Precise Precipitation Data with Rain Gauge Scales

By admin | Published: July 21, 2009

When we are heading out on a long drive, planning an outdoor party, or planning to go for a walk outside, we like to know whether it will rain, when, and how much. However, in many situations, it is important to know whether it rained in the past, when, and how much. Farmers, for example, depend on rain for their crops. If it does not rain the right amount and a drought is expected, they must choose another plant variety to grow or suffer crop failure. Cities rely on rain collected in reservoirs for their yearly supply of water for showering, drinking, watering plants, and other activities. If it does not rain enough, these activities must be restricted. If it rains too much, or at the wrong time, a city may flood, causing long-term damage.  Environmental researchers are interested in precipitation data to track trends in the climate on the local and global levels.

There are several ways of measuring precipitation. Cylinders may be placed in different areas, and as it rains or snows, this precipitation falls into the cylinders. A person must then drive around to each cylinder and record the current measurement. This may cause problems as the cylinders may overflow. In addition, it is not efficient to travel to every cylinder and this method gives no data on when and how quickly the precipitation fell.

A much more accurate method of determining how much precipitation has fallen in any area is with a rain gauge scale. A bucket is placed on the electronic scale, and the rain gauge scale measures the total amount of water in the bucket. Since electronic rain gauge scales must be kept outdoors, they must be able to survive extreme temperature and precipitation. High-quality scale manufacturers like Arlyn Scales use stainless steel load sensors rather than aluminum load sensors in order to prevent corrosion. In addition, these high-quality rain gauge scales can be built with USB ports to allow for detailed record-keeping, including time data, on a high capacity flash drive.

Posted in Electronic scales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Precise Aggregate Testing with SAW Scales

By melissa | Published: July 9, 2009

Aggregates are everywhere we look in the world around us. These materials, which are made up of an aggregate of different other materials, including various types of stones, clay, silt, and sand, include the asphalt that paves our roads, the concrete that is used for the foundations of our skyscrapers, or the cement that makes up the bricks of our homes. There is no single aggregate-each one is made differently for a different purpose. One aggregate that uses a certain mixture of stones, silt, and petroleum-based binding may have very different characteristics than one that uses another mixture of pebbles, clay, and a different binding. One aggregate may be more suitable for roads while another may be more suitable for sidewalks.

On any construction site, construction managers must ensure that the aggregate they are using, whether concrete or asphalt, meets the specifications necessary for the job. Therefore, at set intervals of time, the team must carry out a compositional analysis of the aggregate. The aggregate is poured into a sieve with large holes that will only block the largest pieces of stone from falling through. Following this, it is poured into sieves with consecutively smaller and smaller holes until each component of the aggregate is in its own sieve. Then, the sieves and their contents must be weighed with an electronic scale. The total percentage of each material is calculated and compared with the necessary standards.

It is necessary to measure the composition of each aggregate very accurately. This becomes particularly difficult when each component may weigh up to 100 pounds. A standard digital scale may only be able to weigh each component to .01 pounds, which is not precise enough. One scale company, Arlyn Scales, has developed ultra-precision electronic scales that use Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) technology for aggregate testing. These industrial scales are rugged enough to withstand the force of aggregate components while being able to weigh each component to .001 pounds.

Posted in Types of Scales | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Platform Scales used in Recycling Programs

By melissa | Published: June 30, 2009

Recycling programs have become widespread in many industries for several different reasons. Economically, it is extremely viable for companies to sell any unused materials, including steel, iron, glass, plastic, rubber, wood, paper, and precious metals, to recycling companies. Environmentally, any products that are reused rather than placed in landfills help protect valuable land and nature. Legally, it is becoming more and more common for states and municipalities to pass legislation required industrial entities to create these recycling programs.

