Category Archives: Bench Scales

Detecto D Series Price Computing Scales Now Have Serial Port & Label Printer Available

Posted on by

One of the questions we are asked quite often is “can I print labels with my basic price computing scale”? The answer used to be no.  Then, the answer was no, or well, yes…. but it will be very expensive and difficult. Then, we started getting a few different entry level retail scales that would allow the printing feature. Fast forward to today and we have a new battery powered produce scale that offers this printing feature that will allow you to print basic price per pound labels.

DETECTO’s D Series Price Computing Scales Now Come Standard with RS232 Serial — Connect with DETECTO’s P225 Direct Thermal Label Printer for a complete system.

DETECTO D15, D30, and D60 price computing scales now come standard with a RS232 serial port for no additional cost. This allows you to connect the competitively-priced D series scales with the DETECTO model P225 direct thermal label printer for basic retail label printing.

DETECTO NTEP legal-for-trade D series scales offer 99 PLUs (14 direct quick keys and 85 indirect PLUs), rechargeable battery and AC adapter included, preset price buttons with preset TARE feature, and both operator and customer displays (Weight, Unit Price, and Total Price on the front and rear backlit LCDs).

Below are the model and part numbers needed to purchase a complete Retail POS Weighing and Printing Package from DETECTO.

(1) D Series Price Computing Scale
(1) P225 Direct Thermal Label Printer (sold separately)
(1) 7100-0025  Serial Cable (optional – connects scale to printer)
(1) 7100-0026  Thermal Label Rolls (optional – also available by the case)

detecto d series price computing scale with label printer

We understand that you have alternatives when it comes to purchasing legal for trade scales can can compute price per pound. One of the under appreciated factors to consider in this competitive market is the actual scale manufacturer. Cardinal Detecto Scale Manufacturing has a reputation throughout the scale industry for their high quality weighing equipment.

Over the years we’ve seen how important it is to offer products from reputable scale manufacturers who actually support the products. The D Series scales have an easy to read weight display and easy to use Price Look Up (PLU) buttons right on the front of the scale. The scale has several different capacity choices as well.

The scale offers a dual power source of rechargeable battery pack and 110/120VAC 50/60 Hz adapter (included) for reliable use at the farmer’s market. Auto Shut-off, Sleep, and Backlight Off modes extend the retail scale’s battery life which is especially helpful when you’re on the go and don’t have access to an 110 VAC receptacle.

The NTEP legal-for-trade scale’s Pre-Pack key saves time by retaining the Unit Price and Tare for repetitive price computing, making the operator’s job even faster. The scale features adjustable, nonskid feet and bubble level which is great when you’re using this out at the market and you’re trying to set it up on a wooden table that isn’t level.

Contact our sales department today for more information or to get one of these systems. We can get you one of these label printing scales very quickly from Detecto Scale in Webb City, Missouri.

New & Improved NCI 7800 Series Shipping Scales from Avery Weigh-Tronix

Posted on by

Avery Weigh-Tronix has improved the successful NCI 7800 series of post, mail and shipping scales, to bring them into line with the modern requirements of postal operations. The main change is the addition of improved connectivity options. The 7800 series will retain all of the key features that have contributed to the success of the range over the years, offering an affordable entry level shipping scale with a robust design.

However, changes within the postal and shipping industry have seen POS terminals advance and communication methods improve. So the factory has brought the range into line with modern requirements by adding USB HID and USB VCP ports to many of the models as standard. The NCI 7800 series scales have also been re-branded  with the Avery Weigh-Tronix overlay design which now resembles the Avery Weigh-Tronix family branding that you may have noticed on some of their newest indicators for example.

Please note that we ship our NCI scales straight from the factory, so you even if our part numbers on the website are old, you will receive the brand new stock direct from the Avery Weigh-Tronix scale factory in Minnesota.

