Category Archives: General

Regular Scale Maintenance & Calibration Can Increase Accuracy & Reduce Downtime

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We’ve been checking, testing and adjusting scales for a long time. And over the years of calibrating scales you learn a few things and pick up on a few nuggets of wisdom regarding scales and how to keep them working year round. Scales are precision instruments that need to be maintained on a fairly regular basis in order to ensure accuracy and reliability. Your scale accuracy can influence your profitability greatly. There are lots of examples, everything from ingredients used in a recipe for batching to recycling metal or aluminum. Every ounce counts and a scale that isn’t accurate can cost you, or your customer. Of course, if your scale breaks down, you’re going to be down for potentially several hours depending on the service and replacement parts needed. The bottom line is, Scales are important and need to be maintained.

Regular service and calibration from a factory trained service technician is important. We have seen examples in the past where companies realized that they need regular maintenance on their scales, but to save money they would choose a different company who didn’t have factory training on the actual scales the company owned. As fate would have it, the scale broke and their technician spent large amounts of time trying to troubleshoot the problem, which was difficult since he didn’t have factory training on this particular brand. CCS was contacted and the scale was repaired and working within a couple of hours.

scale technician calibrating a gse digital weight indicator

Another example is a company who buys/sells based on the weight of items loaded on their trucks. With most truck scales we recommend at least a semi-annual check and calibration but the customer felt the costs were not worthwhile for their business and they wanted to go with a call as needed model. Over the course of the year they noticed that their truck weights seemed to be off, so they called CCS to check and calibrate their truck scales. Their scales were off by several graduations and the customer had been losing what turned out to be hundreds of dollars in profits per truck over the past several weeks. At that point, the customer was very interested in discussing a quarterly scale check and calibration. Continue reading →

Looking For A Shipping Scale With Ethernet?

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Are you interested in a shipping scale with Ethernet? If so, please take a look at the information below. The Pennsylvania 7300 is a Made in the USA shipping scale that is designed for years of heavy duty use and loaded with features. These scales are extra rugged and dependable. Default settings for UPS Online, Clipper Ship, Fairbanks or Mettler Toledo emulation + option outputs for Ethernet, analog (0-10 VDC or 4-20 mA), standard RS-232, remote displays.

The scale itself is better than the competition because it isn’t made out of cheap plastic. The Pennsylvania 7300 features Heavy duty CAST base construction and standard resolution of 10,000 counts which make this shipping scale the standard of the industry. Below are just a few of the standard features.

pennsylvania 7300 shipping scale with ethernet

• Proven PLUS+ Series universal Main Board technology – consistent design
• 4 Year Limited Warranty
• Capacities from 2 lbs (8 x 8″ platform) to popular 10, 20, 50, 100, 150, and 200 lbs models with 10,000 standard display graduations
• Remote Displays – plug and play functionality
• Standard Lbs/Kgs or choose any 2 weighing units
• Programmable and flexible RS-232 (DB9 located in cavity under the scale) has default settings for UPS WorldShip and many other shipping systems
• Optional Ball tops for shipping applications

The ethernet module has an RJ45 mating port to accept the customer’s cable. The module is a name brand product that computer savvy people are comfortable with. It comes with an assigned IP address (modifiable) and software license. The Ethernet option is reasonably priced and lead time is usually about one business day.

Wireless Transmitter and Receiver for Weighing Scale

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When it comes to wireless transmitters and receivers inside a weighing scale, we actually do have some options available for you to consider. The Doran Scales lineup features quite a few communications choices such as wireless Ethernet or Bluetooth which can eliminate cables and wires.

We also have the Rice Lake product line which features products like the ConnexLink™ Wireless Radio 900 MHZ which allows wireless transceivers to easily communicate data between various electronics in your scale system. For example, let’s say you have a truck scale and you need to add a remote display across the parking lot. You don’t want to dig up the asphalt to run wire so you add one of these to your digital weight indicator and connect one to the new remote display.

