How to control inventory using a counting scale

Taking inventory is a tedious yet essential process for many businesses. Counting scales help companies tally small, uniform pieces such as screws, candy, beads and trinkets with ease. Moreover, using a counting scale can increase your business’ efficiency, reduce costly errors and save valuable time. Here’s how to control inventory using a counting scale.

Benefits of using a counting scale Using a counting scale has many benefits, including:

Increased efficiency. Manually counting hundreds or thousands of small objects is time-consuming. Using a counting scale helps free up employees to do other tasks, drastically increasing productivity and profits.
Fewer errors. No matter how diligent, human beings inevitably make mistakes. Counting scales automate the process to prevent costly miscounts, arithmetic errors and typos.
Reduced waste. When manually counting inventory or filling orders, humans tend to overcompensate for mistakes by adding one or two extra pieces. Over time, this can add up to thousands of unaccounted for units. Counting scales give exact measurements, so there’s no question about the number of units in your warehouse.

How to use a counting scale

Using a counting scale isn’t complicated and doesn’t require hours of training. To use a one, turn it on and set it to zero. Then, place an empty container on the scale and press the tare button. The tare function eliminates the weight of the container from the total calculation. After taring your scale, place the items you want to measure on the scale. Enter the number of units and press the sample button. The scale will divide the total weight (minus the container) with the number of pieces and determine the exact weight of each piece. The scale will also show you how many pieces are on the scale and the total weight. If you already know the weight of one piece, enter the number and press the unit-weight key. Then, you’re free to add as many units as you’d like to the scale.

Counting scales in Calgary, Red Deer and Swift Current

At Accurate/Western Scale Co. Ltd., we offer a wide array of counting scales with various features like accumulation memory and auto-calibration. We also have a convenient scale rental service to fulfil any business requirements. If you want to learn more about our products or get a free quote, contact us at our Calgary location today.

Do you need waterproof scales?

Waterproof scales are incredibly versatile. On top of being resistant to liquids, they’re highly durable and suitable for many commercial operations. Here are a few reasons why your business can benefit from waterproof scales.

Rating waterproof scales

Waterproof scales are also known as washdown scales. As their name implies, they’re resistant to liquids and can be cleaned with soap and water between uses without harming the internal mechanisms. Scales are rated according to an ingress protection (IP) factor. IP ratings consist of two numbers. The first represents a scale’s resistance to dust and debris (between one and six). The second number reflects the scale’s ability to get wet (between one and eight). The higher the IP rating, the more resistant the scale is to dust, spills and frequent washdowns. For example, a bench scale with an IP rating of 65 is 100 per cent resistant to dust and debris. However, it can’t be submerged in water for any length of time. Moreover, a scale with an IP rating of 68 scale is fully resistant to dust and can be completely immersed in liquid for lengthy periods.

Benefits of using waterproof scales

Using waterproof scales in your business offers many advantages, including:

You can save time and money. Using waterproof scales can help increase the efficiency of your business by significantly reducing cleaning times. You can quickly hose down the scales between uses.
You can increase hygiene. Waterproof scales are perfect for industries where hygiene is paramount, such as food handling. You can quickly clean and sanitize them without worrying about damaging their internal components.
Your equipment will last longer. Waterproof scales tend to have a long lifespan because they’re built to withstand unforgiving environments. Therefore, you’re less likely to need to replace or repair your waterproof scale, saving you money and reducing downtime.
You can use your scale anywhere. You don’t have to worry about where you use your scales, whether it’s outside in the pouring rain or on the factory floor where spills and dust are an everyday occurrence.

Industries that benefit from waterproof scales

Many industries can enjoy the above advantages of using waterproof scales, including:

Agriculture
Oil and gas
Food handling
Breweries
Fishmongers and butchers
Grocers
Veterinarian/zoos
Medical/pharmaceutical
Construction
Factories and mining

Precision waterproof scales in Calgary, Red Deer and Swift Current At Accurate/Western Scale Co. Ltd., we offer a range of durable, waterproof, high-IP-rated scales. Our products work in the harshest work environments. We’re also accredited by Measurement Canada to certify your scales as legal for trade. Contact us today in Calgary to learn more about our scales and services.

5 tips for legally weighing goods

If you sell or transport goods by weight, you must follow specific rules. The federal government implements regulations that protect buyers and sellers and establishes consistent practices and processes across Canada. Here are five tips for legally weighing goods for your commercial business.

