{"id":472,"date":"2018-10-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-10-04T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/weigh-in-motion-technology\/472\/"},"modified":"2020-01-10T10:20:18","modified_gmt":"2020-01-10T10:20:18","slug":"weigh-in-motion-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/weigh-in-motion-technology\/472\/","title":{"rendered":"The need for weigh-in-motion technology"},"content":{"rendered":"

The increase in freight traffic and the free movement of goods across European borders is creating significant impacts on the infrastructure, environment and resources (petroleum), in conflict with EU aims to encourage more sustainable modes of transport.<\/h2>\n

Q-Free<\/a> is a leading global supplier of tolling, parking and info-mobility solutions. This includes the supply and installation of cost-effective high speed and low speed weigh-in-motion (WIM) systems to over 50 countries throughout the world. Applications include asset management\/protection (highways and bridges), bridge specific load monitoring and vehicle weight enforcement systems. Each of these can be combined with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology.<\/p>\n

The life expectancy of the asset \u2013 namely roads and bridges \u2013 can be severely impacted by illegally loaded vehicles, whether that be in total vehicle weight or by poorly distributed loads that impact on individual axles. Overloaded trucks pose serious threats to road transport operations, with increased risks for road users, deterioration of road safety, severe impacts on the durability of infrastructure (pavements and bridges) and are considered an environmental hazard.<\/p>\n

In addition, economic issues are a factor with overloading leading to large distortions in freight transport competition, between transport modes (e.g. rail, waterborne and road), and between road transport companies and operators. In France, it was estimated that a 5-axle articulated truck, operating at 20% overload all year round, generated an additional \u20ac25 000 benefit per year.<\/p>\n

Q-Free weigh-in-motion solution<\/h3>\n

Q-Free weigh-in-motion systems and traffic counters\/classifiers are operational in over 50 different countries worldwide including the UK and Europe, North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, China, South East Asia and Australia.<\/p>\n

We provide customised solutions to meet the exact needs of the end user. This is achieved by combining field proven hardware with modern design techniques along with windows based software to provide its customers with user-friendly and reliable systems.<\/p>\n

Detection technologies<\/h3>\n

Q-Free designs and manufactures its range of high speed weigh-in-motion solutions, ranging from the compact HI-TRAC\u00ae UTC-WIM capable of double lane detection to the rack mounted Hi-TRAC\u00ae TMU4 capable of monitoring up to eight lanes. Each of these has a long standing and excellent track record in installations worldwide.<\/p>\n

Principles of operation<\/h3>\n

High speed weigh-in-motion (HSWIM) systems are installed in the main highway and weigh vehicles at typical free flow highway speeds (20-120 km\/h). However, they will detect, count and classify vehicles from 5-200 km\/h. The HSWIM system uses unobtrusive but easily installed piezo electric or linear quartz sensors as the weighing medium.<\/p>\n

HSWIM operates on a dynamic basis such that the impact (or downward force) from a passing load (axle) generates an electrical signal measured by the road-installed sensors. The signal output from the sensors is monitored by the HSWIM traffic monitoring unit (TMU) and this, together with developed sophisticated algorithms, is used to calculate the axle weights and resulting gross weight of each vehicle commensurate with other factors including but not limited to vehicle speed, classification and inter-axle separation as the vehicles pass over the array.<\/p>\n

In-road equipment options<\/h3>\n