Category Archives: Printers

Top 4 Options To Consider on A Floor Scale

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We have been selling floor scales literally since the early 1980’s, so we know a thing or two about what floor scale options and features you might want to consider. Of course back in the 80’s almost all your floor scale choices were built in the United States. Fast forward to today and that is not always the case. So, what are the top four options to consider on a floor scale?  Let’s take a look. 

battery powered scale controller

Battery Powered Floor Scales

Most standard floor scales on the market come standard with standard 110 VAC power. And, most of the time this works fine. However, there are some situations where a battery powered industrial floor scale makes perfect sense. For example, what if you’re planning on the placing the scale in a shelter that is a hundred feet away from your main building? Or what if you’re weighing is a very important part of your business and you need to make sure your floor scale is operational even if the power goes out? Luckily in most cases it’s not very expensive to add battery power to a floor scale. However, please note that it is usually much easier to order the scale with a battery powered digital weight indicator as opposed to swapping indicators down the road.

floor scale with ramp

How are You Going to Weigh Items on the Floor Scale?

Before you purchase the floor scale, think about the flow of your warehouse. How are you going to weigh your pallets or whatever it is you are looking to weigh? Do you need to cut a hole in your floor and put in a pit frame and place the floor scale in the floor?  Or do you need to buy the floor scale and order a ramp at the same time?  If you choose a ramp, you will need to factor in how much overall floor space you will need since in most cases a ramp is going to be either 48″ x 48″ or 60″ x 48″ each. So once you have a 60″ x 60″ scale and then add a 60″ x 48″ ramp, you will need a lot of warehouse space to accommodate that.

Do You Need a Portable Floor Scale?

Maybe you already decided that you need battery power…. Do you need to take the next step and purchase a truly portable floor scale?  Now you can move just about any standard floor scale with a forklift.  But it does require you to be careful and not rip the homerun cable out of the scale display. However, today we have numerous ways to make a heavy duty industrial floor scale truly portable. We have portability carts, portability frames, and we have forklift channels that can be built into the side of the scale platform. Any of these scale options can make moving your floor scale around your warehouse much easier and safer.

5x5 pallet scale

Do You Need to Connect Your Floor Scale to a Printer or Your Computer?

Most floor scale customers are just looking to purchase a four by four foot square shaped scale for weighing pallets. However, quite a few customers could benefit from adding an additional element to their weighing. When you’re looking to purchase a floor scale why not go ahead and add a label printer to the scale?  With a label printer, you could easily add a label to everything that you weigh including things like the gross weight, maybe a tare weight and a Net weight.  You could even add the time and date of the weighment if you wanted to. Also, in a similar situation, you could also look into having your weighments be sent to your computer. We have several different ways to send scale weight data to your computer. 

Conclusion

I hope this entry has been helpful for you. These top four options to consider when purchasing a floor scale are based on many years of customers buying floor scales and listening to their requests and what they actually purchased. Of course, there are other things to consider as well like NTEP certification, industrial heavy duty versus light industrial, imported floor scale versus made in America, etc… but once you get those things figured out, these four options that I mentioned above are important to think about.

Please contact us with your questions or request for quote. You can call, email. or complete the RFQ form on our website.  Thanks for visiting our website and I hope that you will consider us for your next weighing equipment purchase. 

Top Rated Price Computing Scales (Legal for Trade) for the Farmers Market in 2024

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It’s almost spring time and it’s a time when everyone starts thinking about the farmer’s market. Can’t you almost taste the fresh strawberries? But, if you’re selling your fresh fruits and vegetables to customers, then you should use a legal for trade price computing scale. Updated for 2024.

Which produce scale should I buy?

Well, we have a couple of suggestions! Chances are you’ve seen one or maybe both of these top rated commercial scales at the farmers market before. Our top two choices for best price computing scales for the farmers market feature: rechargeable battery power, displays on the front and back, and both are legal for trade.

The Rice Lake RS130 and RS160 line of retail scales is one of our top picks for best price computing scales. The RS-130 and RS-160 produce scales are the ultimate choice for simple price computing applications, delivering unmatched convenience and accuracy. The RS series provide one button operation with weight displays and either pounds kilograms or ounces. These scales also allow you to enter a dollar amount and the scale will assist you with calculating the correct change. These scales are available in your choice of either a 30lb or 60lb capacity and with or without the tower display.

Best Price Computing Scales on the Market Today

We feel the the CAS S2000 Junior commercial scale is the top price computing scale. The CAS S2000 JR. farmers market scale features dual range capacities, the ability to weigh in pounds, kilograms or ounces and you can easily print out a basic label with the optional label printer. The S-2000 Junior is our top pick for 2023. If you’re looking for a legal for trade price computing scale that has great features and reliability.

