Scales are used throughout industry for accurate weighing. They are used for shipping and receiving, parts counting, formulation, mixing, batching, and monitoring. Almost every industrial organization requires scales in their operation.
Scales are available in many different levels of accuracy. The least accurate scales use mechanical springs. Or they may use a counterweight. Electronic scales most often use strain gage load cells. This technology has been available for more than 50 years. While accuracy has seen some improvement, strain gages are limited by a number of error factors, including sensitivity to temperature and the limitation of the spring element of the load cell. Different materials have been used for the load cell, including aluminum, steel and stainless steel.
High precision scales must use a different technology. One popular choice is often called “Force Motor” or “Force Restoration”. The accuracy of this type of scale is very high, but the cost is also very high.
A new technology has appeared in the market called “Surface Acoustic Wave” scales. These use a semiconductor device to precisely determine displacement in a load sensor, and therefore the weight on the sensor. This type of high precision scales is much less expensive and much more rugged than the “Force Motor” type. It is also much more rugged than strain gage load cells, and just a little more expensive.
High Precision Scales
Scales are used throughout industry for accurate weighing. They are used for shipping and receiving, parts counting, formulation, mixing, batching, and monitoring. Almost every industrial organization requires scales in their operation.
Scales are available in many different levels of accuracy. The least accurate scales use mechanical springs. Or they may use a counterweight. Electronic scales most often use strain gage load cells. This technology has been available for more than 50 years. While accuracy has seen some improvement, strain gages are limited by a number of error factors, including sensitivity to temperature and the limitation of the spring element of the load cell. Different materials have been used for the load cell, including aluminum, steel and stainless steel.
High precision scales must use a different technology. One popular choice is often called “Force Motor” or “Force Restoration”. The accuracy of this type of scale is very high, but the cost is also very high.
A new technology has appeared in the market called “Surface Acoustic Wave” scales. These use a semiconductor device to precisely determine displacement in a load sensor, and therefore the weight on the sensor. This type of high precision scales is much less expensive and much more rugged than the “Force Motor” type. It is also much more rugged than strain gage load cells, and just a little more expensive.