Kistler is the first WIM (Weigh In Motion) manufacturer to receive a certificate from the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) for vehicle weighing with strip sensors at speeds from 3 to 65 km/h. As OIML R-134 is the international metrology standard for legal weighing applications, the certificate paves the way for the use of Kistler WIM systems in applications such as weight-based toll collection and automatic weight enforcement.
Road concessionaries and toll road and bridge operators can upgrade existing manual toll collection solutions to free-flow automatic toll collection, allowing vehicles to pass their toll collection sites without stopping. Other applications include weighing at ports, logistics terminals, recycling centres and industrial or mining facilities.
Weigh In Motion system
Governments in several countries are pushing ahead with automatic weight enforcement applications to minimise highway damage and the accident risk associated with overloaded vehicles. OIML certification provides a sound basis for creating the necessary legal framework for these applications. Kistler’s OIML-certified, maintenance-free WIM systems are based on extremely durable quartz crystal sensors and can be integrated into any manual or automated weighing system.
Need for Legal Weighing Applications
For many years now, WIM systems have served as ‘preselection tools’ for weight enforcement and have delivered valuable traffic data. However, traditional WIM systems are not allowed to be used for legal weighing applications such as weight-based toll collection and automatic weight enforcement. As more and more road concessionaries and toll road operators wish to perform financial transactions (tolling) and governments push to implement automatic enforcement applications based on vehicle weight data, there has been an increasing demand for certified WIM systems, accredited according to international standards. Kistler is the first WIM manufacturer to have received the OIML R-134 certificate for vehicle weighing with strip sensors from 3 to 65 km/h. This certificate states that Kistler WIM systems based on maintenance-free Lineas® quartz WIM sensors and the Kistler WIM Data Logger can be used for legal weighing applications.
Weight-Based Toll Collection
Most concessionaries or toll road operators collecting weight-based toll fees operate manual toll collection systems. They typically use scales (vehicle or axle scales) which besides requiring a complex installation and frequent maintenance, are limited to low speed operation (typically 10 km/h). Kistler’s WIM system is not only able to precisely measure axle loads and vehicle weights from low to high speed, it is now also certified for legal applications from low to medium speed (3 to 65 km/h) with accuracy class 5 and class 10. This enables the automatic collection of weight-based toll fees without stopping vehicles at the booth. Operators and concessionaries can simply upgrade their manual toll collection system to Electronic Toll Collection (ETC), allowing vehicles to pass their toll collection sites without delay.
Automatic Weight Enforcement and Other Applications
Automatic weight enforcement aims to detect and pursue overloaded vehicles automatically by using a WIM system combined with a license plate recognition system. This requires a legal framework and the use of a certified WIM system. Obtaining an official certification for legal weighing applications can be a lengthy and costly process. Kistler’s OIML-certified WIM systems can help to accelerate the approval process. Other possible applications include not only toll collection and weight enforcement, but also for example weighing at ports, logistics terminals, and industrial or mining facilities. Thanks to the use of extremely durable quartz crystal sensors, Kistler’s WIM systems are maintenance-free, durable under any weather conditions and can be integrated into any overall solution both for low and high driving speeds.