ECE 401: Signals, Spectra and Signal Processing

Vehicular Weight Analyzer Using NI-myDAQ

Mark Jason D. Magtoto, Jan Joevil A. Razon, Jacob Jewel C. Tabo, Miguel Antonio G. Valdellon
Electronics Engineering Department, Technological Institute of the Philippines
938 Aurora Blvd., Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines

Abstract One of the leading causes of traffic accidents

today is due to overloaded trucks, buses and other vehicles.
Once they have exceeded their maximum capacity, the
vehicle tends to lose control over their own weight causing
traffic accidents. Only a few vehicle weighing stations are
available especially in the Philippines. The project aims to
create a device that would be able to measure vehicular
weights and classify if it is overloaded or not with the use
of Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Engineering
Workbench (LabVIEW) Programming. The proponents
used piezoelectric sensors that would serve as a converter
of mechanical energy to electrical energy. The data
gathered were acquired by the NI MyDAQ and were
interpreted with the use of the LabVIEW Program.
Keywords Weight Distribution, Load sensor,
piezoelectric transducer, LabVIEW, NI-myDAQ, Axle

Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench) is a

software development environment that contains numerous
components, several of which are required for any type of test,
measurement, or control application. It is a system design
platform and development environment for a visual
programming language from National Instruments (NI).
Another feature of the project is that it has an indicator
whether the weighing station is occupied or not through the
use of an LDR which decreases resistance when light level
becomes low.[4]
Using its data acquisition feature, the sensor circuit was
connected to the NI-myDAQ (National Instruments Data
`Acquisition Device) as the input. Every time it produces
charges, the signal is acquired using Ni-myDAQ assistant. It
can be later analyzed via waveform graphs/plots showing
relationships such as resistance and change in voltage
relationships.
II. P ROJECT DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION

I. INTRODUCTION
Car/Vehicular Weight Analyzer is used to perform a
weight distribution analysis to prevent overloading in
automobiles. Overloads can shorten the live of a vehicle and
its components. It can also prevent compliance with weight
laws and federal safety standards that depends in each country.
Weight distribution is the amount of the total vehicle weight
imposed on the ground at an axle, group of axles, or an
individual wheel. It can be determined by the use of a load
sensor or a piezoelectric element etc.[1]
A Load Sensor is defined as a transducer that converts an
input mechanical force into an electrical output signal. Load
Sensors
are
also
commonly
known
as Load
Transducers or Load Cells.[2] In this project, we used the
piezoelectric transducer as a sensor to gather and analyze the
weight distribution of a vehicle in a small scale in a real life
simulation.
Piezoelectric transducers are a type of electroacoustic
transducer that converts the electrical charges produced by
some forms of solid materials into energy. The word
"piezoelectric" literally means electricity caused by pressure.
An early application of piezo transducer technology occurred
during World War I with the use of sonar, which used echoes
to detect the presence of enemy ships.[3]
To process, analyze, and convert the electrical charges
into data, the software LabVIEW was used. It is an effective
tool for plotting and simulation. LabVIEW (which stands for

A. Project Objective
The objective of the project is to build and design a
vehicular weight sensor which will be used to measure a
trucks or any vehicles weight to prevent overloading that can
cause damage or accident. The project also aims to create a
sensor which can be integrated into LabVIEW to make weight
evaluations easier. The project is open for some development
to improve the design and function of the prototype.
B. Project Schematic Diagram
B.1. NI-myDAQ configuration

Figure 1 NI-myDAQ configuration for the Piezoelectric sensor

ECE 401: Signals, Spectra and Signal Processing

B.2. List of Components for the NI-myDAQ configuration of
the Piezoelectric Sensor
COMPONENT

Piezoelectric sensor

NI-myDAQ

FUNCTION
The sensor used to detect the
pressure applied by the load.
It generates a small voltage
when acted upon by an
external force
The data acquisition device
used to obtain analog input
and convert it into digital
output.

C. Project Methodologies
The method used to develop the project is the System
Development Life Cycle (SDLC) which generally includes
planning, implementation and analysis.
1.

Planning
Planning includes researching about the
topic, studying past researches and related literatures
about Vehicular Weight Analyzer.

2.

Implementation
The light sensor circuit was manually
created based on the circuit diagram in Figure 2. It
was mounted into a 0.5x2 inches PCB. Lengthy wires
were used to connect the LEDs to the board so it
would fit in the prototype.
On the other hand, the piezoelectric sensor
was directly connected into the Analog Input Zeroth
Channel (AI0)s positive and negative terminals. This
was done so the voltage output of the piezoelectric
sensor will be directly input to the NI-myDAQ
instrument

3.

Testing and Analysis

The prototype was created as shown in
Figure 3. Several tests were done in order to
determine whether the sensor is working properly or
not.

4.

Troubleshooting
Because different sensors behave differently
from each other, the proponents decided to change
the sensor and select which one gives the best output.

B.3. Light Sensor Circuit

Figure 2 Schematic Diagram for the Light Sensor created

using Fritzing software
B.4. List of Components for Light Sensor Circuit
COMPONENT
9V Battery
100 Resistor

White LED
100k Resistor
LDR
330 Resistor
Red LED
BC547 Transistor

FUNCTION
This serves as the voltage
source for the circuit to work.
Regulates the current flowing
through the white LED to
prevent it from busting.
Supplies light to the LDR so
when this one becomes
blocked, the red LED will
light up.
Regulates the current flowing
through the transistors base.
Allows the red LED to turn
on when light supplied to it
decreases.
Regulates the current flowing
through the red LED to
prevent it from busting.
Indicates whether the scale is
occupied or not.
Directs where the current will
flow depending on which
between the bias resistor and
the LDR has lower resistance.