There is also the SendIt and Transend wireless load cell products which are great in many applications from heavy capacity and industrial scales to overhead weighing, of course data communication is essential. SENDit reads the signal from a load cell and sends that data wirelessly to a receiving indicator, eliminating the need for traditional wire runs.

From the initial weighment on the scale to the final numeric value on the indicator, efficient communication is key to the success of the entire operation. Whether it’s overhead, livestock, tank, or heavy capacity weighing, once your traditional conduit is damaged or needs to be replaced, communication is halted and so is your operation.

Speaking of transmitters, din rail mountable weight transmitters are often utilized in the process industry. These din rail mountable high speed devices with weight display are typically connected to a PLC. The large number of weight transmitter choices we offer provide excitation voltage which is needed for load cells. High precision weight transmitters convert the full scale weight signal into a 4-20mA output, 0-10V output, 0-5V output and/or communicate via RS-232, Analog Output, RS-485, Profinet, Profibus, Devicenet, Ethernet IP, etc…

Finally, there are also weigh beams and floor scales available from Transcell Technology. For example, with their floor scale system, the scale platforms are paired with the digital indicator TI-500RF and are factory calibrated for precise weighing and those with bluetooth option are compatible with Transcell IOS and android app. So as you can see, there are some choices available when it comes to weighing and sending the weight data to your devices.

Detecto Enterprise APS Food Scale Video Demo

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DETECTO made in the USA Enterprise® APS series digital scales are ideal for precise portion control weighing in pizza kitchens, delis, and bakeries. The scale’s vivid, bright-green backlit LCD provides clear visibility for ingredient weights in any lighting condition. The APS series comes in 6 different capacities with 4 different platform sizes. For this video, you’ll be watching the model APS160 which weighs completely in ounces: 160 oz capacity by 0.1 oz accuracy.

The APS series can be equipped with an optional piezo tare button to expedite production in busy food prep settings. Both the LCD display and the piezo tare button can be remotely mounted on the wall, countertop, or even the side of the countertop to facilitate an orderly work environment. DETECTO’s piezo tare button is stainless steel and virtually indestructible, so it will stand up to rugged treatment in any busy commercial kitchen. This handy tare button allows the weight of various ingredients to be quickly tared off while building finished products such as pizzas or sandwiches.

By incorporating the optional tare button with the APS series, you now have the SPEED and ACCURACY needed for faster and more precise food preparation. This provides a more consistent, quality output for the customer… and tighter quality control without waste for the business owner. DETECTO’s tare button utilizes piezo touch technology which features no moving parts and is the toughest quality possible. The button registers when pressed to tare the weight off the scale and return it to zero. An audible beep will sound to alert employees that the ingredients have been tared from the scale and to notify them that the scale is ready for the next step in the food prep process. The large button size, sturdy design, and discernible beep of the piezo tare button are crucial features for any fast-paced food production workflow. Due to the rising cost of ingredients, especially meats like pepperoni, these features are instrumental in minimizing production costs.

Simply add your ingredients, check to ensure the proper amount of ingredients have been added, subtract or add additional ingredients to achieve the desired target weight for each stage, and press the piezo tare button to set the scale back to zero. Continue building each stage of the pizza to reach your target weights and precisely measuring your portions every step along the way. Then, when you’re finished, remove the pizza and you’ll see the total product weight on the LCD. The tare button on DETECTO’s APS series provides a fast, efficient workflow to your kitchen! This method delivers a consistent, precise finished product every time. For more information please call 919-776-7737 or visit us online at centralcarolinascale.com

Eliminate Traditional Wire Runs with SendIt and TranSend

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Rice Lake’s SendIt™ and MSI’s TranSend™ are now in stock and ready to order. By reading the signal from a load cell or junction box and sending data wirelessly to a receiving indicator, SendIt and TranSend eliminate traditional wire runs.

