The first step a digital scale owner should take is to locate the instruction manuals that came with the machine and see if the problem can be accessed on site by the owner himself. Often issues can be so simple that a digital scale user will over look them since they seem so commonplace. Many times, the issue is as small as a sensor or load cell connection. If the scale  shows 0.000 after placing some weight on pan, it may mean that a sensor or load cell connection is opened, it is wise to  check sensor connection and try again.

Once the provided instruction manuals have been accessed, assimilated and the problem itself seems beyond the knowledge base of a digital scale owner, a good calibration is the first line of defense. In fact, for optimal use, almost all scale manufacturers recommend some type of periodic calibration and maintenance routine for your digital and mechanical scales and balances.

If your digital balance or scale breaks, a technician trained by the factory is called for. When your scale needs calibration, these technicians can handle it promptly & efficiently with NIST traceable standards and documentation. It is important to find out if emergency loaner and rental scale equipment is available to keep your operation running. Make sure that the company you contact is certified. It is vital that the digital scale owner maintain complete documentation on the machine.

What is scale calibration?
Calibration of a scale is a procedure in which a technician uses known weights certified by the Bureau of Weights and Measures, to adjust the response of a mechanical or electronic weighing system to the following tests; the indicator must show zero when there is no weight on scale. When a known weight is applied the indicator must display the exact amount of applied weight. When weight is applied or removed incrementally the scale must display weight equal to that on the scale.

Finally, if a digital scale seems beyond repair by calibration, it is time to consider that years of wear and tear or an industrial accident could have damaged part or all of your digital scale. In this case, a certified representative can provide you with the information you need to replace the damaged part or give you good advice on a replacement scale.

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.

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.

For all of these reasons, there are many rules and regulations pertaining to the management of hazardous wastes. Some of these simply define what materials and items are deemed to be hazardous and which are not. Others outline the methods required for physically handling hazardous materials. There are specifications for the types of clear and accurate documentation that must be maintained.

Much of this documentation is associated with the amounts of these materials. Generally, they must be weighed at all steps in the process. Clearly, it is important to know how much material is generated. That can be determined by using a good quality industrial scale. Depending on the amounts and type of hazardous waste, this could be a bench scale with resolution as high as 0.001 lb. If it is a liquid that is stored in a pail, tank or drum, then a drum scale would be considered. Cylinders of hazardous liquids and gasses are weighed on cylinder scales. Platform scales, floor scales and pallet scales are used to weigh larger containers, totes and larger tanks. The weight can be recorded by hand onto the proper form. Alternatively, Arlyn Scales offers computer interfaces for most of their electronic scales. Weights can now be automatically stored in a database file, or can be printed on labels and other types of forms. It is even possible to use a USB memory stick to log the weight information from these digital scales, along with the time and date of the weighing action. This is particularly useful for maintaining high quality records.

The weight values that are shown on the indicator of an industrial scale are of critical importance to the scale operator. A bench scale may be weighing small packages. Or a parts counting scale may be determining the number of parts in a container. Larger drum scales and platform scales may be determining the amount of liquid in a tank or dewar or drum. And large floor scales will be weighing totes, pallets and large tanks. Besides reading the weight information, the operator of the electronic scale can also perform certain control functions, such as applying a tare weight, zeroing the weight on the scale, and choosing the units of measurement, such as pounds or kilos.

While it is required and expected that all digital scales provide all of this functionality locally, it is often desired to be able to also perform all of these functions from another location. In these cases, the most common requirement is to read weight data and control the scale from a local computer. Arlyn Scales provides optional Remote Indicator software that can be operated from any Windows based computer. The electronic scale must be connected to the computer. Typically, this connection would be an industrial standard RS-232 communication line. Alternatively, the USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection may be used.

Now, the computer operator can read weight data directly on the computer screen. They can also save this data in some other computer format, including spreadsheets and databases. Furthermore, the industrial scale can also be controlled directly from the computer. If the scale must be switched from the Net mode to the Gross mode, or the weight of a container must be subtracted, this may be accomplished from the computer keyboard.

Factories and warehouses are not known for being kind and gentle with the equipment they are using. This includes their electronic scales. If they are loaded by hand, heavy weights may be dropped directly onto the platform scale. Alternatively, they may be loaded using pallet jacks or forklifts which may bang against the digital scale. It may be necessary to move the platform scale around the factory floor, generally without any consideration for its well being. So it is very important for the industrial scale to be constructed with industrial strength.

The proverbial weak link in any electronic scale are its sensors. These devices are designed to develop an electrical signal that is precisely proportional to the amount of weight on the platform scale. Arlyn Scales produces these sensors from special alloys of stainless steel that are post processed for exceptional strength and ruggedness. Most other digital scales use aluminum or plated steel for their sensors. These are more susceptible to shock load damage.

While the platform scale must be strong, or it will quickly be destroyed, it must also be easy to use, or it will quickly be abandoned. Lifting heavy objects onto a high scale platform is not fun. The lower the profile of the scale, the easier it will be to use. Arlyn Scales takes advantage of the strength of the stainless steel material used to fabricate their sensors by designing a particularly low profile device. They then fabricate pockets directly into the frame of the industrial scale where the sensors are mounted. These two innovations result in a platform scale with one of the lowest profiles available anywhere. This makes them particularly popular with the people who have to lift their products onto or off of the scale platform.