Figure 3 The Vehicular Weight Analyzer Prototype

ECE 401: Signals, Spectra and Signal Processing

Figure 5 (a) Front Panel and (b) Block diagram of the
LabVIEW program
D. Project Final Layout
The final working prototype is shown in Figure 4. As
observed from the Figure, the red LED lights up when a
vehicle is using the sensor. The output of the piezoelectric
sensor is directly connected to the NI-myDAQ

Figure 4 Red LED will light up if there is still a vehicle that is

being weighed

IV. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The main functionality of the project is to analyze the
weight of a passing vehicle whether it exceeds or meets a
specific weight standard. The weight of the load was acquired
through the use of a piezoelectric sensor which is very
sensitive to pressure and vibration.
When the piezoelectric sensor detects a change in
vibration, it produces a very small amount of voltage which is
then being input to the NI-myDAQ and LabVIEW. The input
voltage will be analyzed inside the LabVIEW program and
converted into its equivalent weight. The voltage produced by
the Piezo sensor was converted using the Piezoelectric
sensors sensitivity specification[5] of 50 mV/g.
A waveform showing how the load changes the
voltage output of the Piezoelectric sensor is shown in the
LabVIEW program. The negative peak of the signal generated
was extracted since voltage in the piezoelectric sensor
becomes negative when a load is applied to it.
Basically, the vehicular weight analyzer simply gets
the weight of each axle (or in each set of wheels) and then
sums it up to get the gross or total weight of the vehicle.[6]

The Front Panel and the Block Diagram of the LabVIEW

program were shown in Figure 5a and 5b.
V. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusion
After creating the vehicular weight analyzer, the
proponents of this project concluded that piezoelectric sensor
is a good component in terms of measuring vibrations or
pressures that could be converted in other forms of energy,
specifically electrical energy. The proponents also concluded
that vehicle weights can be measure and analysed with the
integration of piezoelectric components and LabVIEW
program, through this the students were able to interpret the
data and put specific limits to weight that is being read and
measured by the sensor.

(a)

(b)

Recommendations
The proponents of this project are strongly
recommending the following to help the future researchers
that may have similar or related studies regarding the
vehicular weight analyser:
1. Use a more sensitive sensor since the researchers are
only using a small scale project, the more
reactive/sensitive the sensor, the more accurate the
weight that the researchers would be able to measure.
2. Use voltage halver since NI MyDAQ can only
measure 10V as its maximum voltage, through this
the researchers may be able to weight even heavier
weights.
3. Use a strain gauge sensor to detect measure the
weight of heavier objects.

ECE 401: Signals, Spectra and Signal Processing

VII. REFERENCES
VI. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Immeasurable appreciation and deepest gratitude for
the help and support are extended to the following persons
who in one way or have contributed in making this study
possible:
Engr. Rogelio F. Delgado Jr., faculty adviser, for his support,
guidance, valuable comments, suggestions, and provisions that
benefited the researchers much in the completion and success
of the project.
Engr. Armil S. Monsura, former professor, for his never
ending support and guidance to the proponents of this project
even though he is now part of another institution. His support,
guidance, and suggestions made a big role in the completion
of this project.
Engr. Erwin B. Emejas, Head, Laboratories and Shops
Department, for allowing the researchers to borrow and bring
home the needed materials for the testing and completion of
the project.
Engr. Gerald O. Semifrania, IE Faculty Member, for helping
us through the documentation process.
To EC41FB2, classmates of the researchers, for their support,
provision and care for the proponents.
To our Family, none of this would be even possible without
the financial, emotional and spiritual support of the students
loving family, and
Most especially to God, the creator of everything, for His
guidance from the very start of the creation of this project and
for the strength and knowledge that He gave to the students in
order for them to complete the project.

[1] Richard Toner (September 2011). Vehicle Research:

Calculating Commercial Vehicle Weight Distribution &
Payload Made Easy.
Available from:
http://www.worktruckonline.com/channel/vehicleresearch/article/story/2011/09/calculating-commercialvehicle-weight-distribution-payload-made-easy.aspx
[2] http://www.futek.com/product.aspx?t=sensor
[3] APC International, Ltd. (2014). Whats a Transducer?.
Available from:
https://www.americanpiezo.com/piezo-theory/whats-atransducer.html
[4] Ryan, V. (2002). Light dependent resistors.
Available from:
http://www.technologystudent.com/elec1/ldr1.htm
[5] Gabay, Jon. (December 2012) . Fundamentals of
Piezoelectric Shock and Vibration Sensors.
Available from:
http://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2011/dec/fun
damentals-of-piezoelectric-shock-and-vibration-sensors
[6] http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/civil/questi
on626.htm

ECE 401: Signals, Spectra and Signal Processing

STUDENTS PROFILE

Mark Jason D. Magtoto

4 Year, Electronics Engineering
markjasonm1@yahoo.com
09058463303
th

Jan Joevil A. Razon

4th Year, Electronics Engineering
joevilrazon@gmail.com
09154573791

Jacob Jewel C. Tabo

4th Year, Electronics Engineering
jake.tabo01@gmail.com
09162256909

Miguel Antonio G. Valdellon

4th Year, Electronics Engineering
miguelvaldellon_alesana03@yahoo.com
09366145132