Category Archives: General

Why should I buy a scale that is “Legal-for-Trade” when I don’t intend to use it in a Commercial Weighing application?

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There are a number of questions we get from time to time regarding legal for trade scales. Often, especially with floor scales we are asked “why should I buy a scale that is “Legal-for-Trade” when I don’t intend to use it in a commercial weighing setting”?

Defining a commercial weighing application can sometimes be a little tricky. Scales can be moved around and get used for things that maybe you didn’t originally intend.

Basically, an NTEP approved device is required any time money changes hands based on a scale’s reading. We sometimes call this legal for trade scales or we might call it NTEP certified equipment.

Freight scales, for example, must be NTEP approved. For these situations government requires that a scale must pass tests put forth by the National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP). These regulations are meant to protect the consumer.

But if I were in the market for a scale, in most cases, I would want to choose a scale that was at least capable of passing NTEP testing and receiving an NTEP certificate.

If you think about it, we use a scale because we want to know an exact weight (as accurately as possible) and have trust in the information we view on the scale display.

NTEP approved floor scale

When selecting a scale to weigh your produce, or packages, would you choose one that’s been tested and approved by an independent third party as accurate, or would you rather have a scale that’s never been tested at all by an independent group?

NTEP Certified Commercial Scale

In most cases I would choose the scale that has been tested and received a conformance certificate.

Sure there are some markets and applications where NTEP certified scales are not really necessary. But when you’re comparing a legal for trade scale side by side with one that is non-ntep, ask yourself or your scale sales person a question. Could this non-ntep scale have earned a NTEP certificate of conformance?

If the answer is yes you may be ok with purchasing a non-ntep scale. The non ntep scale probably costs less, but is the scale accurate and stable as well?  How will you know for sure the scale is accurate? And if you need to replace it sooner than expected, how much money did you ultimately really save buying a non legal for trade scale?

If the sales person says no, the scale probably would not be capable of earning a certificate of conformance, that would cause me re-evaluate the product and my products that I’m looking to purchase.

Ultimately, it’s up to you the end user to decide what direction you want to to.

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Digital Scale With Email Alerts

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Cardinal Scale leads the weighing industry with their digital weight indicator product line. Cardinal’s weight indicators provide easy, convenient scale operation and accurate, reliable measurements. From basic truck scale weighing to complex process automation, Cardinal Scale has a weight indicator for your application.

Cardinal Scale’s 825 Spectrum weight indicator can send automatic e-mail alerts through an Ethernet connection to the client’s internal SMTP e-mail server for submission to up to three recipients per scale. The 825 features up to 10 scale inputs per indicator by installing additional option cards to the multiple slots available, and each of the scales connected has completely-individual configuration for the e-mail alerts.

Originally programmed for a company to use with a series of tank scales, this 825 custom application allows users to receive instant notification on stocking levels, such as when it’s time to order refills.

Cardinal Scale 825 Spectrum Digital IndicatorEasy set-up for this application is enabled through the 825’s touchscreen LCD and QWERTY keyboard where users may assign the e-mail address the alerts are sent from, which also acts as a return address (any address may be configured). There are four preset weights available per scale for user-definable targets such as Over, Accept, Under (Reorder), and Extremely Low, which may be labeled whatever the user chooses. Continue reading →

Moisture Analyzers are the Secret to Success

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moisture balancesDid you ever wonder why your favorite potato chips always have just the right amount of crispness?

Or why your powdered laundry detergent always leaves your clothes smelling of the same freshness?

 

 

The answers to these questions – and quality & consistency of many consumer goods – are dependent upon the moisture content of these products, and Ohaus moisture analyzers can help to ensure quality through precise moisture determination. Many industries rely on moisture analysis to ensure the quality of the goods we use, and consume, daily.

Medicine
Precise moisture analysis is critical to pharmaceutical manufacturing because the moisture content in bulk drugs and intermediates has a direct influence on the quality of the next step in production.