nci shipping scales by Avery Weigh-Tronix

Current Part Number     Description                        New Part Number
7300-16577-01    Kit, Remote Display 6 Digit 7′             AWT05-508631
7300-16864-01   Kit, Remote DSPL 6DIG 1′ POST       AWT05-508632
9503-16444         7815 BASE ASSY 12×14 150lb          AWT05-508634
9503-16645         7815 BASE ASSY 12×14 150lb          AWT05-508635
9503-17293         7815R BASE ASSY 12×14 150lb        AWT05-508636
9503-17294         7815R BASE ASSY 12×14 150lb        AWT05-508637
9503-16504         7820 BASE ASSY 12×14 100lb          AWT05-508638
9503-16509         7820 BASE ASSY 12×14 100lb          AWT05-508639
9503-16505         7820 BASE ASSY 12×14 150lb          AWT05-508640
9503-16510         7820 BASE ASSY 12×14 150lb          AWT05-508641
9503-17229         7820R BASE ASSY 12×14 150lb       AWT05-508642
9503-17230         7820R BASE ASSY 12×14 150lb       AWT05-508643
9503-16249         7821 BASE ASSY 12×14 200lb          AWT05-508644
9503-15796         7824 BASE ASSY 12×14 250lb          AWT05-508645
9503-15798         7824 BASE ASSY 24×24 250lb         AWT05-508646
9503-15797         7824 BASE ASSY 24×24 300lb         AWT05-508647
9503-15799         7824 BASE ASSY 24×24 300lb        AWT05-508648
9503-16278         7829 BASE ASSY 20×20 250lb        AWT05-508649
9503-16279         7829 BASE ASSY 20×20 250lb        AWT05-508650
9503-15791          7840 BASE ASSY 18×24 250lb       AWT05-508651
9503-15793          7840 BASE ASSY 18×24 250lb       AWT05-508652
9503-16934         7880 BASE ASSY 18×18 100lb        AWT05-508653
9503-16935         7880 BASE ASSY 18×18 100lb       AWT05-508654
9503-16936         7880 BASE ASSY 18×18 150lb       AWT05-508655
9503-16937         7880 BASE ASSY 18×18 150lb       AWT05-508656
9503-16938         7880 BASE ASSY 18×18 250lb       AWT05-508657
9503-16939         7880 BASE ASSY 18×18 250lb       AWT05-508658
9503-16679         7885 BASE ASSY 18×18 150lb       AWT05-508659
9503-16680        7885 BASE ASSY 18×18 150lb        AWT05-508660

Our range of electronic postal scales, available from Central Carolina Scale are extremely accurate, developed together with high volume shippers, and designed for use in a range of environments, from retail counters to back office systems. Most are highly connective, able to integrate into existing POS and data systems.

These scales can stand up to a busy day in the post office or mail room, day after day, and still accurate enough to display small differences in box weight. The postal scale range features easy to use operator displays, for error free, rapid customer service. Our extensive range of industrial products applicable to the postal logistics industry that can enhance your productivity and increase your company profitability. Contact us if you have any questions. (919) 776-7737 or visit our website and complete the request for quote/information form.

Solid State Relay Versus Mechanical Relay

Posted on by

The argument about which is better, solid-state relays (SSRs) or electromechanical relays (EMRs), has raged on for many years. The answer is actually neither, as each relay type has positive and negative aspects. But if you factor in specific application requirements, clear winners emerge.

Actually, SSRs aren’t relays at all, but rather electronic circuits. The control inputs are connected internally to an LED, which shines across an air gap to light sensors. The light sensor is connected to the transistors which open or close, supplying the relay’s load with power. When a transistor is closed, current can flow freely through the relay, causing the load and power supply to be connected. When a transistor is open, almost all current is blocked, causing the load to become disconnected from the power supply. The pairing of an LED with light sensors is called an opto-coupler, and is a common technique to link two parts of a circuit without a direct electrical connection.

Mechanical relays use an electromagnetic coil to open or close the circuit. When current runs through the input and energizes the coil, it creates a small magnetic field which either pulls the arm of the switch away from the other contact of the switch, or pushes it down to close the switch depending on the how the switch is made. A relay also serves as an isolator, because the control (input) and load (output) ends of the relay are not electrically connected. This allows you to protect the device you’re using to control the relay from power surges in your application.

doran 2200 digital weight indicator with relays

Ok then, when should you use each type?

Whether to use an EMR or SSR depends on a number of factors such as the application’s environment, electrical requirements, and cost or budget.

Use SSR for:
• Applications requiring high speed and frequent switching operations.
• Applications in high vibration environments.
• Application where the relay has to be located near sensitive automation components, such as PLC’s, HMIs, and temperature controllers.
• Applications in dusty or humid environments.
• Applications in hazardous locations (presence of fumes or gases)

Use EMR for:
• Applications requiring a wide output range from the relay.
• Applications using motors & transformers requiring high starting amps.
• Applications where the initial installation budget is very limited.
• Applications prone to current surges and voltage spikes.

EMR or SSR… we have choices for you. Our Doran Scale lineup of products offers both types of relays in the Internal Relay option (Part# EXOPT106) and the External Relay Option (Part# EXOPT107).

NCI 7600 Series Shipping Scale Discontinued

Posted on by

NCI 7600 series scales are being discontinued effective December 31, 2015. Central Carolina Scale and Avery Weigh-Tronix will continue to provide service spares (repair parts) as long as components are available, for up to five years. All new orders for the NCI 7600 scale(s) must be received no later than close of business on December 31, 2015.

