Grain Testing Scales for Sample Houses

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Scale Man

Grain testing scales are essential tools used in agricultural sampling houses for coops, large farms, and the food processing industry to determine the quality and value of grain. Here’s a step-by-step explanation of their use and requirements for legal-for-trade classification:

Sample Collection

Grain samples are typically collected by a probe while the grain is loaded in a truck and being weighed on a static truck scale. Proper sampling is crucial to ensure the sample is representative of the entire batch, so the probe will typically select the sampling from random spots within the batch.

Weighing

The grain sample is brought into the scale house via the probe. There the sample is placed on a testing scale to measure its weight. This measurement helps in determining the test weight of the grain, which is a key factor in marketing and pricing. Test weight indicates the density of the grain and can influence its market value.

Grain scales such as Cardinal Detecto models 420-3000, 420-1200, and 420-600 provide quick and accurate weight measurements for a variety of grains. These small countertop scales are typically situated next to the grain moisture meter in the scale house.

Moisture Testing

After the sample has been weighed, it is then tested for moisture content using a grain moisture meter. This step is essential for assessing the grain’s quality and suitability for storage and processing.

Dockage Testing

Dockage testing helps separate impurities from the grain. Dockage is foreign material typically not included in the market price.

Data Recording

The weights and measurements obtained from the scale and grain moisture meter are recorded and analyzed. These data points provide insights into the quality, purity, and potential yield of the grain batch.

Quality Grading

Based on the weight and size distribution, the grain is graded. Higher test weights generally indicate better grain quality, which fetches higher prices on the market. These procedures ensure that the grain meets industry standards and helps in making informed decisions regarding its sales and processing.

detecto 420 series ntep scales

Detecto model 420-3000 class II legal-for-trade scale is a popular choice for grain testing weighing due to its 60,000-division resolution combined with a price point nearly $1000 less than any other competitor’s NTEP scales in that resolution category. Multiple other 420 series models with varying capacities and similar price range are also available in the 60,000-division category, making them NTEP (National Type Evaluation Program) legal-for-trade for grain sampling weighing applications. They only take up 8.6 inch x 11.5 inch of counter space and come with an AC adapter and rechargeable battery.

The 420-3000 sampling scale has a 7.4 inch by 5.8 inch stainless steel platform that can be lifted off for easy cleaning after grain weighing. The precision digital balance scale has a 3,000 gram capacity with 0.05 gram divisions, conforming to NTEP class II Handbook 44 requirements, for use in both commercial and GIPSA (Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration) applications.

The scale division for grain testing scales, according to Handbook 44, must not exceed 0.2 grams for loads through 500 grams, and must not exceed 1 gram for loads above 500 grams through 1,000 grams, so the 420-3000 is well below those requirements at only 0.05 gram divisions.

One of the factors in grain quality that sampling houses will be looking for is dockage, such as debris and hulls. Dockage refers to the foreign material and impurities, such as fungus, in grain that needs to be removed to assess its true quality and value.

Scale house operators will test for fungus by weighing good grain samples first and weighing grain samples with fungus present afterward to extrapolate from the total load and subtract the dollar amount from the load’s value. These minute weight differences between dockage and live weight samples are why grain test scales with tight division values are critical in the process.

The grain samples are subjected to dockage testing using specialized equipment like dockage testers. These testers help in separating the impurities from the grain, providing a clear measurement of the dockage percentage.

Dockage testing is a critical step in the grain grading process, ensuring that only high-quality, impurity-free grain reaches the market, which benefits both producers and consumers. The grain elevator purchasing company discloses dockage prior to the transaction being completed, so the farmer can accept the offer or decline it and check if they can get a better dockage elsewhere, and therefore a better price, from another buyer.

The USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration, otherwise known as GIPSA, establishes regulations for grain weighing under the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA).

These regulations ensure accurate and fair grain weighing practices, which are critical for maintaining market integrity. GIPSA sets official performance and procedural requirements for grain weighing equipment. This includes the guidelines for accuracy, calibration, and maintenance of weighing devices used in grain handling facilities.

Sampling houses in commercial applications must use grain testing scales that are NTEP approved and placed in service legal for trade. Depending upon the state, the scales would be placed in service by a state scale inspector or a registered scale service agency. Most states will not place a scale in service that does not have NTEP certificate or conformance, but in the end that is determined by the state.

The owner of the scale is responsible for the scale, so if it is either not suitable or out of tolerance, the owner is liable and could face fines, which are generally levied by the state attorney office. Detecto 420 series scales combine NTEP legal-for-trade class II status that conforms to Handbook 44 and USDA GIPSA requirements, in the division size necessary, with a much lower price point than any other competitors’ scales on the market making them a clear choice for grain testing weighing.

Contact our sales department today to learn more about the 420 series.

The Return of the Digital Smart Sectional Controller (DSSC)

Posted on July 3, 2024 by Scale Man

Back in September 2010, Thurman Scale originally released the Digital Smart Sectional Controller (DSSC) for converting Mettler® DigiTOL® scales to Intalogix. In July of 2018, the DSSC went End of Life (EoL) due to several electronic components used in the design no longer being available.

However, recently Thurman has been able to source components to allow them to again manufacture and offer the DSSC for customers who desire to convert their Mettler scale to Intalogix. Please continue reading as we discuss what the DSSC is all about and how it can help out a lot of customers who have older MT truck scales.

What is a Digital Smart Sectional Controller?

This is a special type of Smart Sectional Controller manufactured by Thurman Scale in St Johnsbury, Vermont specifically designed to interface to the Mettler 760 Powercell and MTX cells. These cells will have the cable connector on the top half and usually an orange label on the top half.

How do the DSSCs work?
The DSSC is very similar to the SSCs you may have heard of. DSSCs feature Thurman Scale Intalogix Technology. The DSSCs wire up very similar to the standard SSCs. Besides the ability to interface with the Mettler 760 Powercell and MTX cells, the DSSCs will drive four (4) load cells each, whereas the SSCs drive two (2) each. The DSSC was specifically designed to be a drop-in replacement for the existing Mettler junction box. The DSSCs even use the exiting Mettler mounting hardware. The DSSCs also use the same Pit Power Supplies as the standard SSCs.

