Buyer’s Guide: Weighing Equipment for the Defence Industry

Whether you need to weigh vehicles, aircraft, munitions or other heavy equipment, having accurate and durable weighing systems is critical for defence operations in the UK. As a major investment, choosing the right industrial scale solution tailored for military applications requires careful consideration of capabilities, certifications and cost.

This buyer’s guide provides an overview of key selection criteria to help defence procurement officers, base commanders and test facility managers pick the best weighing equipment for their specific needs.

The Significance of Weighing Systems in Defence

Weighing equipment in the defence industry plays a vital role in various applications:

• Ammunition and Equipment Weighing: Accurate measurement of ammunition and equipment ensures safety and compliance with strict military standards.
• Vehicle Load Management: Proper load distribution in military vehicles is essential for operational efficiency and vehicle longevity.
• Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Precise weighing systems streamline logistics operations, ensuring that supply chains are efficient and cost-effective.
• R&D and Testing: Accurate weight measurements are crucial in the research and development of new defence technologies and equipment.

Choosing the Right Weighing Equipment for Defence

Whether you select floor scales or a load cell system, here are some key weighing capabilities to look for:

• Stainless steel or other durable construction to withstand harsh conditions
• Shock and vibration resistance to handle heavy loading impact
• Digital outputs and connectivity to record and analyse data
• Custom measurement solutions for specialised testing needs
• Portability options like crane scales or onboard truck scales

For floor scales, foundation requirements and pit framing should also be assessed to properly handle heavy vehicles and loads. Psychological perceptions of the scales should be considered as well so that they instil confidence in the measurement results.

Understanding Defence Weighing Requirements

The defence sector has stringent requirements that set it apart from other industries. Key factors include:

• Ruggedness and Durability: Military operations often occur in harsh environments like deserts, jungles or warzones. Weighing scales must withstand extreme temperatures, moisture, vibrations and impacts.
• Hazardous Area Approvals: When working with energetics or volatile materials, intrinsically safe weighing equipment approved for hazardous areas is mandatory. Read here: The Rules and good practices of weighing dangerous chemicals.
• Legal for Trade Certification: Weight data integrity is paramount for taxation, safety and legal compliance in applications like munition manufacture. Approved legal for trade scales are essential.
• High Capacity: From heavy artillery to aircraft components, defence weighing frequently involves capacities in the tens or hundreds of tons.
• Compliance with UK’s Ministry of Defence standards and regulations

The Role of the Ministry of Defence

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) plays a central role in procuring and regulating weighing equipment used across the UK’s defence sector. As the government body overseeing the nation’s military capabilities, the MOD is responsible for ensuring all weighing scales and systems meet stringent standards for accuracy, durability, and compliance with relevant laws and protocols.

Specifically, the MOD’s involvement includes:

• Procurement Oversight: The MOD oversees procurement processes for all weighing equipment to be used by the British Armed Forces, defence contractors, and related agencies. Potential scales undergo rigorous evaluation to verify they meet military-grade specifications in terms of maximum allowed weights, hazardous area approvals, legal for trade certifications, and suitability for operating conditions.
• Regulatory Compliance: Weighing within defence applications like munitions manufacturing must comply with weights and measures legislation. The MOD works closely with agencies like the National Physical Laboratory to ensure weighing adheres to standards set by the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) and other governing bodies.
• Safety Validation: For hazardous locations where energetic materials are handled, the MOD validates that weighing equipment has proper intrinsic safety approvals and explosion protection ratings. This protects personnel while enabling precise weight data.
• Performance Testing: The MOD supervises performance testing of weighing scales under environmental extremes simulating intended deployment locations. This validates stated operating temperature ranges, IP/NEMA ratings, and resistance to factors like shock, vibration and electromagnetic interference.

By carefully vetting and regulating weighing solutions utilised across UK defence sectors, the Ministry of Defence plays an essential role in maintaining operational effectiveness, legal accountability and safety. Its seal of approval ensures weighing data can be trusted as fully accurate and equipment can withstand demanding military conditions worldwide.

