WB-X800F I-Beam Steel Platform Truck Scale

The I-beam system: why the classic structure?

Also known in the field as the “column type” scale, the I-beam system is the longest-established structural layout for vehicle scales. In WB-X800F, rolled IPE sections form the backbone of the platform. Their I-shaped cross-section concentrates most of the material in the top and bottom flanges, giving far higher bending strength from the same weight of steel. The top plate that closes over them forms the weighing surface that spreads tyre loads onto the beams.

The value of this structure in heavy duty lies in a clear and predictable load path. Each axle presses on the deck plate, the plate on the main beams, and the beams on the load cells. Because it is known where the load travels, the platform’s behaviour does not change over the years; if damage appears in one area, its cause and the repair point are easy to identify. Since rolled sections come in standard sizes, part-by-part renewal is also straightforward when needed.

The thickness of the top plate varies with capacity and averages around 10 mm. A thick deck plate combined with closely spaced I-beams carries the concentrated wheel load of a loaded tipper or a multi-axle trailer without leaving a permanent mark on the surface.

Size options and load cell layout

WB-X800F is built in nine lengths. The shortest configuration is 6 m long with 4 load cells and 40 t; it suits short tippers, urban delivery trucks and tight sites. At 8 m there are again 4 cells, at 10 and 12 m there are 6, and 40, 50 or 60 t can be chosen for these three lengths. Most rigid trucks are covered within this range.

The 14 m platform rests on 6 cells and comes in 60 or 80 t. At 16 and 18 m the cell count rises to 8, and at 20 and 22 m to 10; for these four lengths capacity is set at 60, 80 or 100 t. Sites weighing articulated lorries generally look at 16–18 m, while sites taking drawbar combinations or long special loads consider 20–22 m.

The relationship between cell count and length decides the span at which the I-beams are supported. For example, the 8 cells under a 16 m platform form four pairs of support lines facing each other across the platform; dividing the 16 m between the end lines into three spans gives about 5.3 m per span. At 30 t nominal per cell, the 8 cells add up to 240 t. Do not confuse that total with what the scale is rated to weigh; it is the structural reserve kept for an axle stopping directly over one cell and for dynamic effects as vehicles drive on.

The scale interval is in the 20–50 kg range and is used with dual-range weighing: a fine step in the lower load range, a step suited to the capacity in the upper range. On a site where returning empty vehicles and part loads are weighed often, this stops light weighings from reading coarsely even on a 100 t scale.

Installation, ramps and maintenance access

WB-X800F is installed above ground, and vehicles drive onto the platform over concrete ramps cast on site. Assembly is fairly simple: the load cells are placed on the prepared flat base or pad foundations, and the I-beam platform sections are set on them and joined. With no pit to excavate, construction time is shorter, and obstacles such as groundwater or rocky ground stop being a problem.

The biggest everyday gain of a surface structure is access. As the underside and sides of the beams stay open, load cells, cables and welds can be inspected by eye, and mud or snow that gets under the platform is easy to clear. During routine maintenance, the condition of the paint, the points where beams sit on the cells and the ramp transitions can be reviewed in a walk-round of a few minutes.

Since the scale is not tied to a permanent pit, it can also be dismantled later and taken to another site. At the new location the base and ramps have to be prepared and the calibration repeated.

From indicator to report: the measuring chain

The compression load cells beneath the platform have stainless steel bodies, IP68 protection and accuracy class OIML R60 C4. Mounting kits supplied with the cells restrain the lateral loads that arise from braking and angled entry. Their signal goes to a weighing indicator equipped with a 24-bit sigma-delta converter, 1/30000 internal resolution and a vibration filter. The indicator weighs in dual range, and its backlit LCD with 26 mm high digits is easy to read in the weighbridge office.

The weighbridge software archives weighings in a database; records can be exported as XML, PDF, HTML, TXT or spreadsheet output and shared with accounts and dispatch. The web-based database option lets businesses with several plants follow every scale from head office. Traffic lights and a plate recognition camera work with the software to speed up bringing vehicles onto the scale and opening records at busy times.

Why WB-X800F in the premium segment?

Compared with the other surface-mounted models in the series, WB-X800F differs in its load-bearing system. The concrete-deck WB-X400F offers a stiff, heavy solution in the mid segment but is limited to 20 m and 80 t. The plate-built V-beam WB-X600 covers the same size and capacity range with a light, modular structure. WB-X800F builds that same range on rolled I-beams for the heaviest, uninterrupted service. The difference shows on sites where many loaded lorries cross every day, the scale works non-stop through each shift and the platform will stay in the same spot for decades.