When recycled products are brought to recycling plants, these plants must first sort out the different products, and then must weigh them in order to determine how much to pay the donator. Digital platform scales are ideal for weighing this recycled material. These digital scales usually have a capacity of about 1000 pounds, which is a reasonable capacity for the expected loads in a recycling plant. They can range in sizes. Arlyn Scales platform scales are offered in a 20″x27″ size for smaller packages of recycled material, a 36″x36″ size for larger boxes, and a 48″x48″ size for large loads. In addition, these scales are only 1 7/8″ high which make for easy loading and unloading.

Recycling plants may have a corrosive environment that can damage the electrical platform scales. Corrosion resistant scales are beneficial. Therefore, it is often necessary to make the scale components out of materials that won’t corrode. High quality scale manufacturers, like Arlyn Scales, make their load cells out of a special stainless steel alloy. While this alloy is more difficult to machine than steel or aluminum, which is found in lower-quality scales, it is much more resistant to corrosive materials. In addition, stainless steel load cells are more resistant to bending that occurs when they are exposed to heavy shock loads. In recycling plants, where forklifts are often used to place heavy loads on the industrial scale, this extra strength is extremely important.

Posted in Industrial Scales | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Save Mailing Fees by Using Accurate Scales

By melissa | Published: June 22, 2009

Although the internet is becoming the media of choice for sending out advertisements and bulk mailings, traditional postal service is still often used to send out advertising fliers, glossy postcards, or product samples. When a company chooses to send out a bulk mailing, it can pay a special bulk postage rate to the United States Postal Service. However, in order to get this special price, the company has certain responsibilities. It must sort the mail according to postal rules, report the weight of one single piece of mail and a batch of mail, and then report the total number of pieces that are being sent out.

 

Digital parts counting scales are the perfect solution to a business’s mailing needs. This electronic scale first calculates the weight of each piece of mail. The operator places a known number of pieces on the scale and enters the number of pieces that are being weighed. This industrial scale then divides the total weight by the number of pieces to calculate a piece weight. The scale is then switched into counting mode. When all of the pieces of mail are placed on it, the electronic scale divides the total weight by the weight of a single piece to calculate the total number of pieces being mailed.

 

When sending out particularly large bulk mailings, it is important to have a scale that has a large capacity while also having a high enough resolution to be able to accurately determine the weight of one single piece of mail. Ultra-precision SAW scales, a new technology developed and manufactured by Arlyn Scales, are a good example of a large-capacity, high resolution digital scale. A SAW scale with a 100 lb. capacity has a resolution of .001, allowing for a very precise count of a very large number of pieces of mail.

Posted in Electronic scales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Precision Scales Provide Accurate Weights, Even at Low Temperatures

By admin | Published: June 18, 2009

In almost any industry, it is very important that all weight measurements be extremely precise. However, many different conditions affect the precision of industrial scales. Precision scales must be on stable, level surfaces. They should not be exposed to water or other material which may corrode the load cell and the housing. Industrial scales should be kept at room temperature.

However, sometimes, due to the nature of the work that is being done, an industrial scale may have to be subject to undesirable conditions. For example, in the food processing industry, food must be packaged by a very specific weight. This packaging often must happen in refrigerated or freezing conditions, which affect the accuracy of any precision scale.

In industrial scales, a transducer called a strain gauge load cell detects how much weight is acting on it and then outputs an electrical signal. When an object is placed on it, the load cell stretches a certain amount proportional to the weight of the object. This stretching bends a strain gauge, which is an electrical resistor, and changes its resistance. This changes the electrical output signal. At low temperatures, the load cell will contract, which will change the electrical output of the resistor, making the computerized components of the scale believe that there is a weight on the load cell. Manufacturers of high-quality electronic scales, like Arlyn Scales, will counteract this effect by using temperature-compensating resistors.

Another component of industrial scales that is affected by low temperatures it the scale’s digital indicator. Most digital scale manufacturers use Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) as indicators. At low temperatures, many LCDs suffer a lost of contrast or even a complete loss of visibility. Arlyn Scales uses special low-temperature LCDs to avoid this problem. In addition, it is important to use a sealed, gasketed housing for the display to prevent moisture from reaching the electronic components.

