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EnglishWhat Are VPG Vulcan Scales and What Do They Offer for Commercial Vehicle Weighing?
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VPG Vulcan scales are onboard weighing systems for commercial vehicles — not platform truck scales. They measure the load carried by a truck using strain gage load cells and instrumentation that VPG designs, manufactures, and supports itself, so a fleet can load to the maximum legal weight without waiting in scale lines. They are relevant if you run trucks in general trucking, waste, aggregate, or timber, or if you need weighing in aerospace and industrial settings, and if you want a single-source system rather than a mix of third-party components.
What "onboard" means here
An onboard scale is installed on the vehicle and weighs the load as it is being carried, rather than requiring the truck to drive onto a fixed platform scale. VPG's page describes the system as a complete, single-source solution: the strain gage, load cell, EDOC coating, and instrumentation are all designed, manufactured, and supported by VPG. That matters because accuracy and reliability depend on how those parts work together, not just on the load cell alone.
The company positions these systems as "ultra-high accuracy" and "superior reliability," and states they have been proven in tens of thousands of trucks across trucking industries.
What the systems are built to do
The core promise is payload control. According to VPG, onboard scales let you:
- Load to the maximum legal limit every time — maximizing payload potential and avoiding overweight fines.
- Cut loading and readjustment time — with an accurate load weight you can skip waiting in scale lines and avoid having to redistribute a load.
- Reduce maintenance costs and extend vehicle life — properly loaded vehicles put less wear on brakes, tires, suspensions, and related equipment.
- Increase safety and reduce liability — keeping weights within legal limits can improve vehicle stability and reduce exposure in the event of an accident.
These are the practical reasons a fleet would choose onboard weighing over relying on public scales or guesswork.
Suspension compatibility
VPG states its solutions support air, spring, and mixed suspensions. The practical effect is that fleets can mix and match tractors and trailers as needed without adjustment. If your fleet runs a mix of suspension types, that flexibility is a selection criterion worth checking against your specific tractor-trailer combinations.
Where they are used
VPG lists the following applications:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Trucking industries | General trucking, waste, aggregate, timber, delivery |
| Other sectors | Aerospace, marine, medical equipment, heavy machinery, process control |
The company says its solutions are used in 30+ countries and that it has been innovating in integrated weighing for over 40 years, with systems designed and assembled in the US since 1984.
What to check before choosing
Because VPG does not publish pricing or detailed model specifications on the page referenced here, treat the following as questions to resolve directly with the manufacturer or a distributor:
- Which system fits your vehicle and suspension type — confirm air, spring, or mixed suspension support for your exact tractors and trailers.
- Accuracy and capacity requirements — match the system to the weight range and precision your operation needs.
- Installation and support — VPG states every part is designed, manufactured, and supported by VPG, so ask what installation and service look like in your region.
- Integration with your fleet — if you need weight data in dispatch or compliance systems, confirm how instrumentation outputs data.
If your goal is simply to avoid overweight fines and load faster, an onboard system addresses that directly. If you need a fixed platform scale for a site, that is a different product category — VPG Vulcan scales are the onboard type.