A very interesting comment....

Keeping in touch with existing and potential customers is proving to be just as important and informative during the Covid-19 crisis as during more “normal” times.

Finding out customers plans for the future, and there will be a future, is extremely helpful for our forward planning so that in the coming months, when a semblance of normality returns,  we will best be able to help our customers.

One conversation with a customer threw up an interesting observation.

Axtec OnBoard Axle Load Indicator

He called to check how our plans were progressing regarding installing his system. The sooner the better according to him as he felt his drivers saw the current crisis as a good excuse to try and, in his words “get away with murder.”

What was concerning him was the number of vehicles he saw leaving his site which he was convinced were overloaded.

And currently he has no means of checking them.

Working in an industry that relies heavily on sub-contractors, a large number of which are currently not operating, his own staff were having to pick up the extra workload and this was leading to additional weight being put on vehicles.

Very difficult to be too critical of the drivers as they are just trying to do their best in very trying circumstances.

But it is well known that overloading has an adverse effect on many major parts of a vehicle, but what is less widely known is that if a vehicle found to be overloaded is involved in an accident, the insurance may be invalidated.

There are other hidden costs too – overloading wears out tyres, clutches, steering and braking components before their time – meaning an increase in maintenance costs.

And an overloaded vehicle uses more fuel too, one of the major costs of running any transport operation.

As for our customer, plans are well in hand to get his system installed quickly but just as importantly safely for both his staff and ours.

So that he can be confident his drivers are doing their job legally, not risking his O-licence and keeping his maintenance and running costs down.

Staying home can be time well spent.

Spending less time out on the road and more time working from home provides an opportunity to take stock and discover long lost items.

One thing we’ve discovered is a batch of old photographs showing systems, installations and indeed some people from the earliest days of Axtec.

The accompanying picture shows axle weighbridge serial number 30001, the very first axle weighbridge we ever manufactured, ready for installation.

Axtec Dynamic Serial number 30001 from 1991

Many of the design features of that first machine were so good that we still incorporate them today; the corner pockets and load cell mounting positions for instance.

Not everything about that system was perfect though, but from the lower reaches of this learning curve we have now accumulated more knowledge about the specialist field of axle weighing than anyone else.

Learning how vulnerable the load cell junction box is when located in the weighbridge pit, how vital the approach levels are and how important it is to have our own purpose designed test equipment and were all crucial lessons along the way.

As was learning that attention to what may appear minor details is actually crucial for ensuring accuracy and reliability.

One very important lesson was establishing that having in-house staff to design, write software, manufacture, install, calibrate and maintain are essential if quality and accuracy are to be maintained.

The result is that the Axtec Dynamic Axle Weighbridge is now the most accurate system of its type in the world.

And the only one which achieves the required standard to be offered as a public weighbridge – twice the accuracy requirement of a standard machine.

All Axtec products have benefited from extensive testing, experimentation and learning over many years with that vast fund of knowledge going into every Dynamic, Static, Portable or OnBoard system we manufacture.

The very latest product is the third generation Axtec OnBoard Load Indicator. Using state of the art technology to make it clearer, improve accuracy, reduce power consumption and offer far more features, it wouldn’t be the product it is without nearly thirty years of learning behind it.

What do Red Forge customers do now that company has ceased trading?

Well, Axtec, has stepped forward to offer a rescue package to existing Red Forge customers.

The incentive comprises a £500 trade-in for any Red Forge system upgraded to an Axtec OnBoard Load Indicator. Moreover, the new Axtec OnBoard Axle Load Indicator for 2020 offers enhanced reliability and even better accuracy than before.

The £500 trade-in offer applies to anyone with a Red Forge load indicator system and means that some customers may even find themselves financially better off.

Red Forge customers - get a £500 trade in on Axtec OnBoard

Axtec’s market leading OnBoard Load Indicator features a simple colour numeric and graphic interface, plus the cost-saving customer reset facility to help keep service costs down.

And why keep your vehicles in the yard waiting for an engineer to arrive when you can do the reset yourself at a time that suits you?

Weight data can be saved automatically and downloaded via USB for analysis.

Unlike other systems Axtec OnBoard rarely, if ever, needs a full calibration. Customers can perform a very simple system reset themselves, which goes a long way to keeping service costs to an absolute minimum.

All management functions are password protected, while no manual controls are accessible by the driver or crew, preventing tampering. Importantly, Axtec OnBoard requires no additional driver training.

Axtec OnBoard displays axle weights in an intuitive traffic light configuration; green for legal weights, amber as maximum limits are approached and flashing red to indicate an overload.

Outputs to tracking devices are provided as standard, while enhanced functionality allows for more detailed information to be obtained via telematics rather than simply overload alert.

And then there are the numerous camera connectivity options as well.

So Red Forge customers – why not take advantage of this unique trade in offer and upgrade your system?