Posted in High precision scales | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Industrial Scales are Made More Rugged by Using the Right Materials

By admin | Published: June 18, 2009

Industrial scales are often subject to very harsh conditions. A cylinder scale may have to support a 250 pound tilted liquid gas cylinder as it is being loaded on and off. A platform scale may be subject to high shock loads as large pallets are placed on it by a forklift. Parts counting scales may also have to support these shock loads if a large batch of parts are placed on it at one time.

The most important component of any electronic scale is the transducer, which senses force, and outputs an electronic signal. Most often, the transducer is a strain gauge load cell. When force from an object acts on the load cell, it bends in a very controlled manner. When the object is removed, the load cell unbends back to its original position, much like a spring. A strain gauge, a type of electrical resistor, is placed on the load cell. As the load cell bends under the weight of an object, the resistance of the strain gauge changes. The weight of the object is proportional to the change in resistance of the strain gauge, which is affected by the amount of bending of the load cell.

Many industrial scale manufacturers choose to use aluminum alloy load cells in their scales since it is relatively cheap and it is very easy to machine. However, these aluminum load cells are very easy to damage. A shock load may bend the aluminum so much that it will not be able to spring back to its original position. If this happens, the electronic scale is no longer usable. Other manufacturers used nickel-plated steel load cells. However, these devices are susceptible to corrosion. High-quality industrial scale manufacturers, like Arlyn Scales, often choose to use a 17-4 stainless steel alloy. Load cells made from this material are very difficult to damage, and therefore, can sustain larger shock loads and can last longer.

Posted in Industrial Scales | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Convenient USB Sticks Collect Industrial Scale Weight Data

By admin | Published: June 18, 2009

The primary purpose of industrial scales is to simply weigh objects. How much of each chemical is being fed into this mixture? How much do those boxes weigh that are being loaded onto the truck? How many metal stampings are in the container? However, sometimes, it is just as important to collect this weight data from electronic scales as it is to do the actual weighing. It may be useful to keep track of how quickly the inventory of metal stampings is being used, what the total weight is of each truck that is leaving the warehouse, and the total quantity of chemicals that is used over the course of the week.

This data recording can be done by humans. However, this opens up the possibility of human error-the data may be recorded incorrectly. Sometimes, digital scales may be connected to a computer using a standard communication protocol such as RS-232. But if the computer is not in the vicinity of the scale, this introduces the issue of running long lengths of wire which is both expensive and time-consuming.

Scale manufacturers that offer the newest technologies, like Arlyn Scales, now make electronic scales with optional built-in Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports. Standard USB thumb drives can be plugged into these ports, and weight data from the industrial scale can be recorded on these memory devices. The digital scale can be programmed to automatically load the data on its screen onto the thumb drive at pre-set intervals such as every hour, every minute, or even several times a second. Or, an operator can press a button on the control panel of the scale to record the data at that point.

Once data has been stored onto the USB thumb drive, the device can be removed from the USB port of the electronic scale and the data can be imported into a database or spreadsheet program on any computer that has a USB port. This method of copying data from industrial scale to computer is very cheap, with 4 GB thumb drives costing as little as $10.

Posted in Electronic scales | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Commercial Laundry Operations Rely on Industrial Scales

By melissa | Published: May 21, 2009

It is amazing how much laundry there is. We may generally only consider the dirty clothes produced by a family, at home. But there is actually a huge amount of laundry produced institutionally and commercially. Restaurants must launder their table cloths, napkins, and kitchen and server outfits. Although hospitals use many disposable items, they still require commercial washing of their bed linens and many other items. Hotels have a daily need to wash towels, sheets, items from their food facilities, and uniforms. These needs are repeated by many other institutions, schools and companies.

The weight of the laundry must be determined. For the best levels of efficiency, washing machines should be loaded with the correct weight. If they are underfilled, more loads will be required. This causes increased costs, and increased burdens on the environment in terms of water and energy usage. If they are overfilled, the machines may be unable to properly clean the clothes. It may also damage them.

