The Tramanco name has been synonymous with accurate weighing systems in Australia for 50 years. This enduring legacy began as a one-man operation founded by Roger Sack in Queensland in 1975.
Roger and his wife, Judith, wasted no time in making an impact with innovative equipment. They started manufacturing and modifying truck engineering components together – completing wheelbase alterations, building lazy axles and making twin-steer, tandem and tri-axle setups before pivoting to On-Board Mass (OBM) systems just three years later.
Tramanco spent the next few years developing and perfecting its own OBM technology before reaching a watershed moment in 1981 with the release of its flagship product, the CHEK-WAY Eliminator. This unique OBM system was soon complemented with Tramanco’s own line of weighbridges, known as WAY-BRIDGES. These products all use the SMART-AMP which, being a software-based system, allows Tramanco to activate the correct software programme accordingly. This has made the multifunctional CHEK-WAY product a simple yet complete replacement OBM system for fully imported truck and trailer weighing systems since 1984.
Roger says these products, combined with an extensive list of certifications, have transformed Tramanco into a one-stop shop for customers and all of their weighing, data monitoring and recording needs.
“Tramanco is now a certified approved service provider for Telematics Monitoring Application and Road Infrastructure Monitoring within Transport Certification Australia (TCA),” he says. “We offer a fully comprehensive experience as one manufacturer while still interfacing our proven plug-and-play products with many other ASPs as well. Our products only have a responsibility to owners, enabling their operations to automatically meet both OH&S standards, Chain of Responsibility (CoR) requirements and many other legislative requirements.”
The CHEK-WAY Eliminator system collects mass and other system information from air or hydraulic pressure transducers connected to either air bag suspensions, hydraulic suspensions or load cells which are mounted on the vehicle. This information is then sent to the system’s LCD metre which displays the various weight and system diagnostics. These statistics include the net or gross weight of each individual group of axles as well as the total weight of all axle groups.
The CHEK-WAY ELIMINATOR has been updated over time to include the industry’s latest innovations and to comply with various standards. For example, the product is built using cables that comply with the Australian Dangerous Goods Code as well as Australian Standards 2809.0-2008 for road tank vehicles.
The latest version of the CHEK-WAY Eliminator is known as a Smart OBM due to the inclusion of enhanced technological capabilities in its hardware which combine the measurements of various payloads and vehicle weight statistics. These capabilities make the product a simple and effective tool.
“Simplicity is the hallmark of our CHEK-WAY Eliminator system,” Roger explains. “It has been designed for commercial use with Tramanco’s own Wi-Fi communications link or commercial grade Bluetooth communications via our Phone-WAY software. This software has a confirmed range of at least 90 metres, whether it be hand-held, in a fixed position, on a silo or at a weighbridge.”
In addition to Phone-WAY, Tramanco develops other in-house software that are integral to the running of its OBMs.
“Our systems have never been hardware based, as updates only involve a plug-and-play software update,” Roger explains. “Tramanco also writes its own software which enables existing systems to be removed and re-installed by simply updating the software at the same time. This also allows different OBM systems to track important diagnostics.
“As a result, we have some systems which are well over 15-years-old and on their third or fourth truck or trailer. This is an exceptional return on investment.”
Tramanco’s main software, INS-COM, automatically records OBM data from the CHEK-WAY Eliminator. This allows operators to keep close track of suspension weights and tyre/suspension wear rate diagnostics without having to invest in a separate software from another manufacturer.
Meanwhile, Tramanco’s Trak-N-WAY software checks the calibration, tampering and health of any CHEK-WAY Eliminator system every 30 seconds to ensure any malfunctions are reported in real time, rather than after an accident or component failure has occurred.
“Our INS-COM software allows any operator to keep their units in working order by constantly recording weight and diagnostics,” Roger says. “This keeps their vehicles safer and more compliant as a result.
“Another one of INS-COM’s automatic functions is the ability to prove weight and speed for first mile to last mile access, with a simple load and speed test over any culvert, bridge or any other type of infrastructure. This saves our customers time and money.”
Tramanco’s product line now houses TCA-certified Type B Smart OBM and Smart-R AMP systems, the latter of which retains all weighing functions for both new and existing Tramanco customers.
AUTO-CAL and AUTO-ID are just two examples of the SMART-R AMP features which work to automatically recognise any OBM’s scales when a new vehicle or trailer is connected. This easy and automatic calibration recognition feature saves operators the time in not having to calibrate the scales themselves, and in turn, allows them to use the CHEK-WAY Eliminator system on a variety of combinations at any time.
Meanwhile, Tramanco’s security and quality assurance policies have also become more advanced with the implementation of modern technologies. They now allow operators to track the weight and health of their transport units with more ease than ever.
“Our technology enables consistent productivity and profitability through diligent weight checking, safe practices, compliance with OH&S, CoR and duty of care,” Roger says. “Compliance and maintenance are not luxuries. They are necessities, and the key responsibilities of every operator.”
