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.

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.