One subject that comes up every so often is the idea of using multiple brands of scale equipment in one scale system. Can you do this?
The answer is yes (in most situations)
For most standard weighing scenarios you can use various scale manufacturers weighing equipment. So, for example, we can put a Rice Lake 480+ scale controller with an Ohaus scale platform (see picture). Or we can put a Cardinal 210 weight indicator on a Rice Lake OTR Survivor truck scale.
So, we can use one brand of scale digital weight indicator with another brand scale weight platform. And, we have done this. The one concern with this, is with certain systems, if you ever have any issues…. it could lead to finger pointing between the two manufacturers. We haven’t had a whole lot of that happen before, but in the right situation, it could occur.
When Do You Have to Use Only One Brand of Scale Controller?
In scenarios where you have a digital scale, it usually is recommended or required to use the same brand of scale equipment. So, for example on a Cardinal Armor digital truck scale, we would use a Cardinal 225D weight indicator with digital load cell interface.
A common question that many folks are curious about is, can my scale be repaired? Or sometimes it’s framed by cost considerations, and then the question becomes, is it worth having my scale repaired?
Most of the time the answer is yes to scale repairs. Your weighing scale can be repaired. If your weight scale or laboratory balance is broken, displaying error codes, or has a constant weight fluctuation, the scale likely needs to be repaired.
However, one consideration that you need to determine is the cost factor. The cost to repair a scale can vary from less than $100 to much higher. It’s a good idea to know up front what kind of expense is expected in your particular situation.
If your truck scale is broken and needs to be repaired, you will more than likely move forward with the repairs. However, if you bought a cheap scale on the internet for less than $100 and it fails, you might throw it away and not repair it since the labor charge and replacement parts will be more than the cost of the scale.
How Much Does it Cost to Calibrate a Scale?
If the scale is being calibrated on location, then most scale companies have an hourly rate that is charged for labor. Then, there is also a mileage charge which covers the cost of getting the scale test truck from the scale company to the customer and back.
If the customer is bringing the scale(s) to the scale company, normally that would involve an hourly rate charge and no mileage charge.
Either way, our certified scale technicians will calibrate and repair your weighing equipment with accuracy and efficiency using our state certified test weights.
Do Scales Stop Working after a while?
Weighing equipment that we offer is designed to work for many years, ideally. However, occasionally electronics will fail. That’s why it’s good to work with an experienced scale company like Central Carolina Scale. We’ve been recommending weighing solutions to customers for decades and we have great knowledge about the best and most reliable weighing equipment brands available.
Why did my scale stop working?
So your scale has stopped working. Why did that happen? The answer to this question can vary. Sometimes lightening can cause problems. Sometimes it’s simply the age of the scale equipment. Other times, perhaps the equipment was overloaded. Maybe one of your employees did something to break the scale (and now nobody knows what happened). Finally, sometimes equipment just fails.
No one can prevent failures all the time but this is a good reason to have a service agreement with CCS. Our experienced scale tech’s will see your scale equipment on a regular basis and can make any recommendations or fixes as needed. You also save money on service rates too.
The modern industrial scale lineup that we offer are great products. But, like just about everything else they are not bullet proof. They will eventually fail. However, the good news is that you have a trusted industrial scale repair / calibration company in central North Carolina who can handle these scale repairs.
