3 advantages of weighing scales in the mining industry

There are several advantages to using accurate and durable weighing scales in the mining industry. Scales help businesses comply with government and industry regulations and increase efficiency and profitability. Here are three ways weighing scales can give your mining company an advantage.

1. Prolong the life of your trucks

You should follow the 10-10-20 rule for loading your trucks: no more than 10 per cent of your loads should exceed 10 per cent of your target payload. You should also never exceed 20 per cent of your allowable payload. When you overload a truck, it puts undue stress on the vehicle’s tires, suspension and engine. Moreover, it burns more fuel. You can also incur fines and penalties for breaking transportation laws and industry regulations. If you overload your trucks, you’ll likely end up spending more time and money on repairs. Furthermore, your fuel bills will skyrocket. Additionally, your employees may be stuck troubleshooting and changing blown tires when they could be attending to other matters. Industrial truck scales help prevent overloading and prolong the lifespan of your valuable fleet. They also prevent you from under-loading your trucks, which can increase your business’ efficiency and bottom line.

2. Protect your commercial infrastructure

Besides being hard on your fleet, overloaded trucks also cause roadways to crack and deteriorate under the excess weight. Consequently, you’ll spend time and money repairing road surfaces to ensure steady traffic flow on your job site. Fortunately, an onboard truck scale can help you meet your payload targets with even greater efficiency than a truck scale. The scale is attached to the vehicle’s chassis. Therefore, you don’t have to waste time moving the truck onto a separate scale.

3. Increase your business’s efficiency

Modern scales can streamline your operations. For example, conveyor belt scales allow you to measure quantities in real-time during extraction, relocation, processing and storage. This means that you don’t have to remove the materials from the conveyor belt to weigh them. Additionally, front-end loader scales attach directly to your heavy equipment, providing accurate measurements while loading and moving materials.

Industrial scales in Calgary, Red Deer and Swift Current

Since 1992, Accurate/Western Scale Co. Ltd. has provided high-quality, industrial-strength weight scales to Alberta’s mining industry and other commercial clients. Our team is accredited by Measurement Canada to certify scales as legal for trade. Moreover, we provide certified inspections. If you need a quote for a weight scale, contact us today at our Calgary location.

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.