RLWS Portable Scales and Customized Weighing Systems

Central Carolina Scale sells and services Rice Lake Industrial Truck Scale Platforms in the Central Carolina Scale Electronic Catalog

Rice Lake CLS Cargo Lift Case Study

Lifting Profits

In early August of 2006, Rice Lake Weighing Systems did a beta launch of the Rice Lake CLS Cargo Lift Scale. Ideally, RLWS was looking for an experienced hard wired lift truck scale user who could really take advantage of the innate and onboard wireless design of the CLS.

They found just such a user in DC Co. DC company provides products ranging from toothpicks to walk-in freezers to food service operators nationwide. DC company's busy environment and fully stocked 24-foot high pallet rack operation would be the perfect testing grounds for the CLS.

DC Co. continues to expand nationally. Already with walk-in locations in both Michigan and Ohio expected to open later this year, DC will add 130,000 square feet to its more than 170,000 square foot stocked warehouse footprint. With a thriving business, DC realized the need to combine its growth with efficient operations. The CLS would help with that.

No Strings Attached

Utilizing a forklift throughout the day in a bustling warehouse can cause problems. That hasn’t been the case for the CLS. The Zigbee™ wireless scale-to-indicator system provides complete freedom from cable interference with the lift truck mast. Robust components and rugged design elements deliver longer scale life and accuracy – an important aspect when a broken forklift can bring action in a warehouse to a standstill.

The CLS is electronically supported by two 5,000 pound stainless steel load cells and mechanical overload protection. Load cells can be replaced without removing the scale carriage from the forklift. The centering pin is welded directly to the scale instead of using mounting bolts, which can shear when the fork tines are used to reposition cargo. This design ensures proper alignment, preventing the scale from sliding laterally.

Continuing with the tough construction of the CLS, the two-channel digital iQUBE® junction box is housed in a protective enclosure. The iQUBE can deliver proactive e-mail alerts of potential scale errors and warn the lift truck operator on the interactive display. A reinforced cover plate shields the cavity between the carriage plates to help protect the load cells and junction box from debris and damage. The Smart battery is conveniently located for quick change-out on the wireless scale system. The CLS carriage design can be installed on Class II cleat-style forklifts, and removing the scale will not disable the forklift. Keeping a forklift in action means more productivity and a more efficient operation.

DC Co. weighs every pallet prior to shipment. Thats approximately 220 pallets per day, and two shifts operating 12-hour days. Payback has been calculated on the Rice Lake CLS Wireless Cargo Lift Scale to be about 45 days.”

Efficient Operation

Much efficiency in the warehouse has to do with movement, or lack of movement.

DC Co. used to have a stationary floor scale located near the dock. The DC Co. calculated that to take the load to the scale resulted in approximately 2,000 feet of unnecessary travel in one direction.

To augment the purchase of the Rice Lake forklift scale, DC also recently purchased two CubiScan® 100 manually operated cubing weighing systems.

The CubiScan 100 is the most popular and versatile dimension scanning system offered by Central Carolina Scale. It facilitates storage location planning, order picking, re-pack and shipment planning. With a mobility pack (which includes a battery and charger), the 100 becomes a completely portable workstation, allowing it to go to the freight rather than bringing freight to it.

The CubiScan 100 is a legal-for-trade certified device that allows shippers and carriers to manifest freight based on volume and weight, always applying the correct and optimal shipping charges.

The majority of DC Co's shipments weigh less than 500 pounds. Problems have also existed in the past with odd shaped items like chairs and stools (large containers but relatively light weights) on LTL shipments. Now, with the CubiScan 100, any issues can be resolved.

DC believes that the introduction of the Rice Lake CLS Cargo Lift Scale and its flawless operation has reduced its production time 60 percent.

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