A weighbridge breakdown can cost more than just money in terms of repairs; it can also result in costly downtime, lost productivity, time delays or penalties, heavy repairs, or even fines due to legal violations. The best preventative measure that an organization can take to minimize the possibility of a weighbridge breakdown is a programme of preventative maintenance, ongoing inspection, and regular servicing of both the mechanical and electrical components.
Listed below are the most common causes of scales breakdowns and insights on what can perhaps be done to avoid them.
Moisture
Moisture is the adversary of many weighbridge components, especially load cells, which are the most important, but also the most vulnerable, component of any electronic weighing system. Any moisture that gets past the seals, whether it’s rain, ice, snow, or humidity, damages the load cell connections and impairs their capacity to correctly measure force or weight. A shifting or fluctuating weight display is frequently a symptom of moisture in the load cell, cable, connection, or load cell terminals. If this occurs, it is critical to diagnose and correct the problem as early as possible.
Build-up of debris and dust
Debris such as mud, leaves, sand, dirt, or snow can accumulate and cause issues. Regular inspections should be carried out, and a basic, continuing cleaning and sweeping routine should keep build-ups at bay. Any cleaning program should be done with caution, and it’s crucial to remember not to use chemicals or a pressure hose on delicate portions of the weighbridge.
Load cells
Aside from moisture, there is a slew of additional elements that might degrade the load cells’ function and weighing accuracy. Shock, overloading, lightning strikes, mismanagement, vibration, earth tremors or earthquakes, a sudden large spike in electrical current, or chemical damage are examples of these. Because a weighbridge is a precision instrument, it is critical to have the weighing system checked by a qualified technician. If there is ever any concern that the load cells’ accuracy been compromised, a thorough inspection has to be carried out in order to sustain the weighbridge.
Cable failure
Another major cause of weighbridge failure is cable failure. Regular checks are to be maintained in order to ensure that the cables are properly fitted and have not gotten over-tightened due to load cell rotation and that they are rotating efficiently whenever required. Furthermore, rat damage to cables is a serious worry.
Damage to the junction box
The junction box is a key component of a weighbridge, and it is where many weighbridge issues arise. The box must be well sealed to prevent dirt or moisture from entering, thereby damaging the delicate electronics from within. The junction box may act as the subject to damage as they are the point of entry.
Although breakdowns cannot always be prevented, the risk of downtime and costly repairs may be reduced with excellent construction and continuing preventative services offered by a team of weighbridge scale experts. Trakblaze, which is considered as Australia’s premier weighbridge manufacturer, may help you provide information on how to avoid weighbridge breakdowns.