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.

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.