When your site needs a fast, adaptable, and certified heavy-vehicle weighing solution, steel weighbridges are hard to beat. Built with reinforced modular frames and designed for surface or pit installation, they balance strength with flexibility. Unlike concrete installations, steel weighbridges can be installed quickly, disassembled if needed, and relocated with minimal site disruption.

Our AWS106-s and AWS109 steel weighbridges are engineered for Australian industries where space, timing, and mobility matter. Below, we break down the key features, model types, installation options, and real-world use cases that make steel a practical choice.

Modular Steel Weighbridges: What Makes Them Different

Steel weighbridges are typically made from galvanized or epoxy-coated U-beams, fitted with load cell mounts and covered with 10mm steel floor plates. Unlike their concrete counterparts, these decks aren’t poured onsite. They’re built in modular sections that can be trucked in, positioned with a crane, and joined onsite.

This makes them ideal for sites with time constraints or space limitations. If you need a scale installed in days, not weeks, the modularity of steel systems gives you that option. It also means you can extend or reconfigure the setup later.

Our steel models are engineered to the AS/NZS 5100:2017 standard and certified under NMI approval 6/10B/69, ensuring legal-for-trade accuracy.

AWS106-s and AWS109: What’s the Difference?

Both models are designed for heavy-duty vehicle weighing, but each serves a different layout and traffic condition.

• AWS106-s is a single-deck surface-mounted weighbridge. It’s typically used in sites where a simple entry and exit flow is required. The structure is installed with 400mm clearance above ground and includes ramps around 5 meters long at both ends.
• AWS109 is a twin-platform pit weighbridge. It’s recessed into the ground to allow flush-surface weighing. This model suits facilities where trucks need to drive through without elevation change or where space doesn’t allow for ramp construction.

Both support end-to-end weighing, axle group weight capture, and integration with our EZYWeigh Software.

Key Design Features You Should Know

Not all steel weighbridges are created equal. Our AWS-series models include structural enhancements that improve load capacity and service life:

• 10mm thick steel deck plates for wear resistance under high traffic
• Extra gusset supports at all load-bearing junctions
• Heavy-duty load cell bulkhead mounts engineered to limit deformation
• Guide rails included as standard for surface setups
• Corrosion-resistant coatings: galvanizing or two-part epoxy paint

These features help prevent the early fatigue or cracking you might find in lighter-duty imports or generic off-the-shelf kits.

Installation: Pit vs. Surface

Steel gives you multiple installation pathways depending on your site conditions:

Surface-Mounted Install

The most common setup. The deck sits 400mm above the surrounding road surface. Vehicles drive up and down on concrete or steel ramps. Quick to install, this setup is ideal for flat sites with no underground utilities to interfere with.

Semi-Inground

A shallow pit is dug to recess part of the frame. This reduces the ramp height or eliminates the need for guide rails. It also improves cleaning access and is often used in dusty or muddy operations like agriculture weighing sites.

Full Pit Installation (AWS109)

The structure is lowered into a formed pit, leaving the top of the deck level with the ground. Ideal for tight spaces or sites that require a seamless transition from surrounding roads. This setup simplifies vehicle flow, especially when integrated with traffic control systems like boom gates and LED indicators.

Where Steel Makes More Sense Than Concrete

Concrete offers long-term durability, but steel wins in specific conditions:

Site Factor	Steel Advantage
Short project timeline	Install in under 5 days
Temporary or leased land	Can be removed and relocated
Limited civil work budget	Minimal foundation needed
Need for portability	Modular, crane-liftable units
Seasonal or event-based use	Easy to decommission

We regularly supply AWS steel bridges to regional transport hubs, seasonal crop depots, and construction staging zones where project durations are uncertain.

Compliance and Certification

All Weigh-More steel weighbridges are certified under National Measurement Institute (NMI) regulations, ensuring trade-legal performance. Our technicians are licensed under NMI License No: SL_0375, and we provide full load cell calibration and digital indicator setup during commissioning.

Each bridge is compatible with the iBridge Intelligent Indicator and can be paired with automated kiosks, license plate recognition cameras, and touchscreen ticketing terminals to reduce manual intervention.

Applications of Steel Weighbridges

1. Freight & Logistics Centers

Steel bridges allow quick deployment at cross-dock terminals or regional distribution nodes. They’re fast to install and easier to relocate if facility layouts change.

2. Rural Transport Yards

In farming zones or regional waste stations, steel bridges can be dropped in with minimal ground prep. Surface-mounted units are well suited to gravel roads and mixed traffic.

3. Recycling Facilities

Steel decks handle constant wet/dry cycles and dirty environments. They’re easier to clean than concrete, especially when fitted with modular access panels.

4. Industrial Projects with Temporary Demand

Infrastructure projects, pop-up processing plants, or temporary load-out sites benefit from the portability of steel units.

Steel vs. Portable Weighbridges: Not the Same Thing

It’s worth clarifying that steel weighbridges, while modular, are not the same as portable weighbridge kits.

• Steel weighbridges are bolted to the ground and use standard weighbridge load cells
• Portable systems use axle pads or mobile decks, often with wireless measurement
• Steel bridges are certified for trade and built to M1600 rating
• Portable kits are best for short-term or low-volume use

If your use case involves certified weights, compliance reporting, or axle group calculations, a full steel weighbridge is the right fit.

Should You Go with Steel?

Choose a steel weighbridge if you need:

• Fast installation
• Trade-approved weighing
• Mid-to-long-term site stability
• Expansion potential through modular designs
• Future relocation options

Weigh-More Solutions has installed AWS106-s and AWS109 systems across NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, and overseas, supporting operations that need more than just a temporary scale.

If you’re looking for the flexibility of steel with the backing of certified engineering and national support, visit our Steel Weighbridges page or contact us for a site assessment.