JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD - The 62nd Aerial Port Squadron recently installed a new state-of-the-art weigh-in-motion system, which can record a vehicle's length, width, height, weight, number of axles and center of balance in a matter of seconds without the vehicle having to stop.

The 62nd APS received the WIMS to help expedite the time it takes to collect important data from a vehicle.

"This is a new system for us here at the port," said Tech. Sgt. Eric Hinton, 62nd APS air transportation technician. "It has some flaws as all new systems do, but it saves us a lot of time getting the numbers we need to do our job."

The system, which consists of two laser-enabled reading posts and a digital floor-pad sensor, takes real-time and accurate measurements required for unit's automated load-planning systems.

After all pieces have been processed, WIMS will output the data in a format that fielded logistics information technology systems can readily accept, thereby reducing measurement inaccuracies that occur from manually recording and entering the data.

"WIMS provides us accurate weight and dimensional data much more quickly than the manual methods normally used," said Hinton. "The old way, we had to drive the vehicle onto the scale and take a tape measure and go from the front of the vehicle to each axle, then do a bunch of math to get the data we needed."

Hinton said he thinks the addition of the new system will significantly improve operations.

"Before, it was taking ten to fifteen minutes to manually weigh and measure equipment," said Hinton. "Now it takes ten to fifteen seconds."

This sophisticated system took less than two weeks to get up and running.

The training for the WIMS took two days to complete and the 62nd APS currently has six airmen trained as instructors.