Legal metrology is the administration of measuring and weighing through legislation and regulations. It ensures a consistent standard of measure, promoting fairness and establishing confidence between consumers and vendors. Certified scale calibration plays a crucial role in maintaining these standards, ensuring that all measurements are accurate and reliable.

By adhering to these regulations, businesses can guarantee their scales are precise, fostering trust and integrity in their transactions. Whether in retail, manufacturing, or any industry relying on accurate measurements, certified scale calibration is essential for upholding the principles of legal metrology.

The Importance of Legal Metrology

Because it authorizes a standard and precise concept of weight and measures, legal metrology is essential to the equitable sale of goods and the safe combining of products, chemicals, and ingredients. In Canada, weights and measures, and therefore scale calibration, are governed by the Measurement Canada Weights and Measures Act.

It is essential to follow all the regulations of the Act if you sell products by weight in Alberta or elsewhere in Canada. Failing to do so can result in fines and business closures. It can also cost you revenue, because if your business is not using a certified scale, your product may not be at its specified weight. This means you are either over or underselling, both of which affect your bottom line and your reputation. They could also result in customer complaints being made against you to Measurement Canada, which has the authority to investigate complaints and inspect your weighing equipment.

Compliance for Weighing Equipment

Since 2014, it has become a requirement for all weight-based businesses in Alberta and across the country to have their scales and pumps inspected by an authorized Measurement Canada service provider. The regularity of these inspections varies from sector to sector and device to device but ranges from one year to five years. You can find the specific requirements to ensure a certified scale on the Government of Canada website.

Sectors that Require Inspections

You must have a certified scale if you sell within the following sectors:

• Dairy
• Fishing
• Forestry
• Grain and field crops
• Mining
• Oil and gas
• Some retail

Scale Calibration Standards

For a scale to be considered a certified scale in Alberta, it must be serviced and calibrated by Measurement Canada requirements. After device approval, you are responsible for maintaining your weighing equipment through service, scale calibration, and monitoring of accuracy.
It is best to keep your certified scale protected from the elements and only use it to weigh the type of material it is calibrated and designed to weigh.

Where to Find a Measurement Canada Authorized Service Provider in Alberta

If you are looking to rent or buy a certified scale or seeking a scale repair, calibration, or inspection for your weighing equipment, contact Accurate Western Scale.

Located in Calgary, we sell, rent, and repair scales of all kinds, from industrial, heavy-capacity, livestock, and commercial and retail scales. We are at the forefront of smart scales and provide support and sales of software applications for your certified digital scales.

Scales have long been part of trade and agriculture. From ancient Egypt and China to the Roman Empire and onward, various traders and merchants have used scales to assess the value of goods. In modern times, farmers have adopted digital scales, such as hopper and tanks, truck, and livestock, as tools to enhance farming practices.

Modern Weighing Systems

Balance scales and the use of counterweights were the sole weighing systems available until the late 1700s when the spring scale came into use. This system of measuring the pressure exerted on a spring is still used today, some 250 years later, but, as with everything, vast changes and improvements have been made to the scale. Of note is the digital scale, which received its first patent request in 1980 and opened the door to many improvements and technological tweaks. The modern digital-certified scale offers exceptional precision and performance.

Who Cares?

Farmers from Alberta to Australia are adopting the practice of precision agriculture as a means to enhance their farming practices and increase profitability. Through weighing everything from livestock to feed, seed, and fertilizer, agricultural professionals have identified four benefits for Alberta and other Western Canadian farmers:

I. Optimized Fertilizer /Pesticide Application
By weighing the products farmers apply to their crops, they can eliminate overbuying and over/under fertilizing and spraying, which is suitable for the bottom dollar, crop production, and soil care.

II. Accurate Seed Planting
Using a certified scale, farmers can buy the correct amount of seed per acre. Furthermore, knowing the precise weight of seed allows grain farmers to calculate and ensure an even distribution of seed.

III. Efficient Harvesting Operations
Hopper and tank scales and truck scales help grain growers measure crop yields and determine storage and transportation needs.

IV. Livestock Management
Certified livestock scales are extremely valuable for cattle and other livestock operations. Through accurate measuring of feed, farmers can limit waste and ensure adequate nutrition for their animals. Weighing animals on livestock scales is extremely useful for monitoring individual animal and herd health.

Proper weighing of milk and eggs in dairy and poultry barns has become a vital tool for inventory management, quality control, and monitoring of individual animal productivity and health. As with meat animals, precisely measuring feed rations in poultry, dairy, and other product-based operations saves farmers from waste and optimizes animal nutrition and health.

Precision Agriculture

There are many financial and environmental benefits to adding the practice of precision agriculture to your farm operation. In addition to limiting waste of everything from feed to fertilizers, it also minimizes any negative impact on your soil and the water sources surrounding your farm.