Do the DSSCs only work with the Mettler 760 Powercell and MTX cells digital cells?
No. One of the best features of the DSSC is the ability to mix and match load cells.
As the Mettler 760 Powercell and MTX cells eventually fail, you can replace them with the standard analog 7.5” tall RC load cell (part # 95544 with 26’ cable). Other cable lengths available.

What scale instrumentation does the DSSC require?
The DSSC work with all Thurman Scale’s Heavy Capacity instruments which use Intalogix Technology. Such as TS611, TS612, & TS613.

Is special software required in the scale instrument to work with the DSSCs?
No special software is required to work with the DSSCs. Just 100% standard catalog products. From the instrument side, everything is exactly the same. You lose no instrument features or functions. You still have the very best load cell diagnostics available through Intalogix technology. You still have digitally isolated load cells. You still have optically isolated load cells. You still have the digital front panel calibration. Those items all remain intact because it is the exact same instrument. Simply choose the instrument that provides the best solution for you.

We also have an analog load cell scale kit replacement as well. However, in most cases we would probably recommend going with the Thurman digital scale equipment versus the older analog style load cells.

Is there a cumbersome load cell addressing scheme like some Mettler instruments require?
No. Just like any Intalogix system using our standard SSC, the cells are automatically
found and addressed by the DSSC ID. No connecting, disconnecting and reconnecting cells to find cell addresses.

Is this a new product?
No. The DSSCs were originally introduced by Thurman Scale in September 2010.

Have we done many conversions?
Completed conversions number over five hundred (500+) scales. This is a hardened, field-tested in the most demanding of all applications.

Will the DSSC work with the Mettler PDX digital cells?
No. The DSSC was designed specifically for the Mettler 760 Powercell and MTX cells. The Mettler PDX cell is a different digital load cell with a different digital interface compared to the Mettler 760 Powercell and MTX cells.

Will the DSSC work with the Cardinal digital cells or the B-Tek digital cells?
No to both the Cardinal & B-Tek. The DSSC was designed specifically for the Mettler 760 Powercell and MTX cells. The Cardinal digital system uses its own unique digital load cell with a unique and different digital interface compared to the Mettler 760 Powercell and MTX cells. Likewise, the B-Tek digital system uses its own unique digital load cell with a unique and different digital interface compared to the Mettler 760 Powercell and MTX cells.

So, why would someone want to buy this Thurman DSSC solution?
Mettler has updated their digital cells a few times over the years. Their current PDX load cell is not backward compatible with older digital cells. Mettler no longer manufacturers the 760 Powercell and MTX cells. This means if a customer has an older cell that fails, the MT solution is to replace every cell in the system to upgrade to the PDX cell.

Additionally, Mettler is no longer manufacturing instruments and replacement parts compatible with the Mettler 760 Powercell and MTX cells. This means the customer could face replacement of all load cells and the instrumentation. As you can imagine, this is not a desirable solution for most customers.

Until now, the owner of a Mettler Toledo truck scale using the Mettler 760 Powercell or MTX cells had no options but to replace all their load cells and possibly the instrument as well. No other manufacturer offers a similar solution to the DSSC. This is a unique product offering from Thurman Scale.

If this sounds like a product that would interest you, please complete our RFQ form on our website for more information.

5 Reasons You Should Consider Hydrostatic Cells for Your Next Tank, Hopper, Silo, or Vessel Weighing Application

Posted on June 18, 2024 by Scale Man

Most of the time when you think about tank scales or hopper style scales you often think of load cell mounts or weigh modules with strain gauge load cells placed under the vessel. But in today’s entry we take a look at a few of the advantages of using a hydraulic load cell instead. Out of all the weighing technologies available, hydrostatic load cells often standout as one of the most robust and dependable solutions on the market today. Let’s take a look at five of the advantages of choosing a hydraulic load cell system for placing under your tank.

Durability and Resilience

Hydrostatic load cells are engineered with simplicity and resilience in mind. Unlike electronic load cells which contain delicate components vulnerable to environmental factors such as temperature fluctuations, moisture, and electromagnetic interference. This inherent simplicity not only reduces the risk of component failure but also enhances longevity, making hydrostatic load cells ideal for harsh industrial environments where reliability is crucial. The factory believes in the quality and durability of the hydrostatic load cells so much that they offer a lifetime load cell guarantee.

Minimal Maintenance Requirements

Electronic load cells sometimes require periodic calibration and maintenance to ensure accuracy and performance. In contrast, hydrostatic load cells have minimal maintenance requirements. This translates to reduced downtime and lower maintenance costs, providing a clear advantage for businesses seeking efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Accuracy and Precision

Hydrostatic load cells offer exceptional accuracy and precision, even in demanding conditions. As a result, users can rely on hydrostatic load cells to deliver precise measurements with confidence, whether for process control, material testing, or other critical applications.

emery winslow tank load cell

Intrinsically Safe Design

In environments where explosive gases or flammable materials are present, safety is of utmost concern. Hydrostatic load cells offer an intrinsically safe design, with no electrical components in direct contact with the measured load. For industries such as oil and gas, chemical processing, or mining, where safety is non-negotiable, hydrostatic load cells provide a reliable solution for accurate weight measurement without compromising safety.

Cost Effectiveness

With minimal maintenance requirements, extended durability, and reliable performance, hydrostatic loadcells offer excellent long-term value. Businesses can benefit from reduced downtime, lower maintenance costs, and improved operational efficiency, leading to a higher return on investment (ROI).

So those are some of the advantages of using hydrostatic load cells under your tank. Now to be fair there can be some disadvantages to choosing a system like this. A hydrostatic system like this can cost more than a traditional weigh module kit with strain gauge load cells. And, installation and regular maintenance would need to be handled by a local scale company with hydraulic load cell experience. In other words, not every scale company out there has experience with this type of weighing equipment.