Popular Weighing Scale Types for Defence

• Platform Scales: Low-profile yet robust, platform scales are suited for weighing palletized loads, boxes, machinery and vehicles in warehouses or shipping yards. Popular defence capacities range from 5,000 lb to 100,000 lb.
• Truck Scales: Installed permanently or portably, ultra-high capacity truck scales accurately capture weights of even the largest military vehicles and transported equipment. Legal for trade certifications are critical.
• Crane Scales: With impressive capacities up to 500 tons, crane scales enable precise weight measurements when loading/unloading heavy cargo or assembled aircraft/machinery. They boast rugged, compact designs and hazardous approvals.
• Laboratory Balances and Precision Scales: For laboratories, ordnance facilities and quality assurance, precision balances and scales approved for hazardous areas provide resolutions up to 1/1000th of a gram.

Recommended Weighing Equipment for the Defence Industry

The defence industry requires robust, precise, and reliable weighing solutions. Here are some recommended products that meet these criteria:

Xtrem F

The Xtrem F is especially suitable for the defence industry due to its fully digital and modular design, along with features that ensure maximum safety, flexibility, and adaptability. These characteristics are critical for the precise and reliable requirements of defence applications. Here are the key features making Xtrem F stand out for defence industry use:

• Fully Digital and Modular: Its fully digital weighing core and modular design allow for easy integration with existing systems, ensuring precise measurements and data integrity, crucial for applications where accuracy is non-negotiable.
• Maximum Safety: The incorporation of important adjustment and calibration data directly into the platform enhances the safety of operations, a paramount concern in the defence sector.
• Flexible Connectivity: Xtrem F can connect to any indicator or PC connected to the network via WiFi or digital cable, offering total flexibility in data management and device connectivity. This adaptability ensures seamless integration into various military logistics and inventory management systems.
• Multipurpose and Adaptable: With five low-profile weighing platform sizes and attachments for indicators in multiple positions, the Xtrem F can be tailored for a wide range of applications, from inventory management to field operations.
• Mobility and Usability: The platform’s mobility options, including desktop indicator supports, different size columns, steering, and wheels, make it easily transportable and adaptable to different operational settings, which is essential for dynamic defence environments.
• Indicators with WiFi Connection: The ability to connect up to four K3W and K3iW units wirelessly to the same balance allows for simultaneous operations with full functionality, offering operational flexibility and efficiency in field conditions where cable connections may not be feasible.
• Direct Connectivity Options: The platform’s capability for USB direct connectivity without PC software simplifies the transfer of weighing data to any application or document, enhancing operational efficiency in logistics and supply chain management.
• Durability: The stainless steel structure of the K3iW model ensures durability and resistance to harsh environments, which is crucial for defence applications that often operate in challenging conditions.

In summary, the Xtrem F’s design and features offer a combination of accuracy, safety, flexibility, and durability that align well with the demanding requirements of the defence industry. Its adaptability to various operational contexts, along with its ease of integration into different systems, makes it an ideal choice for applications ranging from logistics and inventory management to field operations.

Xtrem Bengal 

This platform scale is designed for heavy-duty applications. Its robust construction and high capacity make it ideal for weighing large and heavy defence equipment: 

• Robust Build Quality: The platform’s core, enveloped in a digital Xtrem weighing mechanism and shielded by a dual-layer epoxy coat along with Class C3 sensors and IP67 rating, is engineered for enduring the rigours of intensive military use. Its 4.5 mm thick upper surface ensures resilience against daily operational wear and tear.
• Enhanced Safety Measures: Incorporating crucial adjustment and calibration data directly into the platform, the Xtrem Bengal prioritises maximum operational safety, a critical requirement for defence applications where accuracy and reliability are paramount.
• Advanced Digital Integration: The inclusion of an Xtrem digital module within the structure allows for superior data handling, offering precise and rapid weight assessments essential for maintaining logistical efficiency and operational readiness in military contexts.
• Simplified Maintenance Approach: Designed for convenience, the platform features accessible upper adjustment junction boxes, facilitating straightforward maintenance to keep the equipment in optimal condition with minimal operational interruptions.
• Flexible Connectivity Options: Equipped with RS-232-C and optional WiFi connectivity, it seamlessly fits into diverse military IT ecosystems, allowing for versatile data communication and ensuring compatibility with existing technological infrastructures.
• Durable Material Construction: Constructed from steel with an epoxy paint finish and featuring junction boxes made from hermetically sealed AISI 304 stainless steel, the platform is designed to withstand the challenging conditions of military environments.
• Operational Versatility: The platform’s capability to transmit data through both cable and WiFi offers flexibility, enabling effective operation across a variety of settings, including remote or adversarial environments where traditional connectivity might be compromised.