Food
Moisture analysis is critical to quality, taste, and shelf life of many foods. Moisture balances ensure quality at every stage of food production, ensuring tasty and safe final products reach the consumer.

Agriculture
The level of moisture in agricultural goods is key to determining the price of the goods. The accurate and repeatable results produced by moisture analyzers can help ensure fair commerce.

Finally, for a limited time Ohaus is actually rewarding customers with iTunes gift codes for each purchase of MB45 or MB35 Moisture Balances. Contact us at 919-776-7737 for details.

Headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, Ohaus Corporation manufactures an extensive line of high-precision electronic and mechanical balances and scales that meet the weighing needs of virtually every industry. Ohaus is a global leader in the laboratory, industrial, and education channels as well as a host of specialty markets, including the food preparation, pharmacy and jewelry industries. An ISO 9001:2008 manufacturer, OHAUS products are precise, reliable and affordable, and are backed by industry-leading customer support.

Wrestling Scale Certification

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Each year customers at middle school, high schools, and colleges contact our scale company looking to purchase certified digital scales to use for their wrestling team or sometimes they just simply want to get their old scale checked and certified. Most of the time the process is pretty simple. However, occasionally the customer is not certain about what rules or regulations they need to follow to weigh a wrestler. So, before you purchase a scale or have one certified, it might be a good idea to check with your athletic conference or sanctioning body or perhaps you have some type of “rule book” to make certain what rules you need to follow. For example, one rule that we have been told is that some states require schools to use a NTEP legal for trade scale (with CoC#) for weighing wrestlers.

certified wrestling scaleWhen it comes to actually certifying the scales, it is usually a good idea to get your wrestling scale certified annually. Generally, when we calibrate and certify the scale we normally look over the scale and make sure it appears to be functioning correctly. If something appears broken or missing such as a leveling foot, we might mention that on the paperwork or even recommend you purchase a replacement. We make sure the display is working correctly and showing all the digits and decimal point correctly. We also like to make sure the platform is solid. Also, if your scale has a rechargeable battery inside you might want to try charging it up and using it a few days before your scale check up to make sure it’s Continue reading →

Brecknell ElectroSamson Official Scale of Major League Fishing

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Brecknell recently announced their new partnership as the official scale sponsors of Major League Fishing’s 2013 event. Major League Fishing is one of the new highlights of the sporting calendar for many anglers, with 24 of the world’s premiere competitive bass fishing anglers coming together to compete in high-intensity angling competitions over the month of September. With the ‘New Game, New Rules and No Limits’ slogan, the competition winner is the competitor with the highest total weight caught over the course of the competition.

With accuracy and weight being the key deciding factor for the victor, Major League Fishing chose Brecknell’s ElectroSamson as the best portable scale for the job. So, if you’re in the market for a digital fishing scale that is both portable and affordable, this is your ideal weighing solution.

fisherman using handheld brecknell scale to weigh fishThe ElectroSamson is a hand held electronic digital balance which can be used for hand-held weighing, with or without the weigh handle, or suspended weighing. Ideal for anglers and other sports, the highly portable ElectroSamson allows you to switch from kg/lb/oz, has a bright LED display and comes in three capacities to suit your needs. Click here for an entire brochure of the angling scales from Brecknell. For more information contact us at 919-776-7737.

Portable Wheel Weighers Overview From Intercomp

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At Central Carolina Scale, we’ve been selling, renting, and repairing scales for over 40 years and likewise Intercomp has been building outstanding portable wheel weighers and crane scales for decades as well. Intercomp is the world’s largest manufacturer of portable weighing and measurement products, producing the highest quality products at competitive prices. Customers in fields like aerospace, transportation, automotive, and numerous other industries know that Intercomp’s products provide reliable solutions for the most exacting applications.

