Owners of all heavy goods vehicles that are used within the European Union, must comply with rules that surround their weight, height, width, and length. The new legislation is aimed at making roads safer, improving efficiency and making road transport greener.
Currently, these vehicles have to regularly spend time being weighed at a weighbridge, which is time-consuming and disruptive, yet it is a legal requirement. However, there is now a simple and easy solution that allows truck manufacturers and business owners to accurately weigh their vehicle, quickly with minimal disruption and in real time.

The solution is Datum Electronics bolt-on sensors, which offer a simple fix that can help to maximise profits, minimise overload and reduce damage, as well as many safety benefits. Datum offers a design service to implement the addition of strain sensors to a particular vehicle type, to ensure that operators can run a tighter schedule, knowing that their vehicles meet all weight restrictions and regulations, at all times.
Where bolt-on sensors they be used?
Datum’s bolt-on strain gauge sensors are versatile and cost-effective, which is a great benefit for heavy vehicle manufacturers. Usually mounted on each group of a vehicle’s; bridge or an axle, these strain gauge bolt-on sensors make it possible for data to be accurately and continuously monitored, so that weights and load bearing vehicles are correctly implemented and used. Heavy vehicles such as forklift trucks (which transport packages of varying weights), articulated, dump trucks and agricultural trailers already benefit from having the ability to gain real-time weight measurements. For heavy vehicle manufacturers, the new legislation highlights the importance of incorporating bolt-on sensors into the design and manufacturing process. They also create potential benefits from minimum production and tooling processes, which result in increased efficiency and reduced costs.
The benefits of weighing bolt-on sensors
The bolt-on sensors offer complete flexibility for both manufacturers and vehicle owners. They can be installed quickly, easily and efficiently and because they are bolted on, they can actually be removed and replaced very easily. They are cost-effective because of their ability to provide on-demand and accurate data that removes the need for drivers to take the vehicle to a weighbridge. The on-board weighing system measures loads directly from the vehicle or equipment, which means that operators can reduce their downtime and remove the need to travel and stop at a weighbridge.

- Simple installation on the line
- Continuous, simple real-time data
- Reduced haulage costs
- Lower maintenance costs
- Reduced wear and tear due to optimum weigh load
- Improved productivity
- Improved operational performance
Why should you choose us?
Our bolt-on strain gauge sensors can be relied on and that counts for a lot in the transport industry, where time is money and margins can be tight. As they are simple to use and install, they will instantly become a tool that benefits your business by increasing productivity and profits.
Backed by our experience of designing and producing heavy vehicles sensors for over 25 years, we design using cutting-edge components, ensuring that our bolt-on sensors are designed to be reliable, temperature compensated (optional) and easily installed in any environment. Working in partnership with established truck manufacturers, Datum Electronics is able to offer flexible terms that are associated with prototyping, that helps to reduce the costs of development from the initial stage onto full production supply in high volumes for OEMs.
See this article featured in the July issue of Transport News here.