 

Well there you have it. Our top rated farmers market scales for 2023. These commercial scales have a great track record of accurate and reliable weighing. Wondering why the S2000 Junior beat out the RS130? The answer is overall value, warranty, dual range capacities, and the ability to connect a label printer.

We based our ratings on our own opinion of the products, past sales, repeat sales from repeat customers, and overall reliability.  

Be sure to contact our sales department (919) 776-7737 to discuss the current prices for these legal for trade scales and current availability. 

How Do Truck Scales Work?

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Have you ever driven by a truck weigh station on the interstate? Or maybe you’ve driven by a feedmill and noticed a seventy foot long truck scale out front? The odds are that most of us have done one or the other of the scenarios above. So, how do truck scales work that are sitting beside the highway or beside the recycling center?

A truck scale is a large set of scales typically installed permanently on a concrete foundation. By weighing the vehicle both empty and when loaded, the load carried by the vehicle can be calculated. Typically the truck scale will have multiple load cells underneath the platform.

truck scales 101

How do Truck Weight Scales Work?

Truck scales are used to measure the weight of a vehicle and its contents. Vehicle scales are used in many industries such as metal recyclers, waste facilities, truck stops, landfills, and rock quarries etc… to weigh heavy vehicles such as dump trucks, semi-trucks and trailers. 

Truck scales typically consist of several large platforms. These platforms are often called the weighbridge. The weighbridge is supported by multiple load cells, which are sensors that measure weight. There are typically three choices of load cell technology. Analog, Digital, or Hydraulic. 

When a vehicle drives onto the scale weighbridge, the load cells measure the weight of the vehicle and its contents. The weight is then displayed on the scale digital readout with truck id numbers. At this point, a ticket is printed showing the gross weight of the truck. And in many cases, the ticket will also show the tare weight and net weight as well. There are many options to consider.

Some truck scales also have additional features such as a weigh-in-motion system, which allows the scale to measure the weight of a slowly moving vehicle. Or, some truck scales include a self-service kiosk, which allows the driver to enter their information and print a weight ticket which can be used for record keeping purposes or to verify the weight of the vehicle and its contents for shipping or other purposes.

how do truck scales work

Importance of Accurate & Reliable Truck Weighing Equipment

Overall, truck scales are a vital tool for ensuring the safety and efficiency of the transportation industry. So when you wonder how do truck scales work, the answer is a truck scale is a large weighing platform with load cells underneath that allows trucks to be accurately weighed. And, by accurately measuring the weight of vehicles and their contents, these vehicle scales help to prevent overloading and other potential hazards on the road. Whether you’re a truck driver, a shipping company, or a business owner, a reliable truck scale is an essential component of your business operations.

Popular Truck Scale Accessories to Consider

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Quality truck scale accessories increase efficiencies and optimize the flow of trucks in and out of your plant.

Knowing exactly which truck scale accessories will complement your current operations can help you better select an overall truck scale system and manufacturer. Refer to your site planning flow map to see where an accessory can speed up processes and reduce the risk of human error.

Always consider the space an accessory will need prior to installing your truck scale system to ensure the best truck maneuverability and flow.

Accessories include attended and automated ticketing kiosks, remote displays, traffic signals, printers, guiderails and more.


Guide Rails
Guiderails offer drivers protection against accidental drive-offs.

Many suppliers offer guiderails…. make sure you examine the designs of each with your scale supplier closely, including the shape and strength of the rail.

Some guiderails have open-ended rails, while others are sealed or plugged with an end cap. Open-ended rails can accumulate debris and moisture, and guiderails plugged with an end cap can corrode from the inside if moisture seeps past the cap.

Caps with a welded seal offer the best protection, keeping debris and moisture build-up out of the rail.

Truck Scale Accessories

Automated Ticketing Kiosks
From RFID truck identification to load assignment, weighing and ticketing, unattended automated ticketing kiosks optimize truck traffic and improve safety by keeping drivers behind the wheel. Many manufacturers’ kiosks can integrate with your central office and accounting systems.

Printers and Printer Kiosks
Printers and printer kiosks improve more than just speed and accuracy. Many printer kiosk systems offer state-of-the-art features like RFID, vehicle recognition and durable weatherproof designs.

Truck Scale Data Management
Truck scale data management software can print tickets or reports, as well as store information to a central database.

Data management software enhances the functionality of automated ticketing kiosks by providing advanced data management and reporting capabilities. Most software systems are adaptable to a wide variety of industries and are compatible with many popular operating systems, streamlining your scale house or front office operations with your truck scale.

Most manufacturers’ software allows you to generate reports, often broken down by a number of variables including customer, hauler, truck, product and vendor.