1. Use legal for trade scales. If you sell goods by weight, you must use scales that are certified ‘legal for trade’ by Measurement Canada. Certified professionals must also do scale repairs and calibrations. Certification is essential for the following reasons:

It ensures all industry equipment is legal for trade and has gone through rigorous inspection processes
It builds market confidence and trust among consumers
It allows you to quickly identify faulty scales and fix them as soon as possible
It avoids measurement mistakes
It ensures there are no hidden problems with your scales and that they’re fit to use

2. Perform regular calibrations. Regularly calibrating your scales ensures the measurements are accurate every time. It’s a good idea to set up an internal maintenance schedule for calibration and overall inspection. Moreover, you should periodically book a maintenance service call with a certified professional technician to detect and correct minor problems before they become major issues.

3. Be mindful of hygiene. In many industries, like food handling, hygiene is paramount, and cleaning procedures are legally mandated. Cleaning and sanitizing scales before and after each use is critical to preventing products from becoming contaminated and endangering the public. Investing in a waterproof scale with an IP68 rating is beneficial because you can quickly and easily wash it down between measurements.

4. Use checkweighers. A checkweigher is a manual or automatic measuring device that weighs packaged goods before shipping them to customers. Overweight packages can reduce your profits, while underweight packages can lead to dissatisfied customers. A checkweigher can help you identify parcels that fall outside tolerated margins and remove them from the lineup, thereby improving quality control and transparency

5. Monitor environmental factors. You must protect your scale from ground vibrations. The slightest tremors from transportation trucks, nearby highways or construction can negatively affect a scale’s measurements. Moreover, frequent temperature fluctuations can damage your scale, and humid conditions and exposure to corrosive materials can lead to rust.

Floor scales in Calgary, Red Deer and Swift Current Accurate/Western Scale Co. Ltd. is Measurement Canada accredited. Therefore, all our technicians are qualified to perform inspections and certify scales as legal for trade. When we repair or calibrate your scales, you don’t have to call a third party to certify the work. Contact us today to request a quote or get more information. We serve clients in Calgary and throughout Alberta.

A brief guide to bench scales

Bench scales are compact, affordable and versatile tools suitable for various commercial applications. However, there are many models and styles to choose from with different functions and features. Here’s some helpful information about bench scales and how to choose the best one for your business.

What’s a bench scale? Bench scales are weighing instruments designed to sit on a counter or table. They don’t take up much space but generally have a large weighing pan. Some models have the display and keypad built right in, whereas others have a separate display that can be mounted to a wall for easy viewing. Bench scales aren’t generally suitable for weighing fine powders and weighty objects because their range is typically between two and 150 kilograms. In fact, many bench scales are designed explicitly for check weighing and counting. However, most are multi-functional and can be used for various applications. Bench-scale applications Bench scales have a variety of industrial and commercial uses, including:

Weighing fruits and vegetables at grocery stores
Weighing meat and fish
Weighing small animals in veterinary clinics and zoos
Weighing goods at farmers markets
Weighing ingredients in commercial kitchens and restaurants
Weighing screws, nails and bolts at hardware stores

How to choose a bench scale When choosing a bench scale, check the scale’s maximum weight capacity. High-capacity scales are typically less precise than small-capacity units. Also, make sure the weighing plate is large enough to accommodate the items you’ll be weighing to prevent overhang, which can skew your readings. Moreover, determine the scale’s linearity or graduation. This number determines the scale’s accuracy. For example, a scale graduation of 0.5 grams is more accurate than a scale with a graduation of 1.0 gram. Additionally, stainless steel scales with sealed keypads are easy to use and safe to wash down. If your workplace is dusty or messy, look for a scale with a high ingress protection (IP) rating. Finally, if you’re selling any commercial products by weight, you must use a scale that’s certified legal for trade.

Bench-scale features

Bench scales are often equipped with various innovative features, including:

Power-saving mode
Piece counting
Dynamic weighing that filters out vibrations
Rechargeable batteries and AC adaptors
Quick toggle between metric and imperial units

Many scales also come with USB ports that allow you to connect your scale to a laptop or a printer to quickly and easily compile data, track inventory and print tickets, labels and invoices.

Precision bench scales in Calgary, Red Deer and Swift Current

At Accurate/Western Scale Co. Ltd., we offer a wide variety of bench scales designed to suit any need. Furthermore, Measurement Canada accredits us to certify scales as legal for trade. Contact us in Calgary to learn more about bench scales and our other products and services.

Scales FAQs: What is the difference between readability and accuracy?