In essence, the Xtrem Bengal‘s construction durability, digital sophistication, and operational adaptability render it exceptionally suited for the defence industry. These characteristics ensure it can fulfil the stringent precision, reliability, and resilience requirements characteristic of military operations, ranging from logistical support to active field deployments.

Xtrem Speed

The Xtrem Speed platform is distinguished by features that make it exceptionally well-suited for the defence industry. Below are the characteristics that underscore its suitability:

• Certified for Legal Use: Comes with CE-M Verification for legal trading purposes and features two ranges of 3000 divisions, ensuring compliance and precision for military logistics and operations.
• Designed for Heavy Duty: Capable of enduring vehicle passage from any direction, it’s built for the demanding requirements of military environments, including the transportation of heavy military vehicles and equipment.
• Flexible Installation Options: Can be mounted on the floor or recessed, offering versatility in installation within confined spaces, a common constraint in military facilities.
• Z-Link Communication Technology: Ensures high reliability through digital communication, enhancing safety and ensuring seamless data transfer between the platform, PCs, and Android devices.
• Robust Construction: Features a steel construction with a single block structure, making it suitable for the passage of vehicles in any direction, a necessary attribute for military vehicle weigh-ins.
• High Connectivity: Prepared for Industry 4.0 with options for Ethernet, WiFi, and RS485 connections, allowing for integration into modern military IT infrastructures.
• Environmental Protection: With a 2-layer epoxy coating, Class C3 sensors, and IP67 protection, it’s designed to withstand harsh conditions typical in defence applications.

These features collectively make the Xtrem Speed platform a robust, reliable, and versatile weighing solution, ideal for the complex and demanding requirements of the defence sector. Its ability to withstand heavy-duty use, coupled with advanced digital connectivity and legal compliance, ensures it meets the rigorous standards necessary for military applications.

Xtrem Mamut

This large platform scale is built to handle extremely heavy loads, ideal for weighing military vehicles and large equipment. Its sturdy design ensures reliability in demanding defence environments.

The Xtrem Mamut platform is engineered to meet the stringent requirements of the defence industry, characterised by its capacity to handle heavy loads and robust construction. Below are the features that make it particularly apt for military applications:

• Large and Robust Design: Engineered for heavy-duty applications, it incorporates a digital Xtrem weighing core within a monobloc steel structure, suitable for either floor or recessed installation, facilitating versatility in deployment.
• Safety and Data Integrity: With crucial adjustment and calibration data embedded within the platform, it guarantees maximum safety and reliability, essential in operational environments where accuracy is critical.
• Versatile Connectivity: Capable of connecting to WiFi networks and sending data to any equipment within the IP network, it offers flexibility in data management and transfer, a key requirement for modern military logistics systems.
• Durable Construction: The platform’s diamond plate steel surface, treated with baked epoxy paint, provides excellent wear resistance and non-slip properties, ensuring durability and safety under heavy loads.
• Easy Maintenance Access: Designed with upper access to the adjustment junction box, it simplifies maintenance procedures, minimising downtime and ensuring continuous operation.
• Low Profile: Its minimal height enhances the ease of weighing, making it accessible and efficient for various military applications, from vehicle weighing to cargo management.
• High Capacity and Precision: Available in capacities up to 6000 kg and with resolutions up to 2000 g, it is capable of handling and precisely measuring substantial loads, suitable for a wide range of heavy-duty military equipment.
• Weather and Wear Resistant: The platform’s construction includes steel coated in kiln-fired epoxy resin, stainless steel load cells, and a hermetically sealed junction box with IP-68 protection, ensuring resilience against harsh environmental conditions.

