What Is A Weighbridge & What Industries Use Them?

Many industries in the UK make use of weighbridges. They are a useful tool that will help a business run smoother, allowing them to get things done faster and potentially increase profit. But what exactly is a weighbridge and what industries can benefit from them?

Read on to find out.

A Brief Guide To Weighbridges

A weighbridge is essentially a large set of scales, used to measure heavy loads that might be on vehicles. They are normally permanently mounted to a concrete foundation and can be used to weigh rail or road vehicles and their payload. The vehicle is individually weighed without cargo, and then once the cargo is loaded it can calculate the total weight and the weight of the payload.

Weighbridges work using laid cells, which convert forces into an electrical signal that can be measured. They can convert tension, compression, pressure or torque. The most common types of load cells are pneumatic, hydraulic and strain gauges.

If you need to find a nearby weighbridge to weigh your vehicle, you can actually use this page on GOV.UK to find the nearest one to you. A lot are owned by private businesses so you may need to get in touch to ask about permission and cost.

Industries That Use Weighbridges

Weighbridges are commonly used in industries where they have to frequently transport a large amount of goods and need to have these goods weighed beforehand. A weighbridge installed at a business can weigh payloads without having to unload and individually weigh the payload.

A business can easily weigh their other vehicles and have these weights for reference, so they can easily see how much the payload is and the total weight with the vehicle added in. This can help with not exceeding load capacities.

They are commonly used in mining, construction, waste management, recycling and farming for the purpose of weighing goods.

Another common industry that uses weighbridges is road-based. Some roads, buildings and tolls will have weight limits, so will have a weighbridge installed upon the entrance to them to ensure heavy vehicles do not cross bridges or enter properties where they exceed the weight limit.

Scales Spares & Services - Reliable Weighbridge Supplier



Here at Scales Spares & Services, we supply weighbridges to clients across the UK, offering competitive prices as well as calibration, repairs and servicing. We offer both brand-new and reconditioned weighbridges, so you can find a scale that will fit your budget.

From our purpose-built electronic weighbridge facility in West Yorkshire, we provide our weighbridge installation services across mainland UK, making sure any business in need of a weighbridge can obtain one easily from us.

So if you’re in need of weighbridge installation, repair or calibration, get in touch with us today!