You would have a high accuracy system that is future proofed and could save some money as well.

Do not automatically trust declared weights, invoices or delivery notes..

Such is the advice from DVSA in trying to prevent overloads.

They also make it clear that the operator holds the responsibility for overloading not the customer.

It is though perfectly acceptable to drive to check weigh on a local weighbridge and also to drive somewhere practical to remove any excess weight.

There may not be a suitable weighbridge locally, certainly readily available axle weighbridges for public use can be hard to find, and it may not always be practical to leave the yard to weigh.

A state-of-the-art solution is the Axtec OnBoard Axle Load Indicator.

Fitted on site usually in only a couple of hours, Axtec OnBoard shows all the axle weights and gross weight on a simple colour display.

Axtec OnBoard Load Indicator

Legal weights are shown in green, anything over 80% in amber and any overloads in flashing red.

Instant overload protection for your vehicle regardless of where it is being loaded.

No leaving the site, no weighbridge fees and no dispute as to whether the vehicle is overloaded or not.

Uniquely, Axtec OnBoard can be reset onsite by the customer.

So no expensive service routine visits, no keeping the vehicles in the yard waiting for an engineer to arrive and total control of how and when you keep the systems withing specification.

There are no manual controls for the driver to fiddle with or break and by connecting to a tracking device, real time information on any overloads can be made available.

And the latest version of Axtec OnBoard even offers a high accuracy version for those who need it.

Taking responsibility for ensuring your vehicles are not overloaded when loading at customers’ premises has never been simpler.

Keeping the vehicles safe by not overloading also has benefits in cost savings.

An overloaded vehicle will use more fuel and wear out the clutch, brakes steering and suspension quicker too.

So no need to rely on those declared weights, invoices or delivery notes anymore – Axtec OnBoard will tell you exactly what you weigh

It's not only vans that can be overloaded.

Whilst light vans are often the most vulnerable to weight issues, larger vehicles need to be protected from overloading too.

So there are versions of Axtec OnBoard to suit those vehicles as well.

Two examples of operators of larger vehicles who may have issues with overloading are scaffolding and tool hire companies.

It should be relatively easy not to overload a scaffolding vehicle with poles and boards when leaving for a job. But what about when they come back?

Those nice clean boards may now be covered in mud and dried concrete. As might the poles. And all heavier than they were when they left the depot.

Axtec OnBoard - also protects larger vehicles from overloads

And what if a different, smaller vehicles does the pick up to the one that delivered them in the first place?

Tool hire operators can have similar issues, some possibly caused by helpful drivers.

Again it is relatively easy to ensure a vehicle leaves the depot legally laden. But time and again we hear tales of drivers being sent to collect plant who are asked to take items in addition to those they were expecting.

A driver being helpful to the customer may find that he has inadvertently overloaded his vehicle.

Overloading affects some of the most safety critical components on the vehicle - brakes, steering, clutch and suspension are all adversely affected.

Axtec OnBoard is a cost effective solution to anyone delivering or collecting items such as scaffolding or plant. Even the biggest rigid vehicle can be fitted on site in a day.

Axle and gross weights are displayed as soon as the ignition is switched on. No driver training or input is required and weights are shown on a simple colour display with all overloads shown in flashing red.

And connectivity to a tracking device comes as standard.

Axtec OnBoardrarely if ever needs recalibrating. A simple customer function to reset the zero if necessary is usually all that is required to keep the system in tolerance.

If some of the issues described above sound familiar, just get in touch and we’ll be happy to arrange a chat to see if we can help.

Van Overloads and How to Avoid Them.

Scrolling through the DVSA Twitter feed turns up some shocking incidences of overloading.

Vans that were up to 46% overloaded have been stopped and the operators prosecuted.

Overloading has a negative effect on all the major components of the vehicle. The brakes, steering and suspension are all adversely affected and pose a serious safety risk.

So serious is overloading that one removals firm was fined £48,000.00 for persistent offending.

A frequent claim is that there are not enough public weighbridges around anymore. That may be true but there are plenty of other options available especially if your work takes you to numerous loading points.

A cost effective option for 3.5t vans is Axtec OnBoard. Fitted on site in less than half a day, it shows all the information a driver needs all the time. Axle and gross weights are displayed as soon as the ignition is switched on. A full colour screen shows legal weights in green, anything over 80% is shown in amber and all overloads in flashing red.

Overloads can be reported by connecting the system to a tracking device or they can be stored in the onboard memory for later downloading.

Axtec OnBoard - Avoid Overloading YOUR Van

The system rarely if ever needs recalibrating but there is a simple customer function to reset the zero if necessary.

So no expensive visits by service engineers or taking the van to a workshop to be checked.

And if you change the van it can be de-installed and re-installed.

It’s a great way of avoiding a day in court and a hefty fine.

Are your vans running legally laden?

If you are unsure then contact us and we may be able to arrange a free on site survey or discuss your requirements in detail.