These features collectively make the Xtrem Mamut platform a highly reliable, precise, and durable solution for the defence industry, supporting the rigorous demands of military logistics, equipment management, and operational readiness with enhanced safety and operational flexibility.

C6 Crane Scales

Essential for lifting and weighing heavy loads, the C6 crane scales provide accurate measurements and are built to withstand the challenging conditions often encountered in defence operations.

The C6 Crane Scale series is uniquely tailored for the defence industry, blending high capacity, durability, and efficiency for military use. Key features include:

• High Capacity: Supports loads up to 30 tons, catering to the heavy-duty requirements of military equipment and operations.
• Wireless Display: Allows weight display up to 100 metres away, enhancing safety and flexibility in varied military settings.
• Robust Build: Constructed with epoxy painted steel for resilience against harsh and demanding environments.
• Efficiency: Features like hold function and auto-power off improve battery life and readiness for use, essential for prolonged field operations.
• Wide Operational Range: Operates effectively from -0°C to +40°C, reliable across various climatic conditions encountered in military deployments.
• Adaptable Design: Engineered for practicality with specific attention to hook angle and size for seamless military integration.

These attributes render the C6 Crane Scale series an essential tool for precise load management and operational efficiency in the defence sector.

Maintenance and Calibration

Regular maintenance and calibration are essential to ensure that weighing equipment remains accurate and reliable, especially in the harsh environments typical of defence applications. Adhering to strict maintenance schedules and calibration protocols is crucial.

Proper maintenance and regular calibration are vital for ensuring long-term accuracy and performance of weighing scales in defence applications. Given the mission-critical nature of weight data, having defined maintenance and calibration protocols is essential.

This includes adhering to manufacturer guidelines for cleaning, inspecting load cells/junction boxes, testing components, making adjustments and replacing worn parts. Periodic verification against certified test weights traceable to national standards is necessary for maintaining legal for trade compliance. Using a ISO/IEC 17025 accredited scale service company ensures adherence to rigorous processes and documented calibration that can withstand regulatory scrutiny. Calibration frequency depends on the operating environment, usage levels and statutory requirements – often annually in the defence sector. Diligent maintenance and documented calibrations provide a verifiable audit trail and assurance that weight measurements remain precise and defensible.

Accuracy Levels and Calibration Needs

Weighing accuracy is typically described in terms of load cell verification interval (VIV) – how precisely it can discern differences in load. Common VIV levels include:

• 0.5 VIV: precise to within ± 0.25% of load cell capacity
• 1.0 VIV: precise to within ± 0.5% of load cell capacity
• 2.0 VIV: precise to within ± 1.0% of load cell capacity

The lower the VIV, the greater the weighing accuracy. For example, a 20-ton scale with 0.5 VIV can detect differences as minute as 50 pounds.

Higher accuracy scales cost more, but insignificantly compared to the assets you’re measuring, so maximise value with the highest VIV rating suitable for your tolerance needs.

To maintain accuracy, regular calibration according to NIST Handbook 44 standards is crucial. This gauges performance to within certified tolerances over time.

Conclusion

Advanced weighing systems are invaluable for defence sectors to verify accurate weight data across air, ground and sea operations. Choosing the right floor scales or load cell solutions tailored for your facilities’ needs will provide reliable, safety-driven measurement integrity for many years.

With their extreme durability and field-proven accuracy, dependable weighing systems crafted for military utilisation enable commanders to feel certain of weight-dependent decisions. They also streamline testing, training and maintenance processes base-wide.

By following this buyer’s guide covering selection criteria, essential features, accuracy needs and trusted weighing partners, your bases can invest in long-term weighing capabilities to withstand tough defence settings. This arms personnel to complete their weight-centric activities with precision and protection each day.