Rice Lake SendIt is a simple point-to-point wireless load cell interface. The transmitter has a single A/D input and the receiver has a single mV/V output and can interface with nearly any make or model of digital weight indicator. It is powered with 5 VDC that can be supplied either by a rechargeable external battery or a wall adapter. The transmitters and receivers can be ordered separately or as a pair. The paired set is factory-matched and calibrated, and is ready to wirelessly communicate right out of the box. It will also include a load cell cable and an indicator cable; the power source must be ordered separately.

TranSend is more robust, offering several different power input options and the capability to utilize internal relays. Transmitters can have either a single A/D input or up to four A/D inputs. Receivers can provide either a single mV/V output or an analog output signal. Due to a wide variety of configurations, a part number is not available for a paired set; everything will be sold à la carte.

Both SendIt and TranSend can be paired at the factory upon request, or they can be paired in the field with a free to download PC program, ScCMP.

Intercomp Solar Wheel Weigher Scales

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We wanted to provide an updated list of Intercomp Solar Wheel Weigh Scales along with part numbers and description.

LP600 SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALES
182014 LP600 SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX10) 20,000X10LB (10,000X5KG)
182018 LP600 SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX50) NTEP 20,000X50LB (10,000X25KG)
182007-RFX LP600 WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (10KX5) 10,000X5LB (5,000X2KG)
182006-RFX LP600 WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX10) 20,000X10LB (10,000X5KG)
182004-RFX LP600 WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX20) 20,000X20LB (10,000X10KG)
182009-RFX LP600 WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (30KX50) 30,000X50LB (14,000X20KG)
182008-RFX LP600 WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (5KX5) 5,000X5LB (2,500X2KG)
182010-RFX LP600 WIRELESS WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX50) NO RAMPS 20,000X50LB (10,000X20KG)
182018-RFX LP600 WRLS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX50) NTEP 20,000X50LB (10,000X25KG)
182015-RFX LP600-15T WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (30KX50) 30,000X50LB (15,000X20KG)
182013-RFX LP600-15T WRLS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE SYS (30KX50) 30,000X50LB (15,000X20KG)
182011-RFX LP630 WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (30KX50) 30,000X50LB (15,000X20KG)
182012-RFX LP630-15T WRLS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE SYS(30KX50) 30,000X50LB (15,000X20KG)

PT300 SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALES
181004 PT300 SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX10) 20,000X10LB (10,000X5KG)
181002 PT300 SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX10) – 20MA 20,000X10LB (10,000X5KG)
181012 PT300 SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX50) NTEP 20,000X50LB (10,000X25KG)
181005-RFX PT300 WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (10KX5) 10,000X5LB (5,000X2KG)
181004-RFX PT300 WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX10) 20,000X10LB (10,000X5KG)
181003-RFX PT300 WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX20) 20,000X20LB (10,000X10KG)
181006-RFX PT300 WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (5KX5) 5,000X5LB (2,500X2KG)
181008-RFX PT300 WRLS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX50) NTEP 20,000X50LB (10,000X25KG)

PT300DW SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALES
181508 PT300DW SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX10) 20,000X10LB (10,000X5KG)
181503 PT300DW SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX20) – 20MA 20,000X20LB (10,000X10KG)
181505-RFX PT300DW WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (10KX5) 10,000X5LB (5,000X2KG) CAPACITY
181504-RFX PT300DW WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX10) 20,000X10LB (5,000X5KG) CAPACITY
181503-RFX PT300DW WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (20KX20) 20,000X20LB (10,000X10KG) CAPACITY
181501-RFX PT300DW WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (30KX50) 30,000LB (15,000KG) CAPACITY
181502-RFX PT300DW WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (40KX100) 40,000x100LB (20,000x50KG) CAPACITY
181506-RFX PT300DW WIRELESS SOLAR WHEEL LOAD SCALE (5KX5) 5,000X5LB (2,500X2KG) CAPACITY

For more information and price quote please contact the sales department at 919-776-7737.

iDimension Frequently Asked Questions

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If you ship packages to customers or suppliers then you really should take a look at the iDimension system built by Rice Lake. Not long ago we went into detail about how dimensional weighing is becoming a very important area for shippers to pay close attention. Today we wanted to present a few of the frequently asked questions along with answers. Plus we’ll also provide a video below that shows the unit in action easily calculating dimensional weight for various items and packages.

