Stop messing with the scale! Comprehensive troubleshooting guide for unmanned weighing scales!
When many enterprises encounter minor malfunctions with unmanned weighbridges, such as failed license plate recognition, data not being uploaded, or weight jumps, their first reaction is to call the manufacturer or outsource the repair team.
However, this not only wastes time and effort but also costs several hundred to over a thousand yuan for a single visit, and it also delays production. In fact, most common faults can be independently identified and repaired. This article compiles a complete guide to help you quickly identify problems.
At the same time, it tells you that to reduce faults from the root, you must choose industrial-grade mature equipment - the industry-leading unmanned weighbridge, which is suitable for complex working conditions, comes with self-checking for faults, and has extremely low operation and maintenance costs.
I. Three Major High-frequency Faults and Self-Troubleshooting Steps
1. Abnormal license plate recognition: The barrier gate does not open, and the LED has no display
Phenomenon: When a vehicle arrives at the entrance, the camera fails to capture or makes a mistake in recognition, the barrier gate does not lift, and the LED screen shows no prompt.
Self-check (operate in sequence) :
• Check for physical obstructions: Wipe the surface of the camera lens and the fill light with a soft cloth. There is a lot of dust in mines and sand and gravel plants. If not wiped for a day, it may be blocked.
• Check the recognition area: Ensure that the license plate is in the center of the camera's field of view, free of dirt and tilting. Some old license plates have blurry handwriting. It is suggested that drivers clean them up.
• Restart the recognition terminal: Cut off the power and restart the industrial control computer or the license plate recognition all-in-one machine. Wait for the system self-check to complete (about 1-2 minutes).
• Check the ground induction loop: Observe the ground induction indicator light on the barrier gate control panel. When the vehicle is parked in the sensing area, the light should be on. If it is not on, it may be that the ground induction coil is broken or the processor has crashed. Try to restart the controller after cutting off the power.
If all the above methods are ineffective, you can temporarily switch to QR code or card swiping for entry (the Vitworth unmanned system supports multiple identification methods as backups for each other).
Phenomenon: The instrument indicates that the weighing is complete and the barrier gate has been lifted, but there is no such weight slip on the computer or cloud platform, or it prompts "network failure".
Self-inspection
• Check the network connection: Verify if the network icon at the lower right corner of the industrial control computer is functioning properly. The network in mines and remote factory areas is prone to fluctuations. The WEIGHTWORTH system supports resuming transmission after network disconnection - at this time, the data will be temporarily stored locally and automatically retransmitted once the network is restored, without the need for manual intervention. If it has not been restored for a long time, you can manually export to the local cache.
3. Unstable weight/jumping: The instrument readings fluctuate
Phenomenon: The instrument does not return to zero when the scale is empty, or the number keeps jumping after the vehicle has come to a complete stop.
Self-troubleshooting (This is the most common "false fault", which can be completely resolved independently) :
Step 1: Check the bottom of the scale body. Use a crowbar to clear the crushed stones and coal slime around and at the bottom of the scale body. Often, it is just the stones that press against the scale body, causing the limit switch to fail. The instrument usually returns to stability after cleaning.
Step 2: Check the limit clearance. Observe the gap between the limit bolts around the scale body and the embedded parts, which should be 2 to 3mm (approximately the thickness of a coin). If the gap disappears or gets stuck, adjust it appropriately with a wrench.
Step 3: Check the instrument alarm. The WEIGHTWORTH instrument will directly display abnormal prompts, such as "Abnormal sensor signal", "tilt Angle exceeding limit", "humidity alarm", etc. Lock the problem sensor or junction box according to the prompt.
Step 4: Check the junction box. Turn off the power, open the cover of the junction box, and check if there is any moisture, rust or looseness inside. Dry with a hair dryer on the cold setting (do not use hot air), and then retighten the terminal blocks.
Step 5: Check the internal code of the sensor. Enter "Sensor Diagnosis" through the instrument menu to view the code values within each channel. When the scale is empty, the internal codes should be basically the same (such as 8000±200). If the code inside a certain channel is 0 or full, it indicates that the sensor is damaged or disconnected and needs to be replaced.
• Restart the weighing software:
Close the unattended client software and reopen it. Observe whether the status bar at the lower right corner of the software shows "Service Connected".
• Check the communication lines of the instrument:
Inspect whether the RS232 or RS485 lines between the instrument and the industrial control computer are loose. Unplug and reinsert it tightly, and confirm that the communication parameters of the instrument (baud rate, data bits) are consistent with the software Settings.
• Check the database service:
If a local database is used, check whether the database service is running (such as SQL Server or MySQL service). If it stops, you can start it manually.
Summary of Self-Inspection Process (with Suggested Spare Parts List)
When encountering a malfunction, it is recommended to operate in the following sequence:
1. Look: Does the instrument have any alarm prompts? Does the system have any pop-up Windows?
2. Check: Are the network, power supply and cables normal?
3. Clean: Clear the camera, the crushed stones at the bottom of the scale, and the limit gap.
4. Test: Check the internal code of the sensor to identify abnormal channels.
5. Replacement: If it is confirmed that a component is damaged (such as a sensor or barrier gate control board), replace it with a spare part.
It is recommended that enterprises always keep the following spare parts (low cost and can be replaced by themselves)
•1-2 sensors of the same model (for emergency replacement)
•1 junction box
•1 set of barrier gate control board + remote control
•1 instrument power module
