Most of us weigh in at home on a standard bathroom scale and hope that it generously deducts a couple of pounds from our weight. People utilizing scales for an industrial profession would be mortified with that lack of precision. Manufacturers across a variety of industries require efficient and precise mechanisms for weighing and counting products in order to compete and control quality.
A pound or two off in weighing larger objects will generally be acceptable, but each product and manufacturer will have its own tolerance limits for quality control. It’s a good thing then that these scales are not analog. They have high-tech components that have the ability to store mass amounts of data and send that data to a computer on which it can be analyzed. This information is essential for maintaining control over quality and having a detailed picture of the product being made.
Because so many industries have different needs for scales, many different kinds exist. Each is suited to a different purpose and provides value for a manufacturing process.
For weighing small amounts of ingredients and materials with precision, laboratory scales are utilized. This allows companies in the food and beverage, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries to measure tiny amounts of ingredients with precision crucial to quality. If it is necessary to weigh larger amounts, a bench scale may be used.
In the case of measuring loads weighing thousands of pounds, a platform scale or large floor scale will do the job. These scales are capable of weighing large objects to an astonishingly accurate degree. Generally speaking, these larger scales are not capable of measuring with the level of precision that laboratory and analytical scales can. However, the technology is more than advanced enough to meet the needs of those weighing large objects.
Crane scales are often implemented to weigh product as it is loaded into a vehicle. These scales often weigh larger products and aid in the efficiency of getting product where it needs to be. Other scales, like in-motion checkweighers, are used as an integral part of the process, weighing items as they move through an assembly line. This nearly eliminates having a separate step for weighing and increases speed.
Here’s the bottom line. Every product you purchase goes through a quality control process. Most times, this process includes a weighing station. These stations weigh each object with an accuracy of greater than 99%. Their efficiency allows the product to be completed faster and therefore at lesser cost. The data stored by these scales is the reason that manufacturers can maintain such excellent quality. At home, however, a bathroom scale that reads two pounds lighter will do just fine for most people.
Author Bio
This article was provided by Data Weighing Systems. Founded in 1973, Data Weighing Systems is a leading distributor of weighing and force measuring equipment. The company’s mission is to provide their customers with a standard of excellence in equipment and service unrivaled in the scale industry.