The following is an overview of different types of small digital scales, listed approximately from highest to lowest resolution.

• High resolution scales

These types of scales are suited for laboratory use in universities.  Ideally, they should include a tare function for zeroing weighing vessels such as weighing paper or trays.  A standard feature is display capability for different weighing units, most commonly, ounces and grams.  The desired resolution for these scales is 1 mg, a requirement met by scales with maximum weighing capacities of 750 mg.  For pharmaceutical applications, the resolution should be 0.1 mg.

• Counting scales

Counting scales are useful for measuring quantities of items whose weights are consistent.  They often have a memory feature that stores the weight of as much as 450 different items, which eliminates the need to weigh a standard sample every time.  Fulfillment centers  use these scales for counting products quickly and accurately. Document control and business card supply companies often use them to count sheet paper and business cards. Utilizing counting scales for fulfillment purposes is advantageous to a business because it reduces quantity errors on product orders, which leads to greater client satisfaction.

• Rain gauge scales

The scale method of measuring precipitation is superior to standard graduated rain gauges in that the weight, rather than the volume of precipitation is measured.  This confers greater accuracy, since water tends to stick to the sides of standard rain gauges, resulting in under-estimates of actual precipitation.  Another advantage of using rain gauge scales is the option of using a meter that measures the amount of chemicals present in the precipitation, for the purposes of quantifying environmental pollutants.  These scales must be resistant to moisture, corrosion and extremes in temperature.

• Industrial bench scales

Bench scales have a display that is attached to the weighing platform by an electronic cord, and can be interfaced with a computer for advanced computing features and functions, including displaying and recording weight data.  A label, paper, and card printer may also be attached.  They are used in postal services, shipping and receiving centers, as well as the food and restaurant industry.

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.