Industrial scales are useful for weighing the laundry. Often, laundry carts are used. These may be rolled onto platform scales. Arlyn Scales manufactures a line of platform scales with a very low profile platform, making it much easier to roll the carts on and off. These electronic scales are built from aluminum, so the water and detergents that are present will not cause corrosion. The load sensors are made from a special type of stainless steel, which are also resistant from water. Furthermore, this type of load cell is much more resistant to damage that can be caused by overload or shock loading. If a laundry cart hits the laundry scale from the side, standard types of electronic scales may sustain damage. An additional feature of this laundry scale is a digital readout with over size numbers. It is easy to obtain an accurate weight reading, even if the scale operator is not standing right next to the digital scale.

Posted in Types of Scales | Leave a comment

Floor Scales Keep Track of Large Cylinders and Dewars

By melissa | Published: May 21, 2009

Wherever special chemicals, liquids, gases or cryogenic materials are used within an industrial process, there are large cylinders and dewars that are required to hold these materials. Many manufacturing facilities can house quantities of these types of containers. Others may only have one or two, but they may be critical to their operations.

Both the larger and smaller operations can run into significant problems if the materials become depleted. Therefore it is important to keep track of the amount of remaining material. Different types of instruments may be used for this purpose. In some cases, a liquid level tube will be sufficient. In other cases, a float device may be able to indicate the height of the contents within the container. But the most accurate and reliable method is to weigh the container and the contents.

Large floor scales are available for this purpose. These industrial scales are produced in a wide variety of different sizes. There is even one company, Arlyn Scales, that will manufacture a custom scale to any size required. Electronic scales display the weight of the contents on a digital indicator, which usually has the ability to subtract the tare weight of the container. Some digital scales also provide the ability to transfer these weight values into a computer system where they may be recorded for data analysis purposes.

The materials that are being weighed may have different corrosive characteristics. Arlyn Scales offers electronic scales from a variety of different materials. Whereas painted steel is usually the industry standard for floor scales, they coat the scale with a special protective epoxy. For more severe environments, they offer floor scales made from aluminum or even stainless steel. In all of these cases, the actual weight sensor is made from a high grade alloy of stainless steel. These provide years of trouble free use.

Posted in Industrial Scales | Leave a comment

Zoos use Scales to Keep Animals Fit and Healthy

By melissa | Published: May 21, 2009

Evolution has engineered all animals to seek nutrition to sustain themselves. Because sources of nutrition may become available only very intermittently, many animals will try to eat as much as possible when there is food in order to sustain themselves until the next time that food is once again available. We human beings are only too aware that in many places, plentiful, high calorie food sources are available whenever they are wanted. This can often lead to overeating with the result of becoming overweight. As we have learned, obesity is the root cause of a wide variety of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and decreased mobility, among others.

Many zoo animals can acquire these same problems. In the wild, most animals must work very hard in order to sustain themselves. Herbivores must constantly be looking for forage while avoiding predators. The predators expend huge amounts of energy hunting for their food, generally only encountering success for some fraction of their efforts. A zoo environment is very different. Food is delivered to the animals with little energy expenditure on their part. If not monitored, this can lead to overweight issues and health problems.

Zoo personnel rely on a variety of industrial scales to weigh their animals. Small bench scales are appropriate for many birds and reptiles. These provide accurate weights in small decimals of a pound, up to 50 pounds or more. Large animals are weighed on standard platform scales, or special animal scales, manufactured by Arlyn Scales specifically for this purpose. These veterinary scales have a very low profile platform, easing the task of leading the animal onto the scale. Special software determines an accurate animal weight, even if it will not stand still. The active weighing devices built into the scale, known as load cells, are fabricated from stainless steel. These assure that the animal scale will be rugged and resistant to damage from liquids and other materials.

Posted in Animal Scales | Leave a comment