PT300 Portable Wheel Weigher Scale

Intercomp’s exclusive RFX Wireless Weighing Technology is the most advanced technology of its kind. The complete line of portable scales, indicators, and test equipment utilize RFX Wireless Weighing Technology to provide the accuracy needed to obtain reliable readings in any weighing application. Intercomp industrial weighing products also consists of portable high capacity scales & load cells for under the wheel of vehicles, on overhead cranes, in material handling devices and mounted within production equipment. Let’s take a look at a few of the Intercomp wheel load scales below. Continue reading →

Cardinal Scale LB Series Load Bars Now Available

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If you’re in the market for a set of professional weigh beams or load bars then you have found the set of scales for you. Cardinal Scale’s new LB series load bars are manufactured for versatile use underneath a variety of farm weighing applications, including alleyway platforms, cages, squeeze chutes, bins, hoppers, and other types.

The Cardinal LB series feature rugged structural steel tube frame construction with extra-wide foot plates on each end and receiver tabs on top, plus four Cardinal model TB 2500-lb stainless steel load cells with adjustable support feet. Standard sizes come in 24, 36, and 48 inch lengths, plus custom sizes are available. Select from either 2,500 or 5,000-lb capacity models. These electronic scale bases provide an economical approach for ranchers and farmers with nearly limitless agricultural weighing applications!

The load bars require a firm level surface and a rigid crate or platform. There is no summing box required, and they are accurate to within +/- 1%. Included cables run 12 ft. between the load bars and 20 ft. for the indicator (indicator sold separately). If you’re interested in more information on this exciting new product, please contact us at 919-776-7737.

Strain Gauge Load Cell Designs From Cardinal Scale Manufacturing

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But in today’s ultra competitive climate, it’s getting very difficult to find domestic built load cells. In fact we wrote about that not too long ago, you can click here to see that article.

Today I wanted to look at several of the load cell designs that are available from Cardinal that distributors like Central Carolina Scale sell everyday. Of course, load cells convert force into an electrical signal and are a very important part of things like hanging scales, truck scales, floor scales, and many other medical or industrial weighing systems. The load cell sensor detects force and moves the strain gauge, which then measures the movement as an electrical signal that can be used to give power to the scale.

Located in Webb City Missouri, Cardinal Scale Mfg. is one of the largest load cell and strain gauge providers in the U.S. with their own state-of-the-art load cell facility. Cardinal features a wide variety of load cells for use with all weighing systems. From powerful aluminum alloy electronic load cells to durable stainless steel load cells, each model is available in a range of capacities. Continue reading →

Fitness Equipment Company Gives Doran Scales a Workout

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Recently, a fitness equipment manufacturer was weighing a kit of parts and their current weighing system was still allowing an unacceptable quantity of quality control problems. The ideal product for the fitness company was a Doran 2200cw scale. Below is a summary of what was installed at their facility.

A system was proposed that would automate and simplify the process and retain the accumulated weight through the process of weighing several components of a parts kit. By connecting three Doran 2200CW over under accept check weigh scales together and using foot switches to activate certain push buttons, Doran was able to construct a system that allowed the employees to accurately weigh the kit of parts even though the weighing process took place across three workstations – all without pushing buttons on the scale front panel.

2200CW check weigh scaleThree 2200CW check weigh scales were set up using RS-232 cables so that scale number one sent weight data to scale two, and scale two sent weight data to scale three. The first 2200CW check weigher was set up for an over value of 1.2 lb and an under value of 0.7 lb. The employee weighs the items at the first scale and then presses the PRINT foot switch on the first scale. That weight is sent to the second 2200CW and would be automatically programmed as the tare value in the second scale.

The second 2200CW scale is set up with a target weight of 2.2 lb. A component is added to the kit of parts and would be weighed on the second scale and the GROSS/NET foot switch would be pressed to change it to gross mode. The PRINT foot switch is pressed and the total weight (including the tare value sent from scale one) is transmitted to scale three.

On the third and final 2200CW scale, another part is added to the kit. The GROSS/NET foot switch is pressed, to put the scale into gross mode. The weight of all the parts is shown on the display of scale three.

This is just one example of what is possible with Doran scales and the huge choice of available options. If you have a unique weighing application, contact us at Central Carolina Scale and we can get a Doran scale system quoted for you that will save you money and increase your efficiency.