Remote Displays
Whether you need to see weight readouts up close or messages at a distance, remote displays light up information to increase efficiency and provide direction to drivers. Many remote displays are customizable and feature stop/go red and green signal lights.

Traffic Stop Lights
Industrial-strength stop lights professionally communicate the universal stop/go red and green signals at a distance, speeding up scale traffic and eliminating congestion.

Barrier Gates
Barrier gates block access at the entry or exit of your truck scale. Most gates are electronically controlled to open or close after a designated action is taken.

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

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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.

Advice For Keeping your Ticket & Thermal Printers in Good Shape

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Often customers who have printers connected to their scales will ask us about preventive maintenance for keeping their ticket and thermal printers in good working order.  Below are a few tips to consider.

There are a few things to consider when it comes to keeping your scale printer in good working order. Some of the key factors to consider include the type of print mechanism, volume of use, environment and paper stock used.

Ticket Printers
First type of printer we’ll look at is the ticket printer. You often see these connected to a truck scale digital weight indicator. These printers seem to have a more opened up layout which means that ticket printers will require more frequent cleaning than other types of printers.

A slide-in ticket printer, for example the Rice Lake TicketPress printer in an air-conditioned office may need cleaning a couple of times a year. That same printer in a more dusty environment such as a feed mill or gravel pit may be exposed to more airborne dust and need a quick cleaning each week. In those especially nasty environments, the operator should be trained to do minor cleaning at the start of each week.

scale printer maintentance for printhead

Dirt on the print head is easy for an operator to handle with a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol. You’ll know when it’s time for cleaning when you start to notice poor print quality.

The head shaft, drive gears and belts are more critical and require professional attention from the service team at Central Carolina Scale. Dirt buildup on these moving parts creates drag, causing extra current draw for the motor, which often leads to a burned out motor or drive transistors. A visual inspection by a professional scale technician during regular preventive maintenance visits is your best guide to prevention. Another great reason to setup a scale check with us on a regular basis.

Thermal Label Printers
This type of printer is usually more protected from airborne dust, but have special needs due to generally higher usage. In addition to the print head, the drive rollers, bearings and clutches sometimes require attention in high-volume applications.

Because they do not use a ribbon, print heads of direct thermal printers can easily pick up debris and should be cleaned regularly. Light streaks in the same place on each label are an indication of a dirty head. On the other hand, thermal transfer printers—with direct ribbon contact—stay relatively clean and can normally go three to four rolls of labels stock between cleanings.

If major adjustments are needed to maintain print quality, it should be your red flag to check bearings and rollers in high-volume label printers. Clean rollers first with alcohol, or even acetone, if they are badly gummed up. If you’re still adjusting frequently, disassemble the label drive mechanism and check the drive roller bearings, replacing if necessary.

Some label printers use felt disks for clutches. A few drops of SAE 5 light machine oil at each cleaning will keep these printers operating quietly.

Quick Maintenance
One of the easiest ways to cut down on required maintenance is to use a dust cover which you can obtain from Central Carolina Scale for most current printers. These heavy, clear plastic covers are custom-made for most popular printers. Not only do they protect from airborne dust during the hours when printers are idle, but some models can be left on during actual use for 24-hour dust protection.

Satellite Unattended Weighing Kiosk For Truck Scales

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Have you ever wondered if it was possible to have a truck scale without anyone actually manning the scale? If so, take a look at the Cardinal Scale Manufacturing Satellite series unattended weighing kiosks.

These provide the ultimate experience in unmanned truck scale efficiency and streamlined data integration. The lockable, weather-proof enclosure features an articulating arm to retract the kiosk away from truck traffic when its not in use.

Select a Satellite model with the features you need including a high-speed thermal cutbar tape printer, proximity badge reader (AWID and HID), rainhood/sun deflector, and 240 x 64 pixel blue backlit LCD or 640 x 480 pixel backlit color touch screen LCD. The weatherproof QWERTY keyboard with navigation arrow keys and main soft keys provides driver input prompting controls.

Features
Articulating Arm Allows Kiosk to be Retracted
Data Integration with WinVRS Available
Easy to Refill Paper Rolls
High-Speed Thermal Cutbar Printer
Internal Heater with Thermostat in Printer
Cabinet Kiosk May be Pole or Wall-Mounted
Lockable Outdoor-Grade Enclosure
Main Soft Keys Provide Driver Input
Prompting Controls Reduces Risk Associated with Drivers Walking Across Platforms Weatherproof QWERTY Keyboard and Navigation Arrow Keys

Cardinal Scale’s New 190A Weight Indicator with Axle Weighing Software

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cardinal 190a with 760 axle scalesDesigned for non-legal-for-trade portable axle weighing applications such as with Cardinal’s CWL-40 and 760 series mobile wheel weighers, the 190A weight indicator features axle weighing software, traffic control mode to automatically capture accumulative axle weights without the driver having to leave the truck (when connected to a remote display with traffic lights and printer), two RS232 serial ports (for printer and remote display), optional rechargeable lithium ion battery, capacitive touch keys, and IP69K-rated wash-down enclosure (the highest protection rating possible).

