Solved a Fleet-wide Weighing Problem

Michelli Weighing & Measurement out of Santa Fe, California, recently wrapped up an installation that's a textbook example of good application engineering.

The end user had been running a single/double rail scale without issue for years, until new railcars entered the fleet. The new cars were longer than anything else in rotation, and the existing scale couldn't accommodate them. A smooth weighing operation became a costly workaround overnight.

The fix started with a full fleet review. After examining railcar lengths, bogie centers and axle spacing across every car in rotation, it was clear a standard solution wouldn't cut it. The application called for a custom double/double configuration.

Michelli built the system using four independent B-TEK Rail Scales in a double/double format, integrated with an indicator running a custom program. Operators can selectively enable or disable individual scale modules based on the railcar being weighed, giving a single installation the flexibility to handle every car in the fleet without sacrificing throughput or accuracy.

The takeaway for dealers: a thorough application review can turn a broken process into an engineered solution. When a customer's weighing operation starts breaking down, digging into the specifics of their fleet often reveals an opportunity to deliver something that actually fits.