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.

We only used them once…

Those were the words of a client recently who borrowed a set of weighpads to test weigh some of his vehicles. 

Fortunately, we loaned him the weighpads free of charge otherwise he would have had an expensive investment not being used.

Portable weighpads are ideal for many applications and we have numerous customers who use them very successfully. But they do need managing if they are to provide useful information and it’s often not until a customer tries them out that they discover they may not be the best solution.

Like all weighing systems, portable pads need to be used on flat level ground. And the surface needs to be swept so that no stones are under the pads. They need to be positioned correctly and drivers supervised during the weighing process. And all of this is usually done out of doors, possibly in poor weather and frequently early in the morning when vehicles leave the depot.

Axtec Portable Weighpads - Used for Free Trials

Even before using them, someone needs to take responsibility for ensuring they are kept securely, they are not a cheap item after all, and that the batteries are charged up.

This makes weighpads sound as though they are more trouble than they are worth. Nothing could be further from the truth – in the right circumstances they are the ideal tool – but many axle weighing requirements can be served better with an alternative.

We are always happy to loan clients weighpads for trial as it provides real world experience of whether they are the right tool for the job. Just as importantly though, it allows a transport manager to establish how much of an issue overloading is.

It may though prove that there isn’t a problem at all. Or that the vehicles are running underweight and thus inefficiently.

Whatever the outcome, carrying out a check with weighpads might be time well spent.

How many of your vans might be overloaded?

Two weighing exercises in recent weeks with two very different clients, one a utility company the other a housing association, but both operating very similar 3.5t vans.

The objective with both was to determine what if any incidences of overloading they were experiencing.

Both were aware of the dangers of overloading – it affects the brakes, steering, clutch, suspension, tyres and the basic safety of the vehicle – so were hoping that no issues would be found.

Using portable weighpads we arranged for a number of their vehicles to be weighed at different locations under supervision to ensure the pads were used correctly.

Checking for Van overloads Using Portable Weighpads

Whilst finding no overloads would have been ideal it was perhaps inevitable that some issues would be found.

Much to the clients’ disappointment, there were quite a few vehicles that caused concern. In one case 16% and in the other a staggering 20% of the vehicles were over their permitted weight.

Many more were very close to the limit and the addition of a passenger, more fuel or even marginally more in the load space and they would have been overloaded.

Most of the overloads were fairly minor and in isolation unlikely to attract a prosecution. But it has been known for insurance to be invalidated if an overloaded vehicle is involved in an accident and persistent, minor infringements would certainly attract the attention of the authorities.

Sometimes these weight checks can provide peace of mind but without going through the exercise operators are usually unaware if they are running legally laden or not.

One of these latest clients also operate larger vehicles and whilst the smaller 3.5t vans are not on the ‘O’ licence, any overloading offences must be reported to the Traffic Commissioner and could affect an application or renewal at a later date.

Are your vans running legally laden? If you think a free weight check might be useful help then contact us and we’ll be delighted to help.

Overloading could be very serious

We had a very interesting conversation with a client recently, one who takes vehicle overloading very seriously.

Recognising the potentially catastrophic effects of overloading his vehicles, of which he has many hundreds around the UK, he took some portable weighpads from us to conduct trial weighings around the country.

But some of his firm’s drivers couldn’t see how important it is to run their vehicles legally laden and couldn’t see the worth in the exercise.

One example though seemed to bring the message home.

Axtec Portable Weighpads - Useful for Weighing Trials

Whilst weighing one vehicle, a typical 3.5t flatbed, the driver was asked to bring his vehicle up and place the front axle on the pads – and overshot them by about 1.5m.

The excess load on the vehicle caused the brakes to function less efficiently.

What if he had been trying to stop his van with a child in the road at a zebra crossing instead of just taking part in a weighing exercise in his yard?

The consequences could have been severe.

As our client said to his driver – do you want that on your conscience?

A lot of the time, the drivers are just trying to do their jobs and the van is just a mobile toolbox.

Sometimes it’s not only drivers that need convincing about overloading but senior management as well.

Which is why we often offer to help with surveys, loans of weighpads even free trials at the premises of customers with axle weighbridges.

Armed with information cleaned using their own vehicles in a working environment, it can often be much easier to convince the powers that be that there is a serious problem there to be solved.

So if you think you have concerns about vehicle loading and think doing some trials might be helpful, feel free to contact us and we’ll certainly be able to help.

Usually at no cost.

And as for that client, we’re now in the process of installing axle weighbridges at his major depots around the UK.

Another clients experience with weighpads

Almost every conversation we have with a new client involves the subject of portable weighpads at some stage. 

