and a large unmovable scale wouldn’t work. But trucks still need to be weighed. The best solution is a scale that can be taken from job site to job site. Portable truck scales from GEC Scales will help you weigh trucks anywhere.
Portable truck scales are relatively light, making them easy to transport across the job site. Initial set up can be done in just an hour or so, and then you’re set to weigh. Any removable parts on a portable truck scale are designed for easy assembly so you can get to work faster.

You will find that the scales can be used on almost any surface, even uneven land. This eliminates the search for a perfectly level place to set the scale. They will also work on unstable surfaces such as gravel.

Portable truck scales are designed with their specific purpose in mind. They are rugged and will give you reliable service for years. Even though proper preventative maintenance must be performed, you don’t have to handle the scale like fine china. They are built tough like the rest of your gear. Sturdy cross members make the scale strong so it can survive weighing many trucks. With proper care, a portable scale will last just as long as a permanent scale.

GEC Scales has taken all the technology from permanent scales and put it into the portable scale. They are designed for easy use, eliminating expensive training. When you’re finished weighing, simply disassemble the portable truck scale and store it for its next use. The ease of portability and cost savings will make it a fantastic investment.

Pit type and concrete deck truck scales are being phased out over time in many instances. Why spend more for a permanent scale when you can purchase a scale that moves with your job site? If you ever decide that you’d like to make the scale a permanent fixture, some portable scales can be set up to be permanent.

A portable scale will ensure you have the best flexibility for your business. For businesses that already have a permanent scale, it may be worth investing in a portable scale as a backup. If your permanent scale ever fails, you will be able to operate.

The people of GEC Scales are experts in portable truck scales and will know exactly what kind of scale will best fit your needs. Click here to get your hands on one today!

Choosing the right scale is important to your operations. Because they come in variable sizes, you should know which one will best suit your needs. In this article, we will discuss some tips that will help you select the most appropriate scale for your needs.

If mobility and flexibility is a high priority, a portable scale will help you increase your efficiency rates. The GEC scales are lightweight and can easily be set up or broken down within minutes. We have designed them to meet high grades of industry standards. Its rugged structure will survive multiple moves and is able to withstand the weight of the heaviest trucks. The portability of the scale doesn’t take away from its ability to provide accurate measurements.

We also offer a semi-portable option. This type of scale comes with a trailer to haul and a winch to off-load. The methodology of weighing trucks with the semi-portable scales is the same and can be accomplished, yet, in a fraction of the time.

Once you have decided on the type of scale that you need, using it effectively is the next step. There are two kinds of ways that you can weigh a truck.  First is by weighing one or two axles at a time with portable or semi-portable truck scales. Some believe that weighing two axles at a time can provide inaccuracies, so take this into consideration. Place the scale on a stable flat or even slightly uneven surface.  Place the scale on the outboard wheels of each dual set per axle. We recommend that each axle should be weighed one at a time. Repeat this process until you have measured each axle.

For a more precise weight measurement, you can also use a full-length truck scale which also comes in permanent installation and portable formats. A permanent scale is mounted in a pit or on a concrete slab with ramps on either end.

Portable truck scales eliminate the need for costly construction of a permanent scale. Pit type and concrete deck truck scales are even being phased out in some applications. Portable truck scales give you the ultimate flexibility. If the permanent scale fails or you need to be weighed elsewhere you will be prepared. GEC is an expert in portable truck scales and will be more than happy to find a scale that fits your needs.

Click here to get the right truck scale for you. 

The National Type Evaluation Program is a program managed by the National Conference on Weights and Measures which is an organization that is dedicated to maintaining equity in the market place.  Truck scales and scale components are tested in a laboratory under the NTEP program to ensure that the device will perform within the published tolerances.  These laboratories will test various environmental characteristics such as temperature and voltage.

Also note that the scale must be approved for commercial use by your state’s weights and measures department. However, in the majority of cases, this means that it must have the NTEP Certificate of Conformance.  At the General Electrodynamics Corporation, we are very conscious of this and only sell truck scales that have the NTEP Certificate of Conformance.

Click here to get your truck scale!

The weighing of trucks is necessary in many industries. This means there are many different adaptations of truck scales for many different scenarios and environments.  The traditional permanent truck scales take up a lot of space and are very costly. There are some weighing needs that are simply not able to support an expensive permanent scale. Work sites such as road construction and mining are always on the move and a permanent scale is not feasible but you still need to weigh your trucks. The ideal solution is a scale that you can take with you. Portable truck scales from GEC Scales will help you weigh trucks anywhere.

