Monthly Archives: May 2014

Cardinal Scale S2WIFI Provides Weatherproof Wireless Ethernet Scale Indicator

Posted on by

Cardinal Scale’s S2WIFI connects to IEEE 802.11b/g wireless local area networks (wireless LAN) and allows you to wirelessly send data from weight indicators to existing networks, remote displays, printers, laptops, PCs, tablets, and smart phones. The robust S2WIFI allows you to utilize Cardinal’s extensive library of mobile apps for smart phones and tablets, such as Pathway and RemoteWeigh. The S2WIFI converts serial to a Wi-Fi signal and supplies wireless Ethernet for any Cardinal Scale indicator. It may be added to an existing network or you can create a stand-alone network.

•Cardinal quality and technical support
•Watertight, weatherproof enclosure
•Easy Web browser configuration
•Supplies wireless Ethernet for any indicator
•Compact, fully-enclosed module
•Network configuration recall
•Appears as a wireless access point
•Polycarbonate box with clear-smoke cover
•No external power needed
•Easily connects to an existing network

The S2WIFI cable’s serial connector easily plugs into the main board on Cardinal model 205, 210, and 225 indicators and SB250/SB500 remote displays. For the 825 and 201 indicators, you will need to remove the connector and connect the red and black wires (for power) directly into the main board. Four communication status LEDs allow you to quickly identify power, link connection, transmit/receive, and reset to the factory default. The S2WIFI doesn’t require any batteries or an AC adapter, since all power is supplied by the indicator. Contact the sales team at Central Carolina Scale for price information.

Scale Calibration Frequency: How Often Should I Calibrate my Digital Scale?

Posted on by

We’ve actually covered the subject of how often to calibrate a scale before but it’s always a good idea to remind customers just how important the accuracy of their scales can be. We get this question fairly often so today with the help of Doran Scales we’ll take another look at why it’s important to have your scales calibrated on a regular basis by a trained scale technician.

What is the value of the product to be weighed on the scale?
If the product being weighed is very expensive, there is value in regular and periodic inspection and calibration. For example if the product costs $10 a pound and on an average day 1,000 pounds of product is weighed on the scale, the total value is $10,000. Let’s assume the scale is out of tolerance by 0.5%; that discrepancy would be $50 per day, $250 per week, and $1,000 per month. Obviously, eliminating this error would save a tremendous amount of money and more than pay for the calibration services.

Is it a legal-for-trade application?
If you buy or sell product based upon weight using your scale, it will need to be inspected and certified by the State or local Weights and Measures Department at the time of or shortly after installation. If a scale is tested and found to be out of tolerance or if products in the field are found to not meet the stated weight, Weights and Measure can condemn the scales so that they cannot be used until recalibrated, and literally shut your production down.

How many weighments per day and at what % of scale capacity?
Generally speaking, with time and use scales can start to lose accuracy. It may be a tiny error but over months and years it can grow to unacceptable levels. Think of it in these terms: when you buy a new car, you can expect that the wheel alignment will be exactly accurate. When this same car has 75,000 or 100,000 miles on it, the wheel alignment may need to be adjusted due to normal wear and tear. The same idea is true with your scale. Regular calibration of heavily used scales will correct any accuracy errors that will normally occur with this type of use.

Are the scales frequently moved around in your facility or from one location to another?
Doran scales are designed to be portable, in the sense that they do not require a permanent installation location. However, many times when scales are moved, they are handled incorrectly, resulting in damage that can affect the calibration and accuracy of the unit. If your scales are constantly being moved around in your facility or moved from one location to another, regular calibration will help keep them accurate and reveal any damage that may have occurred when they have been moved.

Continue reading →

So You’re Looking For A Stretch Wrap Machine With Scale?

Posted on by

Probably not a month goes by that we don’t get a call or email from someone looking for a stretch wrap machine with scale built in. At one time we did try to offer a few really nice large scale solutions to our warehouse customers but in many cases it can be more cost effective to just use one of our platform scales instead.

In the past, we have seen some customers purchase a Pennsylvania Scale 4′ x 8′ floor scale with 10,000 lb capacity and utilize it for stretch wrapping. We’ve also seen customers buy floor scales in a variety of sizes from 48″ x 48″ or 60″ x 60″ and place some type of turntable on top. Then, they manually wrap the pallet as the turntable spins around. Of course, the entire time the floor scale is underneath and digital weight indicator displays the weight. We have a great selection of floor scales from names like Avery Weigh-Tronix, Brecknell, B-Tek, Cardinal, Digi, and Rice Lake Weighing Systems.

The point of this write up is to mention that there are options available for stretch wrapping your pallets while obtaining an accurate weight reading, if you’re not looking to spend $5,000 or $10,000 for a sophisticated stretch wrap machine with built in scale.