Scales with high readability are more accurate than scales with low readability and higher capacity, right? Wrong. That’s because readability and accuracy aren’t the same things. A scale with high readability may still be inaccurate, and you need to know why to avoid bad measurements. Here are the differences between readability and accuracy.

What’s scale readability?

Scale readability is the smallest increment the displayed weight can change as weight is added to or removed from the scale, usually defined as the number of zeroes past the decimal point. For example, a precision balance may have a readability of 0.01 milligrams, whereas a high-capacity platform scale may have a readability of 50.0 grams. Smaller readability typically means a higher degree of accuracy, but only sometimes.

Repeatability and maximum uncertainty tolerance

Besides readability, you also need to consider repeatability and maximum uncertainty tolerance.

Repeatability is the ability of a scale or balance to repeat the same measurement for a given load under the same conditions. The value is the standard deviation of more than 10 multiple tests and is denoted as Rstd.
Maximum uncertainty tolerance is your acceptable level of uncertainty: the lower your uncertainty tolerance, the more accurate your scale needs to be. If your uncertainty tolerance is 0.1 per cent, you need more accuracy than if your tolerance is one per cent.

Calculating your scale’s minimum weight

There’s a simple calculation that’ll tell you if the scale you want to use is accurate enough for your application:

2 x Rstd (repeatability) / T (tolerance) = W (minimum weight)

So, let’s say you want to measure something about 100 milligrams, the balance’s repeatability is 0.01 and your maximum uncertainty tolerance is 0.1 per cent. Your equation would look like this:

2 x 0.01 / 0.001 = 20 mg

The calculation shows that the scale can weigh as little as 20 milligrams and stay within your uncertainty tolerance, which means the scale is accurate enough for your needs. However, the scale wouldn’t be accurate enough to weigh something that’s only 10 milligrams with the same uncertainty tolerance.

Scale calibration

Using repeatability and uncertainty tolerance can help you avoid inaccurate results, even though your scale may have a high readability.

Furthermore, having your scales calibrated and maintained by a professional scale technician will ensure your scales are delivering accurate results.

Scale calibration and certification in Red Deer, Calgary and Swift Current

At Accurate/Western Scale Co. Ltd., we provide scale calibration, certification and maintenance services to ensure maximum accuracy for your business. Measurement Canada accredits our technicians as authorized scale inspectors, so all our work is legal for trade. Contact us today to schedule maintenance work for your scales.

Different ways to check your scale is calibrated correctly

Accurate measurements improve customer confidence, reduce stress on your fleet and ensure your business complies with transportation and trade regulations. Here are some ways to ensure the scale you’re using is properly calibrated.

Why calibration is necessary

Calibration is necessary due to scale drift. Like any machine or piece of equipment, your scales will wear down with constant and frequent use. Scale drift is a term used to describe deviations in performance and inaccurate results based on temperature fluctuations, worn parts, humidity, dust and dirt. Even the force of gravity can cause instabilities that affect scales, depending on your location. Regular calibration of your scales can prevent scale drift and wrong readings.

Calibration preparation

Before calibrating a scale, take the following steps:

Test the scale at the exact location you wish to use it
Allow proper stabilization and let the scale’s electronics warm for at least 30 minutes before testing
Perform the tests on a level surface, or level the scale using the unit’s level bubble

Call a professional scale technician if you’re having problems with or are unsure about scale calibration.

How to know if your scale is calibrated

Check a scale every time you move it to a new location, after a repair or adjustment, after heavy use or if you notice a reading that seems off.

The simplest and most common method of checking your scale is to compare its readings against a known entity. Commercial scales often come with standard test weights, which can help you determine if your scale is accurate. Here’s how to use them:

Carefully clean the scale and remove and clean the pan. At the same time, check for defects like broken parts and ensure the batteries are charged and in place.
Zero the scale.
Place a standard test weight on the scale that’s 80 per cent of the scale’s capacity. For example, if you have a scale with a capacity of 10 kilograms, use an eight-kilogram test weight.
Check the reading of the scale. Using our example above, if the scale reads above or below eight kilograms, your scale requires an adjustment.
Adjust the scale. Scales have internal or external adjustment features. Consult the manufacturer’s instructions.

Having your scales professionally calibrated and maintained by a certified scale expert is the best way to keep your scales in check.

Scale calibration services in Alberta

At Accurate/Western Scale Co. Ltd., our certified weigh-scale technicians provide guaranteed scale calibration and maintenance services for commercial and industrial clients in Alberta. Measurement Canada authorizes us to certify your scales as legal for trade. Contact us today to book an appointment.