On-board Truck Weight Sensing System based on Current Loop Transmission

On-board truck weight sensing is essential to monitor truck loads and avoid overloading. Challenges faced in current works include addressing noise generated in the system. Hence, this work aims to develop truck weighing system using the 4–20 mA current loop transmission, with a specific emphasis on developing an effective weighing system for the truck front axle. Firstly, a signal conditioning circuit was developed to amplify and filter noise in the electrical signal obtained from the weight sensor. The electrical signals from the signal conditioning were transmitted to the dashboard for processing using the 4–20 mA current loop transmission method. On the dashboard, the current signals were converted to voltage signals and digitally processed by an Arduino microcontroller to calculate and display the corresponding weight at the LCD display. The 4–20 mA current transmission produces stable readings with less drifts. The weight measurements were successfully implemented for the front axle using human loads producing acceptable error. The findings highlight the advancement in signal conditioning and transmission techniques for addressing challenges in real-world field conditions for on-board truck weight sensing.