Intelligent weighbridges at port terminals:
Unmanned weighing systems enhance loading and unloading efficiency
In the operation of port terminals, weighbridge weighing is a key link in the loading and unloading of goods and the settlement of transportation. Its efficiency and accuracy are directly related to the throughput and operational benefits of the terminal.
At present, the weighing scenarios of port terminals and weighbridges generally face problems such as frequent loading and unloading and high weighing pressure.
However, the unmanned weighing system equipped on the Weightworth truck scale, with its efficient automatic weighing capability and the advantage of multi-device linkage, has successfully solved the industry's pain points.
This article takes a large-scale deep-water port terminal project as an example to elaborate on the practical application of the unmanned weighing system, providing a reference for high-frequency weighing scenarios such as unmanned weighing in similar port terminals and grain depots.
I. Case Background: Frequent loading and unloading have highlighted the pressure, and intelligent upgrading is imperative
The port in this case is a deep-water terminal with an annual throughput of over 100 million tons. It mainly undertakes the loading and unloading, transshipment and export measurement of containers and bulk cargo. Its weighing process has long faced three core pain points: First, the loading and unloading are frequent and the weighing pressure is high. On average, more than 400 transport vehicles enter and exit the port every day, covering various types of vehicles such as container trucks and bulk cargo transporters.
The traditional weighbridge weighing mode has a lagging response, and it takes a long time to weigh a single vehicle. During peak hours, vehicle congestion is prone to occur, which directly affects the progress of cargo loading and unloading. Second, the data coordination is not smooth. The manual weighing data needs to be manually entered into the loading and unloading management system, which leads to problems such as input delay and error or omission, causing the weighing data to be disconnected from the loading and unloading progress and affecting the efficiency of goods dispatching. Thirdly, the labor cost is high and the management difficulty is great. The traditional mode requires 4 to 5 staff members to take turns on duty 24 hours a day, responsible for weighing records, data entry, vehicle guidance and other tasks. Moreover, the port operation environment is complex, and the pressure on personnel safety control is huge.
Based on the above pain points, the port enterprise has clearly defined its core demands: it needs a weighbridge system that is suitable for 200-ton heavy-load conditions, capable of unattended automatic weighing, able to achieve real-time data synchronization with the loading and unloading system, support multi-device linkage, and at the same time adapt to harsh environments such as port humidity and salt spray, reducing labor costs and management difficulty, and improving overall loading and unloading efficiency.
II. Solution: Precise selection + core function adaptation to build an intelligent weighing system
In response to the demands of the port terminal, the project team conducted multiple rounds of research and comparison, and ultimately selected the Vitworth 200-ton port-specific weighbridge with an unmanned weighing system. The core reasons for the selection are as follows: Firstly, it has strong adaptability to heavy loads and the environment. This weighbridge adopts a fully steel welded structure design, with a load-bearing capacity of up to 200 tons. It can be adapted to various heavy-duty vehicle types such as container trucks and bulk cargo carriers. Moreover, the sensors have the characteristics of salt spray resistance, moisture resistance, and interference resistance, and can work stably in high humidity and strong corrosive environments, making it suitable for harsh port conditions. Secondly, the multi-system compatibility and linkage capabilities are outstanding. The Vitworth unmanned weighing system can be seamlessly integrated with the existing loading and unloading management system and dispatching system of the port, supporting the collaborative operation of multiple devices. Meanwhile, the brand has a complete localized operation and maintenance service, which can quickly respond to the maintenance needs of port equipment.
The core functions of the system are precisely adapted to the demands of mining scenarios, as detailed below
1. Unattended automatic weighing + data synchronization loading and unloading system: The system integrates high-definition license plate recognition, RFID electronic tags, infrared positioning, intelligent barrier gates and other modules. After the vehicle enters the weighing area, it automatically completes license plate recognition, vehicle type matching and weighing data collection, without the need for manual intervention throughout the process. Meanwhile, the weighing data is synchronized in real time to the port loading and unloading management system, precisely associated with cargo orders, loading and unloading progress, and dispatching information, achieving a full-process data loop of "weighing - loading and unloading - dispatching". Managers can control the weighing and loading and unloading progress of goods in real time through the platform, improving dispatching efficiency.
2. Unattended sealed control cabinet + automatic cleaning linkage: In response to the environmental characteristics of ports such as humidity, salt spray, and high dust levels, it is equipped with an IP67-level sealed control cabinet, which has strong dust-proof, water-proof, and anti-corrosion functions, ensuring the long-term stable operation of electrical components. At the same time, it is linked with a high-pressure automatic cleaning device. After the vehicle weighing is completed, the surface of the scale body is automatically cleaned to remove residual goods, dust and other debris, preventing debris from affecting the measurement accuracy and reducing the workload of manual cleaning.
3. Classification weighing of sanitation vehicles + multi-device linkage: For engineering vehicles transporting goods and sanitation vehicles cleaning garbage and debris within the port, the system supports classification weighing management and can preset weighing rules and data statistics dimensions for different vehicle types. At the same time, it realizes the interlocking control with intelligent barrier gates, traffic signals and loading and unloading equipment. After weighing is completed, the barrier gate is automatically opened for release, and the operation signal is simultaneously sent to the loading and unloading equipment, achieving efficient connection between vehicle passage and cargo loading and unloading.
Summary:
Precisely adapting to port scenarios, unmanned operation empowers the intelligent upgrade of terminals
The successful implementation of this intelligent project for the weighbridge at the port and wharf fully demonstrates the precise adaptability of the unmanned weighing system of Vitworth to scenarios such as high-frequency loading and unloading, heavy loads, and harsh environments at the port and wharf. This system not only resolves the pain points of traditional weighing, such as low efficiency, poor data coordination and high labor costs, through core technologies like unmanned automatic weighing and multi-device linkage, but also empowers the entire process of port loading and unloading dispatching with data synchronization, providing strong support for enhancing the throughput and operational efficiency of the wharf. For industrial equipment operation and maintenance personnel, the high stability and convenient operation and maintenance features of the system have reduced the difficulty of equipment management in the complex environment of ports. For enterprise procurement, its scene adaptability, multi-system compatibility and significant economic benefits have made it the preferred solution for upgrading port and terminal weighbridge equipment. In the future, as the intelligent upgrade of ports accelerates, unmanned weighing systems will become the core infrastructure for the efficient operation of terminals, promoting the high-quality development of the port logistics industry.
