But often, the data must be used at some other location or at some other time. The weight of a package to be shipped may need to be automatically entered into a parcel manifest. Or a label may need to be printed. A record in a database may need to be kept of the number of packages filled by the parts counting scale. The contents in the drum on the drum scale may need to be monitored from a remote location. The doctor may need to keep records of the patients weight for each visit.

An Internet connection is an ideal means for performing all of these functions. Arlyn Scales offers this as an option for all of their industrial scales. This connection may be used specifically within an individual facility. Other computers on the local area network may be given access to any or all of the connected electronic scales. Or, with the proper software, these Arlyn Scales may be viewed, and controlled from any device that has Internet connectivity. This is particularly suitable for larger organizations that may need to collect data from a number of different facilities. It is also especially useful in those situation where there are mandated documentation requirements, as the data can be sent to the appropriate database files.

Parts counting scales are an ideal tool to use for counting parts that are identical in weight. Items such as bolts, screws, nuts, rivets, washers and other fasteners would fit this criteria. Similarly, electrical contacts, connectors, resistors, diodes, and integrated circuits would also be suitable. The scale operator places a small sample of parts on the digital scale platform, and through the keyboard, enters the number of parts in the sample. The industrial scale then calculates the weight of a single part. At this point, as parts are added onto the platform, the electronic scale can divide the total weight by the piece weight of the part to determine the total number of parts.

The accuracy of a parts counting scale is highly dependent on the accuracy of determining the piece weight during the sampling process. Arlyn Scales provides very high resolution for their digital scales in order to enhance this process. But for very small parts that must be counted in great quantity, the scale must have even higher sampling accuracy. Arlyn Scales Ultra Precision scales are ideal for this purpose. They provide twenty times the accuracy of standard parts counting scales.

For heavier parts, such as assemblies, castings, and enclosures, parts counting capability can be added to larger capacity scales. These include platform scales and floor scales. In some cases, as smaller bench scale is used for the sampling process.

Other industrial scale features can also be included in the parts counting scale. These can allow parts data to be communicated to a computer, or collected in a USB memory stick. It can also be sent directly to a local printer to provide adhesive labels.

One of the most common types of industrial scales is the bench scale. Generally, they are available in capacities ranging from about 10 pounds up to approximately 150 lbs. As a rule of thumb, the lighter the capacity of the scale, the higher the resolution of the display. For example, a ten pound capacity scale may be able to display increments as small as 0.001 lb. Whereas a one hundred pound scale has ten times the capacity, it may have only one tenth of the readability, resulting in display increments of 0.01 lb.

Although the readability of the bench scale is important, the overall accuracy is a defining value. Arlyn Scales produces bench scales that provide levels of accuracy that are suitable for industrial measurement. Many of the important design elements that result in good accuracy can be traced to the electronic sensors of the digital scale. These sensors must be very rugged, or they will be quickly damaged in an industrial environment. But they must also be very sensitive. Additional characteristics include the ability to produce correct results over a wide range of temperature. For these reasons, Arlyn Scales uses a special stainless steel alloy in the production of their weight sensors. Additional electronics are built into the sensor to detect the ambient temperature of the bench scale, and to adjust the electronic output of the sensor to compensate for temperature variations.

Of course, the bench scale must also include accurate digitizing circuitry to convert the sensor output into a digital value for the display. These circuits must react quickly to any change in weight on the scale platform, while also filtering out the results of air movement and vibration.

Counting parts by weight is an efficient means of determining inventory levels. Any item that is consistent in weight may be counted by a parts counting scale. These items can include standard industrial hardware, such as fasteners, washers and clips. Electronic devices are another perfect item to count by weight.

A good parts counting scale must have two primary features. It must have enough capacity to accept the full containers of parts. And it must be sensitive enough to accurately determine the weight of just a few sample parts. These two characteristics are often mutually exclusive. As a rule, the higher the capacity of the scale, the lower the sensitivity.

The accuracy of the weight of the sample parts is the largest factor in determining the accuracy of the parts counting results. As the samples may only represent one percent of the capacity of the scale, or even less, the scale sensitivity should be one hundred times greater than that. Very few industrial scales can meet this requirement. But the precision scales offered by Arlyn Scales in their SAW family provide sensitivity of greater than one part in one hundred thousand. For example, a SAW counting scale with a capacity of 100 lb has a display sensitivity of 0.01 lb with even greater internal sensitivity. This is twenty times higher than the readability of standard strain gage industrial scales. For counting small pieces, this will result in an accuracy level that is twenty times greater.

Often, high sensitivity and accuracy indicates that the precision scale may be delicate, and prone to damage during use. The SAW ultra precision scales provide overload capacity of more than four times the rated capacity of the scale. Most other industrial scales only offer an overload specification of one and a half times rated capacity. Therefore, the precision scale does not need any kind of special handling to produce very accurate results.