If you are interested in learning more or getting a quote on a 120 Series or 136 Series. Please contact our sales department via the RFQ form on our website. We look forward to working with you.

Mistakes to Avoid When Purchasing a Truck Weight Scale

Posted on June 11, 2024 by Scale Man

A truck scale is a rather large investment for most businesses. So, it’s one of those purchases that you want to take your time with and do your homework. Needing a truck scale in a hurry is not a good situation to be in. Especially since most purchasing managers have never been involved in choosing and installing a 70 or 80 foot long scale for weighing trucks. So, you’re probably wondering what mistakes should folks avoid? Well here are a few to think about.

Lack of Planning

A truck scale is a rather large investment. It also takes time from start to finish. It also has multiple key moments. The customer needs to have a manager or point of contact. Ideally one or two people. Questions and timelines will come up.

Folks will ask, when is the truck scale arriving? Do we have power at the scale location? Are all the cables and conduits ready? Is the customer ordering the crane to offload the scale? When does the crane need to be there? Is the foundation ready for the scale? The point of contact and the scale sales person / installer need to discuss the timeline so there are no huge surprises.

Overlooking the Scale Foundation

Most customers around the Carolinas are going to choose an above ground truck scale. Back in the day customers would choose a mechanical truck scale and it would be installed in a pit since it had levers and took up a lot of space. However, that was back then… Most customers today choose to have a concrete foundation poured and place the scale on that. Otherwise, you are having to dig a hole and pour a lot of concrete. And of course the pit is going to collect a lot of water and then you’re looking at drains and pumps and that is usually not what we would recommend in most cases.

You do want to make sure that you or the scale company use a reputable concrete person to pour and form the scale foundation. The last thing you want is the foundation cracking and not able to withstand the weight of the truck scale the trucks being weighed.

We have also seen situations where a potential scale buyer doesn’t have a good grasp on the location around where the scale will be located. There could be environmental issues as well as things like drainage lines nearby, etc…

Overlooking the Scale Location

Deciding where to place your new truck scale can sometimes be really easy and other times can be very challenging. It can be even more difficult when you have a half dozen folks involved with the truck scale buyer. Sometimes it can be a good idea to put someone in charge from your company so there aren’t too many folks involved in the decision making.

Generally speaking with truck scales, you want to place the scale in the correct area for your traffic flow. You also need to try hard to not place the scale in a low area where water is going to bring all kind of debris. One of the biggest problems that above ground truck scales struggle with is buildup that gets lodged under the weighbridge.

Not Choosing the Proper Load Cell Technology

In most situations these days, a truck scale buyer has three distinct types of technology to consider. Hydraulic, Digital or Analog truck scales. Each has it’s place. We suggest that you discuss these options with your scale sales person to determine which is best for you.

Choosing the Wrong Scale Platform

Likewise, you also need to choose the scale platform material. Truck scales are exposed to various environmental conditions, including extreme temperatures, snow, ice, heavy rain… and on top of that possibly heavy traffic everyday!

If you are placing a truck scale in certain environments like HEAVY amounts of daily traffic or possibly weighing really corrosive materials… you might want to discuss this with your scale sales person first before you actually purchase the scale. If you discuss this first, you can likely take care of this with solutions like possibly a concrete scale deck instead of steel. Or you can perhaps get the “HD” version truck scale instead of just the “standard duty” version.

snow around a truck scale weighbridge

Not Slowing Down & Thinking About the Scale and Your Trucks

Before you place the order for a truck scale, be sure to measure your trucks and be certain what size scale you need. And, what about truck scale accuracy? Most customers choose a 70, 80 or 100 foot long truck scale. Width is normally 11 feet wide. The other thing to think about is the number of trucks you expect to be weighing daily. Think about what this number will be five years from now. In other words if you think that you’ll be weighing well over 250 trucks a day, don’t buy a light duty truck scale.

Not Choosing the Right Scale Company

Over the forty plus years we’ve been in business we have installed and worked on A LOT of truck scales. You name the town and we have probably worked on one near there. We have installed digital truck scales, analog truck scales, and even hydraulic truck scales. We’ve even had competitors tell customers that we’re out of business, just so they can sneak in and take the sale. Maybe we’ll talk about that in more detail some time…. but continuing on.

In our opinion, these days too many purchasing managers or QC managers worry about certain certifications and not enough about proven experience. Think about it, who would you want installing your truck scale… two state certified scale technicians who have a combined 35 years of experience OR two scale technicians with maybe 10 years of experience total, but with lots of badges and approvals that they might have earned by watching a video. We’ll take the experienced techs everyday!

Not Investing the Money… The Scale Should Last for Decades So Spend the Money

Look, we all shop the internet for deals. All of us can find cheaper items for just about everything. Just remember, this truck scale that you’re looking to purchase is designed to last you for decades. Don’t be afraid to spend a little more money now to get a scale that might last an extra five or ten years. We see cheap scales everyday. There are some scale manufacturers overseas that can cut corners like you wouldn’t believe! But do you really want to purchase a cheap truck scale that is built on price and reaching a certain “price point”?

Focus on quality and the overall truck scale lifespan. Remember this is a scale that is going to have 80,000 lb vehicles driven over it everyday for years. Add in the outdoor elements and you want to make sure you buy a quality product that can last you two or three decades. Many times when customers choose a low end truck scale they often have to replace the scale much earlier than they would have with a traditional high quality truck scale.

Conclusion

Buying a truck scale whether it’s a 70 foot or 100 foot long is a large investment. It’s something that most folks only do once or twice in their professional career. Try to avoid the mistakes when purchasing a truck weighing scale that we have presented in this entry. By avoiding some of these common oversights many of you should be able to choose a high quality truck scale that will provide you with decades of quality weighing. If you would like to get buying advice or price quotes from us, please complete the RFQ form and we look forward to working with you.

CANNABIS… What Scales Do You Need for Production, Distributing, or Selling?