The 1-inch/25-mm high backlit LCD is visible in direct sunlight and may be set to any one of 6 different customizable settings. The 190A weight indicator features 3 watertight gland connectors, quick-connect power connector, and one ID.

The 190A easily factors axle weights by pressing the PRINT key for each successive axle weight, or it can function in traffic control auto mode sensing each truck axle’s weight when connected to a remote display such as the SB500 with traffic signals and a printer such as the P150. Traffic control mode allows the truck driver to never have to leave the truck during the axle weighing process which speeds up weighing operations.

A variety of power options for the 190A enable mobile weighing on the go!

The PS190 wall adapter with US, UK, EU, and Australian plugs.
The 190DC12 car battery charger cable with 12-foot length and battery terminal eyelets (also available in 6 and 18 foot lengths).
Or the popular BP190 rechargeable lithium ion internal battery pack, which charges from the indicator through the PS190 or 190DC12 power options.

Three different modes of power give you versatile options with Cardinal’s 190A indicator.

Cardinal’s model P150 mobile high-speed direct line thermal printer is rechargeable lithium-ion battery powered (included) for use with the 190A indicator and portable scales. The P150 is compact and robust with a long-life printing head and high reliability. It features easy paper handling due to its paper drop-in style, 3.15-in/80-mm per second printing speed, 203 DPI x 203 DPI resolution, and serial and USB connectivity. There are three LEDs to indicate battery status. Charging time is 2 hours for 90 minutes of continuous use. The overall dimensions are 3.7 W x 5.3 D x 2.2 H inches (96 W x 136 D x 58 H mm). Print width is 1.89 in/48 mm, 384 dot. Standard serial printer cable provided.

CL5000 Label Printing Scale Gets Ethernet Card Upgrade

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CAS Corporation just announced effective immediately, both the CAS Wireless (PCL1) & Wired (PCL2) Ethernet Cards for the CL5000 label printing scale are being replaced by new and improved cards.

cas cl5000 label printing scale

New CL5000 Wireless Ethernet Card
TCP/IP 802.11b/g (54Mbps)
CAS Part #: PCLF

The new style Wireless Ethernet Kit is designed as an improvement to the original style with increased capabilities. Protect your data with WEP64, WEP128, WPA, or WPA2 encryption. The design of the new style kit is different than the original card type. The installation of this kit requires disassembly of the CL5000 to allow proper installation.

New CL5000 Wired Ethernet Card
TCP/IP 100 Base T (10/100Mbps)
CAS Part #: PCLD

The new style Wired Ethernet Kit is designed as an improvement to the original style with increased capabilities. The design of the new style kit is different than the original card type. The installation of this kit requires disassembly of the CL5000 to allow proper installation.

Although it is not impossible to add these kits in the field, it is recommended that if either of these kits are to be used, the CL5000 should be ordered from CAS with the Wireless Ethernet Kit (#PCLF) or Wired Ethernet Kit (#PCLD) installed. The new kits require an upgrade to the firmware of the CL5000.

The CL5000 Label Printing Scale has the functions you need at an affordable price. Includes CL-Works software package. Use in supermarkets, specialty stores, deli’s and more.

Common Questions Answered Regarding Counting Scales

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Counting Scales are very similar to other scales in terms of weighing, but the counting scale does two additional functions, by performing operations in division and multiplication based on the internal resolution.  Please continue reading below as Jim Daggon and Ann Crowley from Rice Lake Weighing Systems answer some of the common questions relating to counting scales like the Digi DC-300, Digi DC-190, DC-788 and the DC-782.

1. What is internal resolution?
The internal resolution of a counting scale is the number of divisions into which it divides the total capacity of the scale.

Example: A 50 lb counting scale with 1 million count resolution divides up the 50 lb into 1,000,000 parts. This means each internal resolution is translated to 50/1,000,000 or 0.00005 lb.All of the weights are calculated on this basis. For example, if some parts were placed on the counting scale, and the internal calculation was 210 internal counts, the weight to be displayed would be 210 times 0.00005 lb = 0.01050 lb. Since the weight display might only be five digits, then the weight display would be 0.01 lb. This is the external resolution. (rounded off).

The operator can key in the sample quantity—for example, ten pieces. The scale still “knows” how many internal counts are being used (210) and now divides that number by 10 to get the number of internal counts per piece (210/10 = 21). Continue reading →