In Motion Rail Scale, Pesagem Ferroviária

5 biggest mistakes in weighing freight wagons

Any operation, from different sectors, needs to be assertive for the final result to be of quality. In the case of cargo wagon weighing operations, it is essential that this process is accurate, carried out by the best equipment on the market available to companies.

The process of weighing freight wagons, and the goods present in the wagons, is essential so that the production companies and also the buyers are always aligned. 

In addition, weighing is important to determine the presence of trains on the railroads, since there are rules that determine the maximum amount of weight of the loads on the tracks, avoiding accidents and ensuring the smooth flow of the railroad lines.

In this sense, the weighing error, for various reasons, can cause several losses, both for the producing companies and for the buyers of the goods. Thus, the error in weighing can be expensive, representing a very significant number.

It is easy to exemplify a situation in which this happens, showing how expensive this error in weighing can be and why it must necessarily be avoided.

We think of the following example: each train car has 100 tons of material. During weighing, there was a 2% error in weighing, meaning a total of 2,000 kg. If we take a train that has 100 wagons, which is quite common, it is necessary to multiply the 2,000 kg by the number of wagons present. The total result of this account would be 200,000 kg, that is, 2 wagon loads of difference.

This error can harm the other processes of the companies involved, hinder the commercial relations between these sectors and properly cause losses, because in practice, the producer would have to go through these 2 wagons that were missing or left over due to incorrect weighing.

To make it clearer how these errors happen and why they end up being, unfortunately, quite common, we have selected the 5 biggest mistakes in weighing freight cars so that you stay on top of everything.

Dirty hoppers

Dirty hoppers

Do you know what a hopper is and what it is for? Well, a hopper can have several applications, but in unloading grains it is a fundamental part of the process.

In general, hoppers are structures used for unloading grains, such as soybeans, corn, wheat bran, among others. The grain is supplied to the hoppers by trucks, which are positioned under these structures, elevated, and the grains placed in the loads are unloaded.

As you can see in more detail in the following link, misuse, or incorrect cleaning of hoppers, can directly interfere with the weighing of the freight cars that are filled with the grains.

This happens because, during unloading, it is possible for materials to get stuck in the hopper grates, directly interfering with the next weighing, especially when the weighing technique requires the use of the hoppers under static scales.

Tare error

Tare error

The tare is nothing more than the weighing of "packages" without contents inside. In the railroad sector, when we talk about tare weighing, we are addressing the weighing of freight wagon trains without the goods positioned.

Weighing tare is a fundamental part of the process, especially when the railroad scale chosen for weighing is static. When weighing static scales, the tare is weighed first, and then the loaded wagons.

In this sense, the tare refers to the entire composition of the wagons. As it has an important participation in the final result of this weighing, the error of the tare can mean a totally mistaken account, implying the incorrect weighing of the freight cars of a railroad train.

Freight car wheel unevenness

Desnivelamento de rodas dos vagões de carga

In the railroads, it is essential that there is no unevenness in the train tracks, as this is one of the main railroad pathologies. 

This unevenness can generate fractures on the tracks and also derail the trains, which can end up totally damaging a transport operation, in addition to being a dangerous accident for train drivers.

But, in addition to the unevenness of the rails, the unevenness of wheels can also cause problems in the progress of the transport processes, precisely because it ends up interfering in the weighing of the freight wagons, being one of the main errors in railroad weighing.

Weigh wagons hitched on a static scale

Weigh wagons hitched on a static scale

Another important mistake that happens in the static weighing of freight wagons, is when this process is done with the coupled wagons. 

The weighing error of coupled freight wagons only happens on static scales, precisely because scales require trains to park in order for loads to be weighed, the wagon being weighed must be free from the influence of other wagons.

In addition to increasing the useful time of the weighing process, making the process more difficult and decreasing effectiveness, several errors can happen when the wagons are weighed in this way.

On the link hereyou can see the complete explanation of all possible errors, in a practical and simple way how and why they occur.

But, in general, there are some main points that hinder the reliability of weighing coupled wagons such as the difference in the types and dimensional characteristics of the couplings of the wagons, which can cause the coupling to slide or lock, improper weighing of an axle or trick. of the train, characteristics of the unevenness of the ground where the scale is positioned, which interferes with its positioning, among other things. 

Maintenance and correct choice of the scale

Maintenance and correct choice of the scale

These and other errors that are common when weighing freight cars could be avoided completely, in a simple and practical way. 

First, proper maintenance on the scales used, as well as on the tracks on which they are positioned and on the trains that run over it, directly interfered with the quality and assertiveness of the weighing, as it would prevent, for example, the unevenness of the train wheels.

In addition, the correct cleaning of the hoppers, eliminating the grains that were stuck to the grids, would also be an interesting way to prevent the error in weighing the freight wagons from happening in such a significant way.

Finally, another error that is quite common on railroads is the choice of scales that do not have the quality necessary to make the weighing safely and reliably, obtaining accurate data that avoid unnecessary damage.

In this sense, the Massa Scale is one of the few scales on the market that has this quality necessary to avoid errors, even when weighing coupled wagons, for example, without interfering with the footage. In addition, the scale of MASSA Pesagem e Automação contaminates the hoppers less than the others, avoiding yet another common error in the weighing of wagons.

Conclusion on 5 biggest mistakes in weighing freight wagons

Avoiding errors in the weighing of wagons is essential to ensure a quality and in-conform cargo transportation process. The error in weighing can be expensive, generating losses in both parties involved, both the producing companies and the buyers. Therefore, it is important to understand what are the main errors, looking for solutions to avoid them. As we have seen, there are some errors that are common, but that can be easily overcome, just make the right equipment choices and perform the correct maintenance of the instruments used during this process. 

Searchs: https://massa.ind.br/balanca-dinamica-ou-balanca-estatica/
https://www.infovarejo.com.br/problemas-pesagem-de-produtos/
https://massa.ind.br/patologias-e-problemas-nas-ferrovias/
https://massa.ind.br/como-pesar-um-trem/

http://monografias.poli.ufrj.br/monografias/monopoli10018484.pdf
https://blog.knwaagen.com.br/erros-de-pesagem/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMS1NZCH_3h/

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