Posted on June 4, 2024 by Scale Man

Scales and Balances for the Cannabis Industry

As more states legalize marijuana for medical and/or recreational use, each part of the industry, from growers to dispensaries, must learn how to handle the additional focus and attention along the cannabis plant’s journey from planting the seed to reaching the actual consumer.

A big part of that process is actually weighing the product. With the high price tag per ounce attached to medical marijuana, it’s necessary to ensure that everyone is getting the correct amount.

Typical Cannabis Distribution Chain

Growers
Cultivate the plant and sometimes process the flower themselves but often sell the raw material to a processor, which also acts as a wholesaler.

Processors
Trim, dry and cure the plants to ready them for manufacture into consumer-ready products.

Manufacturers
Incorporate the processed material into products.

Dispensaries
Sell the finished product to patients and consumers.

At each level where consumer-destined cannabis is handled, the high-precision requirements for weighing are the same. Medical laboratories operate outside of the consumer-focused supply chain, but concentrate their efforts on researching all components of the cannabis plant to find their effects on the human body.

Cultivation and Harvest of Marijuana

Inventory management and profitability start at the growing facility. At this point counter top bench scales, floor scales, and pallet jack scales allow growers to capture the material handling weights at the field site, indoor growing facility, packaging plant or anywhere weight documentation is needed for cannabis logistics. Great for repetitive tasks while harvesting, loading and packing.

Processing and Extracting Cannabis

Our line of bench scales and check weighing scales are great for all the tasks of cannabis and hemp processing environments, including sanitary handling and consumer ready retail packaging. Our line of industrial scales are built well and priced right and best of all, can be custom ordered for an exact fit in just about any location and hold up to extreme cleaning procedures.

rice lake 1280

Cannabis processing, batching and automated production are taken a step further with our selection of Rice Lake 1280 digital weight indicators. Weight indicators perform a range of functions from batching to simple weight displaying to the most complex custom programming, communications and remote batch queuing. We can provide complete weighing and process control solutions for any operation from bulk batching to featherweight designer-strain derivatives.

What Kind of Scales are Required for Selling Medical Cannabis Inside Retail Shops & Dispensaries?

According to what we are hearing, in many states, scales and balances used for selling cannabis to consumers need to be NTEP Class II, meaning they must display results from 1 mg to 50 mg (0.05g) and have 10,000 – 100,000 divisions, or better. (For reference, Class I units have more than 100,000 divisions.) We suggest contacting your state weighing and measures department to determine what state and local requirements you will have to comply with.

In selling to the public, the balances must be NTEP certified legal-for-trade. This means the scale has been approved by NCWM and has a certificate of conformance number (CoC#) and is legally approved in the U.S. for buying or selling goods by weight.

Our lineup of CAS, Brecknell, Detecto, and Rice Lake retail scales are ideal for the point of sale (POS) or retail packaging counters in cannabis storefronts and dispensaries. Legal for Trade scales allow legal selling of products by weight from the scale, according to NTEP Certification for the highest level of accuracy in weight-based transactions.

Rice Lake’s retail scales have data communicating options suitable for tracking, reporting and inventory management, and select models offer additional weight displays for transparency and customer confidence.

adam equinox analytical balance

Because dispensaries sell cannabis products in small amounts, readability of 0.01g is ideal to have. Medical laboratories often have a little more tolerance in terms of requirements since they don’t actually sell cannabis, but they often utilize balances with readability in the neighborhood of 0.0001g. For something like that, see the Adam Equipment Equinox Analytical Balance.

As with other applications – such as biopharmaceuticals or jewelry – the small amounts of cannabis sold in most transactions require a high degree of readability to protect both the buyer and seller. Popular NTEP approved weed scales available include the Adam Equipment Highland balance along with the Ohaus SJX1502N/E, Intelligent Vibra ALE-NC balance and A&D EK series of precision balances.

legal for trade ale-nc dispensary scale

To satisfy requirements for selling cannabis derivatives, edibles and topicals by weight, our selection of Rice Lake laboratory balances are ideal for the cannabis industry and can weigh derivatives precisely to 0.001 gram. Scale data connectivity for labeling and tracking compliance is available with RS-232, Bluetooth or USB port.

We hope this entry what scales do you need for production, distributing, or selling cannabis has helped you better understand this industry. We do recommend you contact your state weighing and measurements office to determine exactly what your particular requirements are because they can differ from state to state. If you need some assistance purchasing your industrial weighing equipment, please contact us (919) 776-7737.

Crane Scales Buying Advice & Recommendations

Posted on May 7, 2024 by Scale Man

Crane scales, which are sometimes referred to as hanging scales or by the general term of overhead weighing, are basically scales that are designed to weigh items that are lifted by the hook on the bottom of the scale. Today we want to look at the basics of crane scales and look at some of the important features to consider before purchasing a new crane scale. Basically, we would like to provide you with some crane scales buying advice & recommendations out of the kindness of our heart. And, maybe to get a sale or two out of it as well. : )

Crane Scales 101

In most situations a crane scale will be safely mounted to some type of hook or device that is suspended. It could be lifting equipment or steel beams, hoists, etc… This will allow the weighing of heavy objects while they are suspended in the air. Sometimes it can actually be easier to weigh an odd size object using a crane scale than it would be to weigh on a traditional floor scale for example. This can be especially true if trying to weigh an object that is very large or heavy and just doesn’t match up well with traditional floor scales like you would use to weigh a pallet.

ntep crane scale

Crane scales that we offer typically use a strain gauge load cell, which converts mechanical force into electrical signals. The scale then displays the weight on the digital weight display, usually in either a RED led reading or a backlit gray LCD readout. Power is typically provided by standard 120 VAC and often includes a rechargeable battery for weighing in various situations. Some crane scales may also include things like a remote weight readout, wireless connectivity, and NTEP legal for trade status.