Discontinued Part Numbers

Part number ….. Description
9503-15624 …….. 7620, 70 lb (RS-232 w/ stainless weight platter)
9503-15625 …….. 7620, 100 lb (RS-232 w/ stainless weight platter)
9503-16638 …….. 7620, 100 lb (RS-232 w/ Ball-Top)
9503-16568 …….  7620, 150 lb (RS-232 w/ stainless weight platter)
9503-17111 …….. 7620, 150 lb (RS-232 w/ Ball-Top)
9503-17178 …….. 7680, 150 lb (RS-232 w/ stainless weight platter)
9503-17179 …….. 7680, 150 lb with Ball-Top (13 roller balls)

Recommended Replacements
We recommended you look at the Avery Weigh-Tronix ZP900 Mailing and Parcel Shipping Scale

ZP900 postal scale from Avery Weigh-Tronix

Our selection of post, mail and shipping scales are highly accurate, developed in partnership with our customers and designed for use in a range of environments, from retail counters to back office systems. Most are highly connective, able to integrate into existing point of sale and data systems.

The scales can stand up to a busy day in the post office or company mail room, year after year, and still determine small differences in weight. The postal scale range features easy to use operator displays, for error free, fast customer service. Avery Weigh-Tronix boasts an extensive range of industrial products applicable to the postal logistics industry that can enhance productivity and optimize your shipping process.

Flexible Configuration
The ZP900 is available in a range of base sizes and configurable capacities to meet the needs of the postal industry. The modular design provides a range of solutions which are easy to service and maintain, while the range of customer and operator display options provides added flexibility.

Unrivaled Connectivity
A range of connectivity options, including serial, Ethernet and USB with UPOS and OPOS support, facilitate integration with third party software and hardware solutions.

For additional information about the ZP900, please refer to https://www.centralcarolinascale.com or call (919) 776-7737

Warehouse & Distribution Scales Can Help You Grow Your Business

Posted on by

Warehouses and distribution centers rely on efficient and reliable data to ensure peak performance. Digital Scales and weighing systems can help ensure billing is accurate by monitoring cargo weights, tracking data and ensuring vehicles are filled to the optimum safe capacity. With the assistance of Avery Weigh-Tronix we have compiled a list of various types of scales and how they can benefit your business.

Our Avery Weigh-Tronix products simplify compliance with health and safety regulations, while maintaining efficiency throughout your organization to control costs and safeguard profitability. Regardless of the application, correct weighing practices—including selecting the appropriate scale system—can increase revenue exponentially. Integrating weighing into warehouse operations improves shipping and billing accuracy and enhances overall work flow productivity. Take a look below at just a few of the weighing solutions available that can help your business.

Legal-for-trade weighing
A scale system capable of legal-for-trade weighing can prove to be an invaluable asset in the logistics industry, as revenue is commonly based upon the weight of commodities purchased by or shipped for customers. Legal-for-trade accuracy is required for business transactions where goods are bought or sold by weight. Avery Weigh-Tronix provides a wide range of legal and non-legal scales, but the benefits of a legal-for-trade system extend beyond legality into a scale system that provides reliable, repeatable weighing of goods ensuring customer satisfaction, precise billing and accurate inventory records.

Vehicle Scales
Properly managing inventory and billing in warehouse and distribution center environments depends upon documenting and weighing both inbound and outbound freight. With the high cost of fuel, bulk carriers have to balance the need for optimal loading with concerns about safety. Truck scales and axle weighing systems from Avery Weigh-Tronix will help ensure that trucks are loaded to the ideal weight and conform to stringent legal maximum-weight regulations. Accurate weighing helps companies avoid costly fines as well as premature vehicle wear due to excessive loading.

Unattended Terminals
For increased efficiency, truck scale controls may be integrated into a standalone console that facilitates unattended weighing operations. The terminals enable drivers to complete weighing transactions 24/7, without leaving their cab. The result is that your truck scale can run smoothly without a dedicated operator. This results in reduced operating costs, extended hours of availability and improved health and safety by allowing the driver to stay within their vehicle.