It’s a common misconception that weighing even the largest vehicles just involves putting some plates on the ground and running axles over them.

It is though a much more involved procedure than that which, in many cases, is a more costly, time consuming and labour intensive option using weighpads than a permanent axle weighbridge.

Portable Weighpads - Great for some tasks.

Talking through a project that requires a dynamic axle weighbridge the other day, the client mentioned that they had portable weighpads which they used to monitor vehicle weights at depots around the country.

The pads were a useful tool for spot checks and driver training but were not without their problems.

The biggest bugbear was that it took two people plus the driver to weigh a single vehicle. And if the driver did it wrong, he had to go round the one-way system to do it again. Sometimes more than once.

A minor issue on the face of it but the procedure is tying up three people and the vehicle isn’t out on the road doing its job.

The pads themselves cost around £10,000.00 to purchase so that plus the labour plus the time element all adds up to a not insignificant ongoing cost to weigh vehicles.

So with a depot development in the offing it makes perfect sense to install a system that the drivers can use themselves in a fraction of the time.

With the added benefits of a longer lifespan, a permanent system can easily last 40 years against a typical lifespan of around five years for weighpads, plus far greater accuracy.

The permanent dynamic axle weighbridge is also future proofed in that it will not only weigh every vehicle type they currently run but any bigger vehicles they may obtain in later years.

As we always advise, weighpads have an important role to play but there’s often a more cost effective option available.

Nothing like seeing it demonstrated

Having vast experience in axle weighing means that we know all about the see-saw effect.

But not everyone, including some that have been in transport a long time are aware of what can happen when the load is incorrectly positioned on the vehicle.

A training exercise for transport and depot managers at one of the major builders merchants produced an interesting reaction from those attending when we showed them what happened.

Placing a set of portable weighpads, correctly set up and on flat level ground, beneath the front axle of a 2-axle rigid we then got them to place a couple of pallets of bricks right behind the cab. With plenty of space left on the load bed our audience were genuinely surprised to learn that the vehicle was now illegal because the front axle was overloaded.

We then put some pallets behind the back axle. And again there was genuine surprise when everyone learnt that, even though the overall weight had increased, the vehicle was now legal.

Weighpads - great for driver and operator training.

The action of putting load behind the back axle had caused the front axle weight to decrease.

The see-saw effect nicely demonstrated.

The issue of load distribution is often overlooked even by those with a great deal of experience in managing a fleet of vehicles but it is high point loads that cause most damage to the road surface.

Which is why there is a national network of axle weighbridges to check not only gross weight, but individual axle weights as well.

A vehicle can be well within its maximum gross weight but could be operating illegally because the distribution of the load is incorrect.

This is often a problem for operators with diminishing loads. The vehicle leaves the yard perfectly legal but as weight is removed from the rear, it is vital that the driver redistributes the load or the front axle can become overloaded.

As we said, even those with great experience may not be aware of this and have to have it demonstrated to them.

If you think your staff could benefit from some free axle weight training, feel free to get in touch.

Another interesting conversation about weighpads

So that’s the RWM show over for another year.

And as with every exhibition it threw up some interesting conversations.

One that stuck in our minds is a conversation we’ve had many times over the years. It was from a company who originally contacted us about three years ago. At the time they felt that they were best served by some portable weighpads which they bought from a competitor.  Not a view we shared as we felt a more permanent solution would be a better option.

Unfortunately, as with many others in the past, they found out the hard, and expensive way, that weighpads weren’t really up to the job they wanted to do. Their weighpads spent more time away being repaired, recalibrated or awaiting parts than actually doing what they had been bought for.

Often seen as a cheap option, and there are plenty of very cheap ones on the market, - hand portable, no special installation work, simply park each axle on the one at a time – they seem the perfect solution for weighing axles.

Weighpads are ideal for many applications and we have plenty of customers who use them very successfully.

Portable weighpads - great for some jobs but not for all!

But for long term, heavy duty use by non-skilled personnel they are rarely the best or most cost effective option. Especially if they are cheap ones of which there are many on the interet.

Driver training and spot checks out on site are perfect examples of where weighpads score. When used by a responsible manager who is going to look after them, make sure the batteries are charged and ensure they are used correctly, they can provide very good results.

But even then they have a limited lifespan, typically five years whereas a fixed system can last for 30 years or more.

We’re happy to discuss and demonstrate weighpads with anyone who is interested in them. Even offer short term trials to determine if they are the right tool for the job.

But we’ve got a long and growing list of customers who have tried them, usually after getting poor advice, and found them to be wanting.

And that customer from the show – we’re off to see him in a few days to discuss a more permanent, less fragile solution for his needs.