How Crane Scales are used in the Real World

We have sold hundreds of crane scales over the years. The top brands of crane scales typically include Intercomp, CAS, MSI, and a few others. The crane scales we sell are used across numerous industries that are looking for heavy-capacity weighing. Some examples might include: Foundry, Mining, Manufacturing, Material Handling, Logistics, Construction and Engineering, & Commercial Fishing.

Top 5 Factors to Consider When Buying a Crane Scale

So, if you’ve read this far, you’re probably in the market for a crane scale? That’s great. At CCS we have been selling crane scales long before many of the current online scale sellers ever came into existence. Based on our years of experience, there are five important things to consider when looking to purchase a digital crane scale.

Crane Scale Weight Capacity and Readability

First thing to mention is the max capacity and readability of the scale. Anytime you’re looking to purchase a weight scale it’s a good idea to know the approximate maximum amount of weight you are going to be looking to weigh. Likewise, how low do you want the scale to display weight readings?

The higher your max capacity is, the larger your weighing increments or graduations are going to be. For example, if you have a 1000 pound capacity scale, the readability increments would typically be 0.5 lb… aka a half pound.

However, if you have a 10,000 pound capacity crane scale, the readability increments becomes 5 lb. And when you’re dealing with overhead weighing applications, it’s usually a good idea to choose a scale with a capacity a little higher than you originally anticipated for safety sake and to make sure you don’t overload the scale.

Crane Scale Enclosures

Depending on the environment that you intend on using the crane scale, you want to make sure you choose a scale with the proper construction. If you’re using the scale in a washdown type environment, you will want a crane scale with an IP rating of IP65 or greater in most cases. IP ratings refer to dust and water ingress. Another subject to lookup: What are heat resistant crane scales?

For hazardous environments, you will want to look at our intrinsically safe crane scale from MSI. In fact, we have an entire line of intrinsically safe scales from A&D, Doran, and Rice Lake. These hazardous area scales are typically FM approved and designed for particular locations by division and group. You often see this in manufacturing and industrial applications such as chemical manufacturing.

Crane Scale with LCD display

Crane Scale Display Readouts

Number three on our list of crane scale buying factors is the digital display. This is one subject that a lot of customers don’t think about until it’s too late. Typically a crane scale that’s indoors will work just fine with a RED led display. However, if the crane scale is taken outside, the LED display tends to get washed out in sunlight. So, for outdoor settings a LCD display might be preferred.

You also might need to think about a remote control or remote display. Sometimes if a crane scale is mounted really high in the air, it can very hard to read the scale display on the front of the crane scale. A wireless remote display can assist you with this situation. To enhance visibility and display weight measurements in other locations, consider the option for wireless remote displays. In some applications remote displays can also double as a scale controller too, allowing wireless operation of the crane scale as well.

Red LED scale display

Crane Scale Battery and Power Choices

The power source of your crane scale is important to consider as well. Many crane scales offer a rechargeable battery. In our opinion, many times it’s also a good idea to have a second rechargeable battery and an external battery charger.

Crane Scale Safety

Number five is cost. There is no question that many customers focus on price when it comes to buying electronic weighing scales online. And, in a lot of situations that’s fine to put some emphasis on price.

However, when you are dealing with overhead weighing applications, do you really want to rely on that imported electronic crane scale that you bought on some website? Imagine you wondering what exactly was involved in the QC process, as you watch this no-name crane scale lifting thousands of pounds up in the air.

Yes, we’re talking about that very same crane scale that doesn’t even have a brand name listed on it anywhere! Do yourself a favor, when it comes to crane scales and overhead weighing applications, we recommend that you stick with the reputable brand name choices like MSI and Intercomp.

Final Thoughts on Overhead Weighing Equipment Sourcing

There are many different models of crane scales on the market today. We’ve seen many of them and we have our favorites. And our favorites are the ones that we’ve sold over the years that are designed to last and provide customers with accurate weights for many years of service.

s-beam load cell crane scale

We have sold everything from CAS Corporation Caston II crane scales to S-Beam load cells connected to a digital weight indicator. Basically, we have a proven selection of industrial crane scales that we recommend for customers.

Some of you are probably asking, how do YOU know which scales to recommend? Truthfully, we recommend crane scales based on what you tell us, our experience with the crane scales we sell, and our experience with the crane scale manufacturers that we deal with on a daily basis.

First thing we suggest is to contact our sales department. You can do that by email, phone or completing the RFQ form on our website. Tell us what you’re looking to weigh and a rough idea of what you think you will need for your overhead weighing application.

We can then work with you together selecting the right crane scale for your particular application. We recommend high quality and reliable crane scales from names you can trust like MSI, CAS, and Intercomp. We are a top scale distributor and service provider of heavy-capacity crane scales for all the scale brands mentioned above like CAS, MSI and Intercomp.

Hopefully we have provided you with some crane scales buying advice & recommendations. Do you need help choosing the right crane scale system? We’re just a phone call or email away. (919) 776-7737 Contact us today.

Top Load Balance vs Analytical Balance

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Scale Man

What is a Top Load Balance?

A top loader balance is a balance without a built-in draft shield, so the pan is easily accessible from all sides. There are many kinds of top loader balances, including mechanical triple beam balances, compact balances, and precision balances.

Precision Balances

Precision balances often provide finer readability than compact balances because they intend to deliver highly precise weighing results. Unlike compact scales, precision balances offer more functions than weighing alone.

For example, the Adam Luna precision balance offers features like parts counting, check weighing, dynamic weighing, and percentage weighing applications. Our selection of Adam top loader precision balances ranges in capacity from 2100 grams to 15 kilograms, with readabilities going from 0.001 grams to one tenth of a gram.

top loading balance

Compact Balances

Compact balances, with their lightweight design, offer portability and occupy minimal space. They frequently feature batteries, enabling operation without requiring a power plug. Our Adam compact balances range in capacity from 100 grams to 30 kilograms, with readabilities from 0.001 grams to to five grams.