Q: Does iDimension Interface with shipping software programs?
A: The iDimension Series at this time is a new product. The free API and software development tool kit can help users interface with their current system. In the future, look for iDimension Software Compatibility Chart at www.ricelake.com as new companies are added to the list.

Q: How do I connect my iDimension to a PC?
A: The iDimension Series interfaces to an Ethernet port. Connect directly to a PC’s Ethernet port or router switch so that iDimension can be configured as a DCHP or static IP device.

Q: Does iDimension have a operator display or keypad?
A: The customer’s computer monitor is used as the display. iDimension’s embedded firmware provides a demo display with image, operator display and customer display. Use a Wi-Fi router to connect to a tablet using iDimension’s web service technology.

Q: Can iDimension connect to a scale?
A: iDimension can be configured to add the weight into the iDimension displays or API. There is a selection of common shipping scales to choose from or use a Rice Lake 420 indicator with custom iDimension software that uses an RS-232 to USB converter, providing an FTDI driver. Actually in a lot of cases, the end user’s scales already interface to their software program; so connection to the iDimension is not required.

Q: What is an API?
A: Application Program Interface, or API, is a set of routines, protocols and tools for building software applications. An API is generally a specification of remote calls exposed to software for consumption that will allow the software to perform different operations, or retrieve specific data. The Rice Lake API allows users to interface with the system to retrieve dimensions, weight, a low-resolution image and more valuable data using a simple HTTP request and XML parsing method. iDimension is easily installed over existing conveyors and workstations.

Q: Does iDimension provide a dimensional weight?
A: The iDimension Series is NTEP Certified to provide dimensional weight since most shipping software programs provide dimensional weight standard. However, we provide length, width, height, weight, a low resolution image, time and date, sequential capture identification, status, extended status, and identification barcode information.

Q: What is an irregular shape?
A: An irregular shape is anything that is not packed in a carton. iDimension is one of the few dimensioning systems that accurately measure an irregular shape with NTEP Certification at 10 mm accuracy.

Q: How do I calibrate the iDimension Series?
A: A calibration tool is provided with each product. Simply place the item under iDimension and calibrate using the embedded firmware.

Q: What are the advantages of the iDimension Series?
A: iDimension is an innovative, easy-to-maintain dimensioning solution with no moving parts to service. iDimension can quickly capture dimensions in 0.2 seconds from parcels placed anywhere in its zone of interest work area. A high-resolution camera captures an image of the parcel to identify bar codes and OCR data.

Q: What is the warranty?
A: One year from date of installation.

Q: What is the repair policy?
A: Rice Lake Weighing Systems has a repair depot swap program and easy field replacement.

Q: How do I troubleshoot in the field?
A: Using a remote support program like TeamViewer®, Rice Lake’s iDimension service team can quickly provide remote support from our facility without need for a field visit.

Q: Ok, all of this sounds great, how do I get an iDimension for my company?
A: Contact the sales team either by phone at 919-776-7737 or via the information request form.

Intercomp Military Scales for Portable Wheel Weighing

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For many years we at Central Carolina Scale have provided U.S. Military customers outstanding customer service and discounted pricing on Intercomp PT300 wheel weighers, among other scales. No matter what country or base you’re serving in or what branch (Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, or Marines) we provide outstanding products and prices. Intercomp is the leading manufacturer of portable scales and accessories used for weighing vehicles, passengers, baggage, containers and pallets during mobility, deployment and transportation/material handling applications. All products are available with discounted prices instead of GSA. Please contact us for NSN (National Stock Number) or relevant purchasing information. Call: 919-776-7737

GSA CNT GS-07F-078BA

The Industry Standard in Digital Wheel Load Weighing
PT300™ scales have been setting the bar for portable, self-contained, compact wheel load scales for decades. Used to maximize legal payloads with concern for violations and reduction of maintenance due to overload stress on equipment, these all aluminum, fully electronic scales are capable of weighing up to 40,000lbs (18,000kgs) with an accuracy of ± 1%.

