As a truck scale owner, you’re aware of your scale’s uses and capabilities, but have you considered how slight errors and improper calibration could contribute to potential revenue loss? If your business is weighing relatively low cost products, you may think a few hundred pounds off will not affect your bottom line. But, if your scale is weighing a high volume of trucks on a daily basis, you could be looking at a potential loss of thousands of dollars over the course of months and years.
Below is an actual example provided by a business selling aggregate materials showing how their inaccurate scale could have lost their company over $250,000 annually.
Aggregate Business Example
Weighing Volume | 300 trucks/day | |
Weighing Frequency | 5 days/week= | 1,500 weighs per week
|
4 weeks/month= | 6,000 weighs per month | |
Product Value | $27.50/ton= | $.01375 per lb. |
Inaccuracy per Weigh | 250 lbs. light x $.01375= | $-3.4375 per weigh |
This inaccuracy could have resulted in a total revenue loss of $247,500 in one year.
Now that you are aware of how inaccurate/out of calibration truck scales can affect your bottom line, it’s important to learn ways to maintain the accuracy of your truck scale and how to obtain the best results from your scale.
Let’s review what happens after the initial purchase of your legal-for-trade truck scale.
When a legal-for-trade scale is initially installed, a certified scale provider licensed by the Department of Agriculture Weights and Measures of the governing state, tests its performance. This test certifies the accuracy of the scale and ensures that it is legal-for-trade and legally ready to weigh trucks.
(Any U.S. business that buys, sells or charges based upon weight must use a “Legal for Trade” scale. Legal for trade scales are tested and sealed by government agencies insuring the scale’s legal accuracy.)
The initial calibration, however, does not guarantee that it will remain in calibration and accurate. Many factors can contribute to scale losing calibration. A licensed scale service provider can advise ways to keep your scale in optimum weighing condition and maintaining accurate calibration.
Calibration plays a key role in ensuring you’re not overcharging your clients or losing your hard-earned money. Since the accuracy of truck scales depends on various external factors, it will need periodic testing. To help you decide how often you should have your truck scale calibrated, you may take into consideration the following four items.
Quality Scales Unlimited can help you with this process and provide you with the best scale maintenance service. Contact our sales team for more details.
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