On-board weighing standardised

CAN in Automation (CiA) has released the first version of the CANopen profile for on-board weighing devices. The standardized interface allows an easy integration into CANopen-based body builder networks. They are installed in commercial trucks (e.g. refuse collecting vehicles), mobile construction machines (e.g. excavators), agriculture and forestry vehicles as well as special-purpose off-road vehicles (e.g. for airports). Typical applications include bulk haulage, waste management, quarries, and logging.

Refuse Collection Truck

The CiA 459 profile specification consists of three parts.
Part 1 contains the general description and provides a functional overview.
Part 2 specifies the communication parameters and
Part 3 standardises the application parameters.

An on-board weighing devices compliant to this specification collects sensors values from load cells, pre-processes them, and provides the monitored weighing data at the CANopen interface for further evaluation, recording and for overload protection systems. Such a device can monitor the load, can measure the axles’ weight, and can transact the weighing (including legal for trade measurements) values.

The nonprofit CiA users’ and manufacturers’ group develops and maintains the CANopen application layer and profiles since 18 years. CANopen is used in many industries including mobile working machines and other application fields, in which on-board weighing is necessary. The CiA 459 profile specifies a communication interface with standardized communication (e.g. MPDO) and application parameters (e.g. device command).

The next step of CiA is to standardise also the interfaces for load-cells, in order to link these sensors by a sub-layered deeply embedded CANopen network. This allows the integration of third-party sensors.