Progressive advancements in weighing technology have opened the doors to improving on this time-tested industry standard. Today, PT300™ scales are built with fully integrated RFX™ Wireless Weighing Technology providing the ability for scale data to be received, recorded, and observed on a variety of indicators; as well as control scale functions remotely. In addition, battery life has been significantly enhanced with the use Continue reading →

Avery Weigh-Tronix ZQ375 Scale Helps Doughnut Shop Meet Quality & Hygiene Standards

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Well, you had to know if any of our scale suppliers that we represent provided us a story about Krispy Kreme, we would be all over it.  Well, recently the ZQ375 Checkweigher from Avery Weigh-Tronix provided some great benefits to the Krispy Kreme company and helped the company to meet quality and hygiene standards. Below is a case study to further discuss the scale and its benefits. Krispy Kreme is relying on Avery Weigh-Tronix’s new ZQ375 checkweigher to help maintain its daily doughnut production for the North East of England.

Krispy Kreme’s well-known doughnut shops can be found in over 730 locations in 21 countries around the world. Its new Newcastle (UK) Hotlight store produces 16 different varieties of doughnuts for its own on site retail store, its other regional outlets and retailers such as Tesco. The company has just installed a 6 kg and a 45kg ZQ375 checkweigher at its Newcastle store to weigh its ingredients prior to baking. Empty containers are placed on the scales and then filled with the ingredients for the batter or the fillings.

Krispy Kreme prides itself on providing fresh doughnuts daily, so the equipment must be reliable, robust and easy to clean. Of particular importance is the scale’s IP69k rated enclosure, which allows the check weighing scales to be thoroughly cleaned without fear of water or particle ingress. It has a smooth, polished surface finish, curved corners and an easy to remove cover. The design minimizes the growth of micro-organisms on the scale and limits food trap areas where bacteria can thrive.

Says Ollie Kane, service manager for Krispy Kreme: “As a business it’s important that we get the ingredient mix correct to ensure quality. The scales are constantly used as we produce fresh doughnuts daily for all of our outlets. Over the course of a week we will produce 1.3 million doughnuts nationally. “The new scales are robust, easy to clean and are also easy to use. The indicator is on top of a column on the scale at a convenient height for the operators and its display is very clear so that they can easily check that the weight of the ingredient is correct. “Aesthetically the scale is also very attractive, which is important because we sometimes open up the production area so that the public can see what is happening.”

This is another example of how food processing businesses are relying on the Avery Weigh-Tronix ZQ375 digital scales for accurate weighing. Your business would more than likely benefit from one of these check weighing scales as well. Contact the sales team at Central Carolina Scale for an analysis of what item(s) would work best for your application.

Do I Have to Send My 190 STORM Indicator in to the Factory for an Option Install?

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As we’ve mentioned in the past, the Cardinal 190 weight indicator is a very popular digital weight indicator. Most customers like it because it is washdown safe and because of the easy to read display that can change colors based on your tolerance settings that you can program into the unit. This makes it a great scale readout for checkweighing. One question that customers sometimes ask relates to optional features and do you need to send the unit in to the factory for installation?

As of the time of this write up, there is only one option that needs to be installed at the factory, and that is for the analog output (190-DAC). This is because the DAC option requires a certain software in the 190 to work. Any of the other connectivity options for the 190 (i.e. battery pack, Ethernet, USB, Wifi, RS232) do not require special programming and can be installed in an existing 190 in the field. Please contact us if you are interested in adding one of these Cardinal 190 indicators to your list of weighing equipment.