Our work · Case study

Drakes Weighbridge

Drakes Supermarkets moves stock through its distribution warehouses on a constant stream of trucks. The system that recorded those weights was an outdated Laravel application nobody supported any more. Codium rebuilt and redesigned it: a modern application hosted in AWS that talks over a VPN to the on-premise weighbridge server, ingests every docket as a vehicle is weighed in and out, records the gross combination mass and the weight on each axle group, and checks it against the vehicle's profile so an overloaded truck is flagged before it leaves the yard.

Cloud applicationAWSLogisticsWeighbridge integrationLegacy rebuild
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Weighbridge docket list on the operator's monitor with a truck on the weighbridge outside
  • ClientDrakes Supermarkets
  • IndustryRetail distribution and logistics
  • The workRebuild and redesign of an unsupported Laravel weighbridge system, with docket ingestion from on-premise weighbridge software, axle group checks against vehicle profiles and overload flagging.
  • HostingAWS, under Codium's managed hosting, with a site-to-site VPN to the on-premise weighbridge server.
The brief

An unsupported system rebuilt, without touching the weighbridge

The existing application was on a Laravel version that was no longer supported, but the weighbridge itself, a Windows system in the yard that writes each docket to a file served over IIS, was not going anywhere. We rebuilt the application from the ground up in AWS, under our managed hosting, and kept the ingestion contract: the new system reaches the on-premise server over a VPN, reads the files and imports each docket automatically: docket number, date and time, vehicle ID, carrier code, company, gross combination mass and the weight on the steer, drive, single trailer and B-double trailer axle groups. Each reading is compared with the limits in that vehicle's profile, and any docket over a limit is highlighted and flagged on the exact weight that breached it, so the team sees the problem the moment it arrives.

01

Automatic docket import

Dockets are read from the on-premise weighbridge software over IIS, across a VPN from AWS, and imported with the last import time shown on screen, so nothing is re-keyed from the display. See our hardware integration work.

02

Axle group weights

GCM plus steer, drive, single trailer and B-double trailer weights recorded on every docket, in and out.

03

Vehicle profiles

Each vehicle ID carries its carrier code, company and the allowed GCM and axle group limits that every docket is checked against.

04

Overload flagging

Dockets over a limit are highlighted in the list with a warning on each breached weight, ready for follow-up with the carrier.

05

Public display view

A stripped-back view of the live docket list for a screen in the weighbridge office, with no admin controls.

06

Roles, permissions and export

Admin and standard users with read and write permissions per area, two-factor login, email templates, filtering and export for reporting and disputes.

Weighbridge docket list on the operator's monitor in the weighbridge hut with a truck on the bridge outside
Legacy rebuild

An unsupported system replaced, with nothing changed at the bridge

The original application ran on a Laravel version that was no longer supported, so every change carried risk. We rebuilt it on a current stack and redesigned the screens operators use all day. The weighbridge software, an on-premise Windows system that publishes each docket as a file over IIS, was left as it was: the rebuilt application runs in AWS under our managed hosting and reads from the same place over a site-to-site VPN.

  • Unsupported codebase replaced with a current, patchable application
  • AWS to on-premise over VPN, with the weighbridge software untouched, as in our hardware integration work
  • Operator screens redesigned around the docket list
Overloads caught in the yard

Overloaded trucks flagged before they leave, not after a fine

An overweight axle group used to be found out about later, if at all. Now every docket is checked against the vehicle's allowed weights as it is imported, and any breach is highlighted on the exact figure. A public view of the live list runs on a screen in the weighbridge office, so the team sees a flagged truck while it is still on site.

  • Every reading checked automatically against the vehicle's limits
  • Breaches shown on the specific axle group or GCM figure
  • Live wall display for the office, with no admin controls
  • Filter and export for disputes and carrier conversations
Live weighbridge docket list with flagged overloads on a wall screen in the transport office
Vehicle profiles with weight limits on a transport coordinator's monitor with trucks at the docks outside
Profiles the team owns

Limits set once per vehicle, applied every time it crosses

The same truck has to be held to the same limits on every visit, and the distribution team needs to manage that without calling a developer. Each vehicle ID now carries its carrier, company and allowed weights in a profile the team maintains themselves, and dockets are matched to it automatically on import.

  • One profile per vehicle ID, matched automatically
  • Limits maintained by the distribution team, not developers
  • Admin and standard roles with per-area permissions
  • Two-factor login and email templates
Technology stack

How it's built

The rebuilt system is a current Laravel application running in AWS under Codium's managed DevOps hosting. It connects over a site-to-site VPN to the on-premise Windows weighbridge server and reads the docket files it serves over IIS, stores every movement against its vehicle profile and serves an admin application, a public display view for the weighbridge office, user management with roles and permissions, two-factor authentication and email templates. Replacing the unsupported version put the system back on a supported, patchable footing without changing anything at the bridge.

Single page application

Built in Vue.js as a single page application, for a fast experience without page reloads and the flexibility to evolve as the system grows.

API-focused backend

The backend is built in Laravel and MySQL with an API-first interface, so the web and mobile apps share the same endpoints.

Continuous integration

Automated testing and deployment let us test new builds and update production quickly, so we can release as often as required.

Managed hosting

Amazon's Elastic Container Service runs each service in its own container within a cluster that scales up and down as needed.

Managed hosting

Still writing weighbridge readings on a clipboard?

Importing the docket once, at the bridge, checking it against the vehicle's limits and putting it in front of the whole warehouse is not a big build. Tell us how your yard runs.

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