A portable scale means just that, truly portable. Portable truck scales are not heavy, making it easier to transport. Set up can be done in just a few minutes and the vehicle  is ready to weigh. A portable scale is designed rugged; it will survive multiple moves. While proper care should be taken to ensure safety, GEC portable scales are very resilient. It is like the rest of your equipment, built tough. Technology is  rapidly growing in every market, ensuring that the results are just as reliable as a permanent scale. They are easy to use, eliminating the need for specialized training.

After you are finished weighing, simply pick up the scale and take it with you to wherever it is needed next. Portable truck scales eliminate the need for costly construction of a permanent scale. Pit type and concrete deck truck scales are being phased out in some applications. Why spend more for a permanent scale when you can purchase a scale that moves with your job site?. Portable truck scales give you the ultimate flexibility. If you already have a permanent scale, it may be worth investing in a portable scale as a backup. GEC has been manufacturing truck scales for 35+ years and servicing our clients in the following industries: law enforcement, construction, waste management and OTR haulers.

Click here to get a brand new truck scale.

Originally seen in Aviation Maintenance in December 2006

Weight. It’s a constant struggle! No, not your weight, aircraft weight. Each piece of equipment added, each piece of debris or trash fallen under the seat or floorboard adds to the overall weight and balance of an aircraft. Weighing aircraft is a precise science that requires proper procedures and equipment. Jacking aircraft up to weigh them can be cumbersome and dangerous. General Electrodynamics Corporation (GEC) has developed a platform weighing system that requires less space and time to accomplish the task of weighing an aircraft.

Naval Air Systems Command contacted GEC about developing a lighter, more accurate and more portable scale for their jets. “They needed the accuracy to be one-tenth of one percent and to accurately calculate the jet’s center of gravity for performance and safety issues,” said Dick Davis, owner and CEO of GEC. The company set about achieving a platform scale that could meet the Navy’s requirements and did just that. “Most commercial scales accuracy is based on a percentage of full-scale, allowing errors of 15-50 pounds. GEC’s product accuracy is based on applied load or the actual weight applied and is accurate to one-tenth of one percent,” said Davis. The technology used in the scale also includes a self-leveling device, not a sheer beam or steel flex. The top piston of the self-leveling load cell automatically orients itself to be perpendicular to whatever force is applied to it. It can do this at an angle up to five degrees off the perpendicular. “No shims are needed,” said Davis.

“Our self-leveling transducers are tested 250,000 times without failures.” The scale also compensates for other variables such as gravity, temperature, and latitude and longitude. “If you weigh a 747 in Seattle, it will not weigh the same in Sydney, Australia, simply because of the gravitational pull of the earth,” said Davis. “But our internal software automatically corrects for these variables.” The GEC low profile scale, measures 1 and 7/8” high, and weighs only 80 pounds. Aircraft have towing restrictions that they can’t be towed over a three degree incline because connecting to the aircraft nose gear and towing it up a steep incline puts excessive stress on the nose-gear components. “We have the lowest profile in the market,” said Davis. “It takes 1/3 the space to weigh an aircraft with our product than with others.” When using a steeper inclined platform scale, ramps and bridges need to be built to accommodate the three degree incline rule.

“A four-inch scale would need a three degree angle ramp. That works out to be a 96 inch long incline vs. a 29 inch long incline,” said Davis. To weigh aircraft one scale per tire is needed. To weigh a 747 that has 18 tires, you will need 18 scales. Using the correct number of scales the aircraft is positioned and moved onto the scales. Then the aircraft is leveled. The main gear and a plumb bob are used for the leveling process. The struts are inflated or deflated to level. Once the aircraft is leveled, it is taken off the scales and then put back on. The measurement is taken and then it is taken off the scales again. “There are two ways to get the info from that point. One is to walk around and take the readings and write each one down,” said Vincent Smart, international sales manager, commercial aviation. “The other way is to use the wireless scale. The readings are sent via a wireless device and all the calculations are made and then given to you on the handheld Windows-based unit. With the wireless system, the time is reduced to 15 minutes or less.” GEC recently weighed a C-5 at 561,000 pounds. They used 28 scales, one scale per tire, at Edwards Air Force Base. The aircraft was weighed three times. The measurements were within 0.05 percent, or five times as accurate as required according to Davis.

“In 1978 we designed the first platform weighing system. It was so unique it was patented. Since then we have sold 20,000 of them,” he said. “Calling our product just a scale is not doing the product justice, GEC’s product truly is a precision weighing device.”

Click here for on how to learn more about aircraft weighing!