Triple Beam Mechanical Balances

Mechanical balances, like our Adam Equipment TBB Triple Beam Balances, operate without electricity. The weight of an object is determined by actively moving counterweights to physically balance the item. Our TBB Triple Beam Balances have capacities from 610 grams to 2610 grams, with readabilities of a tenth of a gram.

Summing up Top Loader Balances

Top-loading balances often are built using a robust housing and typically feature high capacities such as 2600 grams, 3200 grams or even 15,000 grams. However, they are much less precise and accurate than analytical balances, with readabilities ranging between 0.01 grams and 0.1 grams.

Top-loading balances are frequently used for material testing applications in construction and engineering where precision is still needed, but the balance cannot be as sensitive to minute changes because they are used in more demanding environments.

Top-loading balances are also very useful for applications where density is important, since they offer a large capacity with smart features that can do a lot of the work for the user.

They’re also well-suited for mobile laboratories where the conditions are less than ideal, and the samples are larger. Because they can weigh larger batches, top-loading balances are often used for pilot production or small batch production.

analytical balance

What is an Analytical Balance?

While analytical balances are slightly less precise than semi-micro balances (their readability tends to be around 0.0001g), they are usually used with an anti-vibration table to help minimize mass fluctuations caused by their environment.

They’re still very precise and pick up on slight changes, so precautions must be taken to accurately measure small samples. These types of balances are one of the most commonly used tools in a laboratory, from life sciences to forensics. Analytical balances are frequently used for quantitative analysis and reagent measurement in chemistry.

Analytical and semi-micro balances both feature draft shields that enclose a small weighing chamber designed to protect the sample from environmental factors like drafts or static electricity. They tend to share features such as formulation or percentage weighing.

Laboratories don’t only benefit from exceptional precision and accuracy – lab scales also offer additional applications, such as formulation, parts counting, check weighing and dynamic weighing. In the times of beam or spring balances, these extra calculations would have to be done manually. Now, you save time, money, and effort when using one of our Equinox, Luna or Solis balances.

Extraordinary scientific research and developments have come about thanks to scales and balances used in laboratories – yes, even before they became as accurate as the ones we use now. Imagine what will come!

How are Lab Balances Used in Research?

– Sample preparation, such as weighing compounds and solutions

– Analytical techniques like titrations and chromatography require precise weighing results to determine sample concentrations or purity

– Formulation & Quality Control for pharmaceutical research, ensuring accurate dosing and compliance with regulatory standards

– Environmental studies, including soil samples to determine ecosystem health and monitor pollutants.

The most common weighing instruments for laboratories are precision, analytical and semi-micro balances.

Load cells are transducers that convert force exerted onto it into measurable electrical output. When a weight is applied to a balance, the load cell located under the weighing pan bends, and the amount of force it takes to bend the load cell is converted to the result you get on the display.

Our range of Adam Equipment precision balances have capacities ranging from 120 grams to 22,000 grams, with readabilities from 0.001 grams to 0.1 grams. Our range of Adam analytical balances have capacities from 80 grams to 510 grams, with readabilities from 0.1 milligrams to 0.0001 grams – significantly more precise and accurate.

Which is better, Analytical Balances vs. Top Loading Balances?

As you can tell from reading the entry for today both analytical balances and top loaders have their place. So when you think of the question, Top Load Balance vs Analytical Balance? Your particular weighing needs will often determine which weighing device is the best for certain applications. In some instances, you may need both types of balances. Whichever you choose, make sure you choose a quality weighing device.

Generally speaking, analytical balances cost more and need to be used in a controlled setting. These scales are designed to be used in one location and are not very portable. The trade off however is an extremely accurate laboratory balance often with three or four decimal places of readability.

Top loading balances are typically built to be somewhat portable. Many of these top loading balances feature a rechargeable battery and robust construction. Top loading balances can be much more affordable as well. Top loaders also feature high max capacities for versatile weighing. However, the readability with top loaders is often limited to one or two decimal places.

Need help deciding on which precision weighing balances would work best for your application? Just contact our sales department (919) 776-7737 and we can assist you. We have a wide range of Adam Equipment balances. This line of precision weighing equipment is often considered to be one of the most affordable and reliable laboratory weighing equipment available in the United States.

Trailer Tongue Weight Scale Choices

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Scale Man

In this entry we are going to discuss the recommended weighing methods when it comes to a trailer tongue weight scale choices. We’ll also look at a few of the other solutions that our portable wheel weighing scales can provide.

Portable Wheel Load Scale Rental

You could purchase a tongue weight scale or you could rent our portable scales. There’s a variety of models available. One way to determine the trailer tongue weight is to rent three portable wheel weigh scales. Then place a scale under your two trailer tires and a scale at the trailer tongue area.

PT300 Portable Wheel Weigher Scale

How to Build a Trailer Tongue Weight Scale

If you have done any research on different ways to obtain the trailer tongue weight then it’s only natural to try and find a way to build your own trailer tongue weight scale. A quick search online will show various methods from using a bathroom scale to hydraulic hitch mounts to a column scale with a spring.

How to Determine Trailer Tongue Weight at a Commercial Scale

Our first recommendation is probably to use the portable wheel weighing scales we mentioned above, either by purchase or rental. However, if that doesn’t work for you, probably our next best recommendation would simply be to take your vehicle and trailer to a nearby truck scale.

Truck scales can be found at truck stops, public landfills, metal recycling centers, rock quarries, etc…. One website that often comes in handy when trying to locate public scales is https://www.publicscaleslocator.com — Now keep in mind, it’s a good idea to call ahead and make sure the facility will weigh your vehicle and there will likely be a small fee charged when using a commercial truck scale.

If you choose to use a public scale, make sure your trailer is fully loaded just like it would be on your trip. You are going to get the weight of your vehicle only while under load. First, drive all four tires of your vehicle on the scale while your trailer is attached (do not drive your trailer on the scale with your vehicle) Now, write down the weight.

While the vehicle is still on the scale, unhook the trailer and lift the tongue jack high enough so that there is no weight on the hitch ball. Be sure that no part of the trailer is on the scale. This is the weight of your tow vehicle. Write down this weight as well.