Certified Scale Solutions in Alberta

To find certified scales to enhance your farming practices in Alberta, whether it be livestock, hopper and tank, or truck, contact Accurate/Western Scale. We represent several manufacturers and sell a variety of state-of-the-art scales, accessories and software applications. We also provide scale repair, calibration, and certification. Furthermore, if you’re not yet sure that weighing is right for your farm, or if you only need a scale a few times a year, you can rent a certified scale from us.

Processing and selling food is a highly regulated industry. It requires adherence to safety standards and protocols, including precise measuring on a certified industrial scale in Alberta. This article will explore scale certification and how compliance with Measurement Canada’s regulations ensures safety in the food processing industry.

Scale Certification

Alberta is under the jurisdiction of Measurement Canada. Therefore, industrial/commercial scales used in Alberta’s food processing industry must be examined by a certified Measurement Canada inspector following the established schedule: some sectors need to have their scales examined every year (i.e. fishing), every two years (i.e dairy), or every five years (i.e. retail).

To be certified, the scale must be calibrated per the national standards. If it is not, the business owners can be fined from $2,000 to $50,000.

The Importance of a Certified Scale

Scale certification is not simply a question of Measurement Canada compliance; it is also a means to ensure:

• Quality Assurance for your product and comparable products on the market. By implementing rigorous quality control measures during weighing processes, you will maintain product consistency and safety.
• Precision Measurement of ingredients, final product, packaging, and shipping requires precise weighing instruments and techniques.
• Adherence to Regulations for your specific food industry’s regulations and standards that guarantee food safety and meet legal requirements.

Types of Scales in the Food Industry

Various certified scales are used in the food industry to meet the three elements mentioned above. In Alberta, the main types of scales used in the food industry are:

• Floor and bench scales: measure pallets of products, trolleys, bins, small packages, individual items
• Checkweighers: allow for a weight range of separate items of different weights
• Industrial Counting scales: useful for weighing a high volume of the same product

Industrial Counting Scales

Industrial counting scales are an excellent time-saving tool in Alberta’s food industry sector because they allow the quick and easy calculation of individual packages or products. They are an excellent example of integrating technology into the weighing process to enhance efficiency and minimize errors in the production process.

Training & Certification

Whether you use an industrial counting scale or another certified scale, comprehensive training for all personnel involved in weighing processes is required to ensure proper handling and compliance with safety protocols within your industry. Proper training also helps maintain calibration and certified scale status.

Where to Find Food Industry Scales in Alberta

Contact Accurate Western Scale in Calgary, Alberta, for industrial counting scale sales and services. We offer a variety of scales, accessories, and software applications for all your weighing needs. We are also accredited by Measurement Canada as an authorized scale inspector, so we can inspect and certify your scale.

Precision is paramount in the manufacturing industry. Every component, every material and every step must be followed to a tee to produce exceptional quality goods. That’s why weighing accuracy plays such a vital role in quality control in Calgary. Here’s how precision weighing using quality industrial scales in Calgary is essential in manufacturing:

• Consistency in production processes. If the weight measurements of raw materials are inconsistent, they can ripple through the entire production chain, leading to product quality and performance variations. With precise weighing using dependable industrial scales, manufacturers can maintain consistency, ensuring each batch and product meets predetermined specifications.
• Compliance and regulatory standards. Manufacturers must follow many rules and regulations. Companies must ensure their products meet specific standards set by the government and industry regulators. Accurate weighing using reliable industrial scales helps Calgary companies comply with these rules. Certified scales are checked regularly to ensure businesses follow the law and avoid possible fines and penalties.
• Product safety. Accurate weighing is vital to product safety. Incorrect measurements in pharmaceutical or food manufacturing can make people sick. By getting the measurements right, companies can ensure their products are safe for customers to use, building trust and brand loyalty.
• Efficiency, waste reduction and cost savings. When things are weighed accurately, nothing is wasted. Companies use the exact amount of materials, which means they’re not throwing anything away or spending money on unnecessary materials. Accurate weighing produces less waste and saves companies money.

Scales used in manufacturing

Here are five common types of scales used in the manufacturing industry:

• Bench scales are versatile scales typically used for weighing smaller items or components. They’re often placed on workbenches or countertops for easy access.
• Floor scales are heavy-duty scales commonly used in logistics, warehousing and manufacturing for weighing pallets, drums and other oversized items.
• Counting scales accurately count large quantities of identical parts or items. They work by weighing a sample of the items and then calculating the total amount based on the weight of the sample and the known weight of each item.
• Crane scales weigh heavy loads suspended from a crane or hoist. They’re commonly used for lifting and weighing large machinery, equipment or raw materials.
• Platform scales are large, sturdy scales with a flat surface for weighing heavy or oversized items and bulk materials like grains, liquids or chemicals.

When scales are used in business operations, they must be certified as “legal for trade” to show that they meet Measurement Canada’s requirements for professional weighing equipment.

Industrial scale services and calibration in Calgary, Alberta

Accurate/Western Scale Co. Ltd. is Measurement Canada accredited, so we can inspect and certify specified legal-for-trade scales. We offer certified scale calibration and certification services to clients in Calgary and throughout Alberta. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.