It’s a much cheaper option than an appearance in court.

We don’t have a problem….

Sometimes the people on the front line have difficulty persuading management that there is a concerning issue.

It’s something we encounter often where those on the ground actually operating vehicles on a daily basis are aware of an issue but those with the decision makers fail to see what the problem is.

Ignorance though is no defence.

Recently we were approached by a transport manager worried about potential overloads. The nature of their business meant drivers frequently worked away from base and thus responsible for their vehicles without any checks on their behaviour.

Axtec OnBoard Load Indicator

He sent a report to his senior management expressing his concerns. When he got a response form them it was - we don’t have a problem.

Frustrated at the negative feedback he asked if we could help. So we provided some weighpads to run some trials. And the results were astonishing.

Far from there not being a problem, several overloads were discovered. In fact one 3.5t van weighed in at an alarming 5.5t.

That’s more than 50% overloaded.

An overloaded vehicle causes significantly more damage to the road surface than a legally laden one. Damage that we all pay for through our taxes.

But a vehicle that badly overloaded is seriously dangerous too.

The consequences of that vehicle being involved in an accident could have been catastrophic with the brakes, clutch and suspension all affected by the excessive weight.

Vehicle weighing systems should not just be seen as an unnecessary expense to avoid prosecution. The savings in tyre, brake and clutch wear and the reduction in repair costs to the suspension will all mitigate the cost.

And in many cases over the years, operators have found they can actually increase the load on their vehicles, improve efficiency and reduce costs.

As for our client, armed with some real-life information from some of his own vehicles, he has resubmitted his report and is planning to fit the fleet with onboard load indicators.

Helping to gather evidence for hard pressed operators is all part of the Axtec service.

The Perfect Place to Talk Business

We’re back at the NEC for Fleet Live next week and if last year is anything to go by it could be an interesting couple of days.

Exhibiting at events like Fleet Live is very important when your product is of a technical nature.

Mass market products with several suppliers all selling identical items can easily be bought online.  Just find the company selling it cheapest and place an order.

But where the product is more technical then a face to face conversation is essential.

Frequently clients have a good idea of their needs and even strong opinions about the best solution. But there is more than one type of axle weighing system and not all are suitable for every application.

Axtec OnBoard Load Indicator - See it at Fleet Live

So Googling what you think you need then buying the cheapest one on line could turn out to be costly mistake.

For instance, operators with vans out on the road all day with ever changing loads, any sort of system in the yard probably wouldn’t be the best option.

Overloading a van can have serious consequences. It affects all the major components – brakes, suspension, tyres etc.

Vehicles that have been involved in accidents can be weighed to establish if overloading was a factor and it has been known for insurance to be invalid if they are found to be overweight.

But preventing van overloads need not be expensive or complicated.

Axtec OnBoard shows front, rear and gross weights permanently on a simple to read colour display.

Drivers do not have to remember their legal weights as the system does it for them.

Legal weights are shown in green, anything over 80% is shown in amber and overloads are automatically highlighted in flashing red.

There are no manual controls making the system simple to use and drivers cannot say they don’t know how to use it. They simply have to look at it.

And whilst you can pay for a full calibration if that’s what you need, every system can be reset by the customer saving vehicle downtime and money.

So if avoiding overloads is a priority for you this year come and have a chat with us on stand H8 at Fleet Live at the NEC next week.

And the cost of routine maintenance is....

Any device for measuring loads will need checking possibly adjusting occasionally to bring it back into specification.

And with Axtec OnBoard the cost is nearly always nothing.

We have a customer who has many hundreds of our OnBoard Load Indicators installed at branches all over the country.

One of the branches queried the accuracy on a couple of their systems and wondered whether it might be beneficial to have them routinely checked by one of our engineers.

This is a service we gladly provide. But as with all service work, it comes at a cost.

Axtec OnBoard. Routine resetting costs nothing.

We calculated how much it would cost to do visit the site and do a routine reset twice a year and estimated it would be in the region of £250.00 per visit. There would be hidden costs as well in terms of keeping the vehicles in the yard ready for a service engineer’s visit.

However, the system is designed so that customers can do this simple reset themselves. At no cost and at a time to suit them.

Axtec OnBoard has no manual controls. Not only does this make it simple to use requiring no training but also means none of the settings or calibration can be changed. It is not possible to make the system display what you want thus potentially fooling drivers, loaders or the authorities.

What it does have though is a simple reset procedure which takes about twenty seconds to bring the system back within specification when the accuracy has drifted out.

Training someone to do it takes minutes, no special tools or technical knowledge is required and each vehicle can be reset in a matter of seconds.

And then that vehicle is back out on the road earning its keep.

No expensive service engineer to visit, no keeping the vehicles in the yard, no specialist tools or training.

So the cost of routine resetting Axtec OnBoard really is zero.