Now, subtract the two weights from each other to give you your approximate tongue weight.

Finally, it might be a good idea to drive on the scale and get a total complete weight of the trailer, and/or total weight of your tow vehicle and trailer.

wheel scales for RV

Camper Club Uses PT300DW Portable Scales to Raise Awareness in “Know What You Weigh” Campaign

On a related note to trailer tongue weight scales, an overloaded motorhome is a safety issue that affects driving stability, braking distance and tire wear. Exceeding the maximum weight limit stated on the motorhome’s registration certificate can also lead to substantial fines. In the Netherlands, you may drive a vehicle with a Class B driver’s license if the maximum weight limit, including passengers, luggage, water and fuel tank, is less than 3500 kilograms (7700 lb).

As a service to their members, NKC offered a series free events encouraging campers to weigh their vehicles prior to traveling. Under the motto “Know What You Weigh”, the NKC invited participants to come to a weighing site with loaded, ready-to-travel campers. Because they were hosting multiple events at various sites, they needed a portable option for weighing the vehicles. The local scale company suggested Intercomp’s PT300DW
portable truck scales as the ideal solution for the camper weighing events.

PT300DW scales are built with lightweight aluminum, making them easy to transport and set up virtually anywhere. The flexibility of the PT300DW portable scales supports a wide range of applications and axle configurations. Fully integrated RFX Wireless Weighing Technology
facilitates communication between scales and a variety of remote indicators.

All PT300DW™ scales feature progressive solar charging technology which allows the commercially-available AA rechargeable batteries to be powered for up to one year with daytime, outdoor use. A series of 2021 weighing events revealed approximately one third of the motorhomes were overloaded.

Loading & Unloading Truck Scales

Finally, it’s worth mentioning on a larger scale, filling a trailer with bulk items, like scrap metal, requires continuous monitoring. Once the weight of a trailer and its contents hit a pre-determined value, that trailer is ready to be hauled away. Continuous weight monitoring not only maximizes the waste disposal process due to fewer disposal runs but can simultaneously confirm axle weight and gross vehicle weight (GVW) compliance.

Our Intercomp AX900 along with PT300 scales, provide accurate weighing and measurement solutions for loading and unloading. If you have specific questions regarding our static or WIM scale options, contact us for more information.

Weight Compliance Benefits – Keeps trucks in compliance with commercial vehicle weight restrictions, which can save significant amounts of money that would otherwise be spent on fines.

Safety Benefits – When loading and unloading a truck, knowing vehicle weights before, during and after will assist in providing a safe, reliable, and compliant vehicle.

Wrapping things up, we hope this entry regarding trailer tongue weight scale options has been helpful to you. As you can see, there are several options available from renting scales, to using nearby commercial scales, to even building your own scales. Be sure to contact our sales department with any questions you may have regarding trailer hitch tongue weight scales.

Precision Mastery: Top Grain Weighing Scales for Perfect Brewing Balance

Posted on March 12, 2024 by Scale Man

Looking to elevate your beer brewing with precise grain measurements? Grain weighing scales are pivotal to ensuring the consistency and quality of your brews. Whether you’re running a commercial brewery or home brewing, selecting the right scale will make all the difference. This article dives into the features and considerations necessary for picking the best grain scale to suit your needs.

Grain scales enhance brewing precision by ensuring accurate measurements of ingredients, which is crucial for maintaining consistent beer quality, taste, and alcohol content across batches.
The selection of the right grain scale involves considering factors such as the brewery’s size, weight capacity and durability needs, with features like stainless steel components, tare function, and IP66 rating or higher for cleanliness and ease of maintenance.
Advancements in grain weighing technology, like digital scales with high precision and integration capabilities, support brewing efficiency, consistency, and help in scaling production while minimizing human error and labor.

The Essential Role of Grain Scales in Brewing

Brewing equipment including grain scales

The craft of brewing is akin to the delicate artistry of a symphony orchestra’s conductor, pivotal though often out of sight. In this intricate ensemble, scales designed for measuring grain function as virtuosos in ensuring exactitude within beer recipes. These instruments are vital for consistency, certifying that each new batch mirrors the exceptional taste and maintains the alcohol level anticipated by consumers—elements central to defining both character and standard.

In facilitating this meticulous process, digital scales have become transformative tools. They work by converting pressure applied on a load cell into an electrical signal which then manifests as an accurate digital display. This advancement permits unfailing measurement of every component—from grains to hops—fortifying each brew with uniformity in quality that enthusiasts have come to expect with every pour.

Precision Meets Practicality

In the beer brewing industry, precision in weight measurement trumps volume. This ensures that varying factors such as ingredient shape, density, and temperature do not compromise flavor or recipe exactitude. Grain scales step up to be the ideal solution here due to their many benefits.

They yield more precise measurements than those based on volume.
Their expansive plate comfortably supports grain containers.
The digital display remains visible for easy reading while blending functionality with accuracy.

The use of a grain scale can substantially refine your brewery operation and lead to consistent, flavorful outcomes.

These scales empower brewers with the capability to craft exceptional beers effortlessly. A straightforward dial allows them accurate weighing of grains so they’re prepared to concoct the perfect brew. Thanks to their ease of cleaning and stainless steel weighing surface, these scales seamlessly integrate into any brewery’s setup, whether it aims high volumes or operates at a modest scale.

The Tare Function Advantage

The tare function on scales provides many benefits, especially for brewers who require precise and immediate weighing during the brewing process. This handy feature allows for the container’s weight to be subtracted so that only the net weight of the grain or other ingredients is measured. Such accuracy is essential not just for crafting original recipes, but also when making incremental additions or modifications.

Grain scales equipped with a tare function greatly streamline production by allowing bulk materials to be weighed without including the weight of their containers in measurements. Effectively acting as an invisible helper, this function ensures simplicity throughout brewing operations while guaranteeing that ingredient measurements are both accurate and focused solely on their actual weights.