Forklift Scales
A forklift scale allows drivers to lift and weigh bundled materials on the truck. This expedites operations by enabling forklift drivers to take commodities directly to storage upon delivery, while tracking the weight, origin and storage location during transport. This process results in real-time data acquisition, which can be used for billing and inventory management.  The ability to transport and weigh materials in one simple step results in tremendous time savings and a speedy return on investment. Forklift scales are also a compact weighing solution, making them suitable for the busy warehousing environment. In-cab instruments such as bar code scanners allow forklift operators to instantly capture all necessary freight data available, then transmit this information with weight data wirelessly via Bluetooth® or radio to supervisory computer systems. Continue reading →

FC6300 Formula Control Scale Video Overview

Posted on by

What would it be like to be in total control? Imagine saving at least 2.1% of your yearly ingredient costs. What would that be worth to you? Picture having an extra supervisor watching over your employees’ shoulders monitoring and controlling the formulation process. What effect would that have on your product consistency and production efficiency? Well actually the Doran FC6300 Formula Control System puts you in total control and can pay for itself in four months or less!

Field-Proven Ingredient Savings
In today’s competitive marketplace, reducing production costs is a sure path to greater profits. Doran’s Formula Control has been guiding production plants along that path with ingredient savings of at least 2.1%—even more. Combine lower ingredient costs with the elimination of the money wasted on bad batches, and you can understand why successful companies are investing in the FC6300 Formula Control System.

Take a look at the savings one company experienced with the FC6300. This plant realized that improving the performance of their formula scaling could lead to a significant impact on profitability. Additionally they were averaging one bad batch a week due to errors that were traced back to the scaling process. They turned to Doran Scales to reduce costs from wasted ingredients and bad batches—the solution was the FC6300 Formula Control System. Return on investment due to ingredient cost savings was achieved in just four months, and the net one-year effect on profit margin was $27,068.71. It’s no wonder that plant managers at this company’s other location suddenly became interested in the FC6300 Formula Control System.

Consistent Batches—Guaranteed!
Reduction of ingredient costs is easy to see, but the costs associated with bad batches are often overlooked. Like a dripping faucet, those bad batches can gradually drain your plant’s profits. Production downtime to clean production lines and discard the bad batch, along with cost of wasted ingredients, can add up. Our field studies show that bad batches cost a company $837 per incident. With guaranteed consistent batches, your plant will run more efficiently, adding to your profitably.

Because the system prompts the user through the formula, the correct ingredients are accurately scaled every time. Each ingredient of the formula is weighed within a tolerance that you define. The color-coded Accu-Track display on the bright LCD screen ensures that added ingredients are within those tolerances. Each step of the formula is clearly labeled with batch ID, batch name, the step number, ingredient name, target weight, and actual weight. Accurate scaling can be achieved with or without experienced production employees.

Ensures Employee Accountability
Formula Loader is a standard component of the FC6300 Formula Control system. This Windows™-compatible software is used to configure formulas as well as to provide production reports. Standard Formula Loader reports can be used to evaluate scale operator efficiency and ingredient usage. Using scale operator ID’s, the FC6300 tracks when a user logs in and out of the scale. Management can easily determine how long the scale operators are taking to prepare each formula and how accurately it was done. It’s like having the plant manager watching over your employees’ shoulders 24/7.

For more information on this exciting product from Doran, please fill out our request form on the website with your particular requirements and specifications.

Professional Scale for Fishing Tournament Weigh-In’s

Posted on by

We have been actively providing digital scales for fishing tournaments and clubs for over a decade. During this time period, we’ve learned a few things about this segment of our customer base regarding price and quality. It is imperative that you don’t just settle when it comes to scales. After all, the weigh-in portion of your fishing tournament is kind of important don’t you think?  The good news is there are some pretty good digital scales available that don’t cost a fortune. Let’s take a look at one below.

weigh master digital fishing tournament weigh-in scale

The Weigh Master is a very nice scale system that we feel will work quite well for most clubs. The standard size of the weighing platform is 12″ x 14″ and the capacity of the scale is 60 x 0.01 lbs. The column that connects the digital indicator to the weighing platform comes standard but you can choose to not use it if you wish. The LCD digital display is easy to read and the indicator has several weight lock functions that you can fine tune to perfection. The scale is powered by standard 110 VAC power or an internal rechargeable battery. The RS232 serial port is ideal for connecting the scale to a remote display or printer. Overall, we think this is a nice choice for many clubs who aren’t able to spend pro tournament kind of money but want a good reliable system for their club or tourney.

In our review of the Weigh Master, the biggest drawback of the scale is that it doesn’t display weight in ounces. So, if you must use ounces you might want to consider the Doran 7000XL or 8000XL which are great Stainless Steel Wash Down scales.

Overall, we recommend the Weighmaster scale if you’re looking for a quality scale that is accurate, affordable and built to last. Please contact us 919-776-7737 or visit our contact page and fill out the request for quote.

