In 2022, ➚LufthansaTechnik AG built a new waste collection center on the grounds of ➚HamburgAirport. The aim of the project was to make material flows in aviation maintenance more efficient, safer and sustainable. The integration of an underfloor vehicle scale of the type ➚ESSMANN HE-SFK 20 – developed by us and installed by the construction company➚Groth.

Why a truck scale in airport operations?

Aviation maintenance is characterized by high material throughput and strict requirements for traceability, safety and process speed. Every day, around 20 trucks drive to the new residual material collection center – they deliver spare parts, consumables or pick up repaired components and recycling goods. Vehicle-based weight recording is not a nice-to-have here, but an elementary component of a resilient infrastructure:

• Weighing is required by law, particularly for the disposal of hazardous substances or used materials.
• In terms of processes, it is necessary for accurate goods and balance sheet posting, e.g. for delivered engine parts or aircraft-relevant components.
• Operationally, it supports the control of logistics: weight data serves as a control and release criterion at barriers, gates and ERP interfaces.

By installing the scales directly at the truck entrance to the new hall, Lufthansa Technik can weigh all incoming and outgoing goods in real time in compliance with calibration law.

Technical solution: HE-SFK 20 truck scales with weighing software

The installed scale is a ➚HE-SFK 20 underfloor truck scale with concrete bridge. An underfloor scale is installed at ground level without access ramps – a decisive advantage in the limited space available at an airport. The design is frost and de-icing salt resistant, can withstand high loads and can be driven over both transversely and longitudinally, making it ideal for continuous operation in heavy-duty traffic.

The digital centerpiece is the weighing software ➚EWPsmart is used. It was specially developed for use in an industrial environment and supports Lufthansa Technik with, among other things:

• Intuitive user interface, also for changing personnel or self-service by truck drivers
• Real-time interfaces to ERP, logistics and time window management systems are possible
• Control of barriers, traffic lights and printers can be optionally extended
• Complete, calibration-compliant documentation of all weighings

With this combination of robust technology and intelligent software, Lufthansa Technik has realized a scalable, future-proof solution that transforms weighing with electromechanical scales into a digital process flow.

Integration into building logistics

The residue collection center (RSZ) was designed as a central delivery and output point. It supports internal areas such as material storage, workshops and testing facilities. The weighbridge is seamlessly integrated into the traffic and IT process:

• Before entering the building, the vehicle is identified, weighed and registered.
• Loading, unloading, storage or quality control of the freight takes place in the building.
• On departure, the weight is recorded again – for comparison, for documentation or for crediting in ERP systems.

This means that the scales are not just a control unit, but an integral part of the digitalized supply chain on the factory premises. It helps to minimize downtime, create transparency and fulfil legal obligations.

Special challenges at the airport site

The project was realized under difficult conditions:

• The construction work had to be carried out during ongoing airport operations.
• Strict safety requirements and time restrictions applied.
• The construction site logistics required precise coordination of all trades.

Thanks to the close cooperation between ESSMANN, Groth and Lufthansa Technik Objekt- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft, the underfloor scales were nevertheless put into operation on time and on budget.

More efficiency through integrated weighing technology

With the installation of the HE-SFK 20 truck scale, an ESSMANN scale is once again an important building block for digitalization and increased efficiency in aviation maintenance. The solution combines robust technology with intelligent software and is tailored to the demanding requirements of an airport site.

It not only provides exact weight data, but also creates the basis for fast, safe and traceable logistics processes – from delivery to disposal. It therefore makes an invisible but decisive contribution to reliability in aviation technology.

Are you planning a similar project or do you have questions about implementation?
Our team of experienced scale construction experts will be happy to provide you with a personal consultation.

Photo Lufthansa: Hamburg Airport/Oliver Sorg, Photos construction site: ESSMANN Team