Selecting the Right Grain Scale for Your Brewery

THBC Tank Scale Load Cells for placing under the tank legs

Choosing an ideal grain scale is as crucial as selecting the finest specialty grains for your brewing process. The chosen scale needs to be in sync with the production scope and size of your brewery. Smaller operations like home or microbreweries may opt for precision balances tailored to minor ingredients, alongside bench or floor scales suited for heftier batches. Meanwhile, larger-scale breweries typically require robust platform scales or tank scale load cells that accommodate extensive batch sizes and fulfill shipping demands. Continue reading →

5 Ways Food & Beverage Industry Companies Benefit from Waterproof Scales

Posted on March 7, 2024 by Scale Man

When it comes to the food & beverage industry, cleanliness is extremely important and there’s rarely room for equipment downtime. Given that weighing ingredients and keeping the weighing scales you use clean can be quite messy, it’s important to use an electronic scale that can withstand harsh environments and won’t let you down.

Please see our selection of waterproof bench scales. Below are the top 5 benefits that companies enjoy from using our washdown safe scales.

#1 NSF Certified Weighing Equipment

One of the biggest benefits of our waterproof scales is that many of the scales are NSF Approved. Many of our washdown products meet strict standards for public health protection. You can use them when dealing with food and beverages safely.

stainless steel portion weigher The Aqua stainless steel scale lineup offers check weighing, percentage weighing and parts counting, while the Gladiator range offers those as well as check counting, dynamic/animal weighing, and a helpful Hold function.

These applications can be exceptionally helpful in the food and drink industry. Dynamic weighing and the hold function on the Gladiator can be particularly useful when dealing with cans, bottles or barrels filled with liquid. Since it’s moving around inside, you don’t want to have to wait for the liquids to settle before weighing, so the dynamic weighing feature takes an average weight to solve this issue.

Checkweighing can be used to help make sure that each completed product, such as peach pies, are within acceptable limits and not under or over filled. Parts counting can help pack bags or boxes with the same amount of product – bags of candy should have the same number of pieces in each!

checkweighing

#2 Full Protection from Water Ingress

Some customers and scale companies like to use the term waterproof scales. We prefer washdown scales. A waterproof scale is generally a scale that has an ingress protection (IP) rating of at least 68 (IP68). This means that it’s fully protected against solids (6) and liquids ( 8) getting inside and messing up the hardware.

Technically, you can immerse a waterproof scale with an IP68 rating in depths of water over one meter for an extended period. For more information about IP ratings, check out our past entry how much does a waterproof scale cost?

Many ingredients are made of liquid and if there are any spillages, there’s no need to worry about the safety of your waterproof scale. Dry or wet, it will operate exactly as it was designed.

One note about scale enclosures and ratings… If you’re a food processing facility and you have internal maintenance workers who can do basic scale work… Remember, you can have the highest IP rated equipment ever made, but if your maintenance department either leaves screws loose or completely off the equipment, water will get inside no matter how great your IP rated equipment is.

adam gladiator bench scale

#3 Durable and Easy to Clean Weighing Equipment

Another benefit of waterproof scales is that when spills happen, they’re very easy to clean. IP68 rated waterproof scales can handle low temperature water jets. If you need to take your scale out back and hose it down, your washdown safe scale is capable of handling that.

Cross contamination can also become a real issue, especially when dealing with perishables like meat, fish, or dairy. Scales used for weighing these items should be cleaned thoroughly with soap or gentle cleansers every day to maintain hygiene standards. This way, you’ll protect consumers from the threat of food poisoning or unhealthy bacteria caused by build-up on a dirty food scale.

We’ve established that waterproof scales are protected from water, which obviously makes them pretty durable. However, most of our selection of waterproof scales are constructed from high quality Grade 304 stainless steel, which has quite a few benefits as well.

Many components of the foods and beverages we eat and drink are acidic, and could cause damage to a less durable scale over time. Grade 304 stainless steel is highly resistant to corrosion, so frequent contact with corrosive liquids will not be a hindrance to your operations.

stainless steel waterproof nsf scale

In general, metals like mild steel or cast-iron rust easily when left in contact with liquids for too long. Stainless steel is much less susceptible to rusting. For example, the Adam Equipment Aqua ABW-S features stainless steel housing and pan, making it durable top to bottom. Also, the Gladiator series is constructed from a stainless-steel platform as well as the stainless steel IP68 AE 403 indicator, both of which can be purchased individually or combined in one scale system.

#4 Scales That can be Used Outdoors

Many waterproof weighing scales include rechargeable batteries. This can be an extremely helpful feature when harvesting fruits and vegetables at a farm, orchard, or wine vineyard. Harvesting staff can effectively organize produce by weight, which any grocery store or farmer’s market will appreciate.

If many of the boxes of produce weigh about the same, or if you organize the produce from heaviest to lightest, this makes it easier to calculate prices later. We offer a wide variety of NTEP approved scales so you can legally use them to set prices for your products according to weight.

The durability of waterproof scales, with their protection against water, dirt, and corrosion, make them perfect outdoor tools. Is it starting to rain? No need to pack up your scale. Are the vegetables dirty? Get as much dirt off as possible, since dirt weighs something too. But, best of all, if the scale gets dirty, just wash it off when you can.

Don’t forget about washdown floor scales and/or floor scales that can be placed outdoors and can handle the elements such as rain and snow.

industrial floor scale

#5 Overall Great Value for Your Investment

Waterproof scales are convenient, improving operational efficiency with less effort and fuss. They have superior longevity, preventing you from needing to frequently replace your scale. These days there are cheap scales everywhere, with little to no quality control. Be sure to trust the buying advice of your trusted scale company and reputable scale manufacturers.

A slightly higher price is worth long-lasting peace of mind (see value vs accuracy). And many of our washdown safe scales come with high quality components, longer warranty periods, and impressive weighing accuracy.

Do you need some help deciding on a “waterproof” scale? Contact our sales team for assistance.

Continue reading →