Common Applications for Peak Hold Feature In Digital Scales

Posted on by

In today’s entry we would like to discuss the peak hold function. It’s a popular topic since we are usually asked about this capability at least every week or so. In these examples we will focus primarily on the Doran Scale product line. The Excel Series 2200, 2200CW, 4300, 7000XL, 7400, and 8000XL scales from Doran represent a scale line that you can rely on to fill a wide variety of weighing applications. From a battery powered 2200CW checkweigh scale for a food manufacturer, to an 8000XL series scale with a wireless Ethernet option for a seafood company, the flexibility of the Excel Series scales can help you achieve accurate results time after time. The Peak Hold feature is another example of how the Excel Series from Doran provides value added weighing solutions.

Doran 2200CW stainless steel checkweigher

Customers Using Peak Hold 
Many industries use Peak Hold in their quality control process. Peak Hold is when weight or force is applied to determine the highest amount of force a product can withstand. Maintaining a consistent specification in production results in cost savings, increased safety, and minimizes exposure to product liability litigation. Peak Hold allows for maximum sensitivity and accurate weight or force readings too quick for the eye to see and because it is digitally held, a displayed peak value will not decay or drift. Continue reading →

Restaurant Owners: Portion Control Is Very Important To Keeping Your Ingredient Costs Under Control

Posted on by

If you are in the restaurant business then you understand how much your ingredients like cheese really cost, since you purchase them from your suppliers on a regular basis. Think about this for a second… Let’s say you’re making your best selling pizza or your most popular sandwich. What if you could cut back on your most expensive ingredient by just a smidgen. Actually, a better way to say it would be — what if you could develop a consistent way to add your ingredients so that every large pizza had exactly eight ounces of cheese or six ounces of pepperoni. The results would hopefully lead to more profitability and a consistent product your patrons could enjoy each and every visit.

This outstanding must read article that is referenced below goes into great detail about portion control and why it’s so important to a company’s bottom line.

“You can have the best pizza in the world. But you can lose your shirt if you’re not careful,” he said. “If you ain’t weighing it, you are winging it.” While many operators habitually weigh dough balls, nothing provides a pizza operator with more margin/cost control than weighing their cheese portions.

…. it’s important to keep cheat sheets for employees to remind them how much cheese to use, and even have the cheese pre-weighed in cups for them. This allows an operator to ensure consistency and to know the cost of every single pizza. The difference, for example, of 7 ounces and 10 ounces of cheese can be 60 cents per pizza. He also suggested adding a weighing scale that is easy for employees to use. Training and incentivizing is important for employees, who may free throw either through habit or to save time.

…. At the end of those 30 days, the concept saved about 200 pounds of cheese totaling $1,200, which was then split between the four employees as a bonus.

I like how the author wrote this article since it’s always great to see real world examples. As you can see from reading the entire article, your business can really benefit by adding some type of weighing functionality into your kitchen. Not only does this help control costs but it should also help restuarants increase their consistency. How many times have you gone to a restaurant and had one pizza with too much cheese or too little sauce, then you go back a couple weeks later and it’s the opposite problem. Customers love a consistent sandwhich or entrée (just ask my in-laws).

If you need some guidance on choosing the correct scale for your restaurant or prep kitchen please contact our sales department at 919 776-7737 or visit our site centralcarolinascale.com which has many scales posted for you to view. We also have a Youtube channel that shows a few of our scales in video format.

Bakery Manager says “I am giving away $52,000.00 per year”

Posted on by

The positive reviews just keep pouring in regarding the Doran FC6300 scale. What would it be like to be in total control? Imagine saving at least 1.8% of your yearly minor ingredient costs. What would that be worth to you? Picture having an extra supervisor watching over your employees’ shoulders monitoring and controlling the formulation process while the employee hand scales ingredients. What effect would that have on your product consistency and production efficiency? Doran’s FC6300 Formula Control System puts you in total control and can pay for itself in just four months or less. Just take a look at a few of the scale reviews.

“Based on your report, I calculated our costs. Within the three days of the FC6300 being on, it saved us $600.00. That equals $200 per day, $1000 a week means I am giving away $52,000.00 per year out the door!! I am going to put in for 2 units.”

 

“The FC6300 on average has saved us 200 lbs of ingredients a week and our average ingredient costs are around $5.00 a lb. We feel this has paid for itself in about 10 weeks. Mock recalls used to be a major hassle, but with the FC6300 and Formula Loader what used to take hours now literally takes seconds.”

 

“Within five days of install, with over 11,000 lbs of minors scaled at 2% tolerance, my scalers are now scaling at 99.992% accuracy which reduces our ingredient costs and we now have consistency in our batches. The ability to store lot numbers electronically and search for specific lot numbers with a touch of a button has shaved off at least 75 minutes of my QA’s time during a mock recall.”