There is no doubt about it, an accurate weight scale is an essential device for just about any company. And it’s extremely important to any company who directly uses scales in their daily process.

I’m sure you’ve probably seen the online calculators that compute scale accuracy versus dollars lost due to inaccurate scales. If you haven’t, be sure to checkout B-Tek’s calculator page with all the scale calculators. It can really make you think, or better yet obsess, about your scale accuracy!

It doesn’t take much of an error for a company to lose hundreds and hundreds of dollars. Of course that multiplies each day the scale isn’t weighing correctly. And in most cases if a company would just invest a little in their scale maintenance, a lot of these weighing errors could be virtually eliminated or at least they could be reduced quite a bit.

In our experience, if most companies that own truck scales would invest in a quarterly scale check and stick with a consistent scale cleanout (or pit cleaning) schedule, many of the scale errors and downtime could be greatly reduced. This would hopefully eliminate one of the big culprits which is buildup under the weighbridge.

Scale Maintenance Programs

If you think about the hundreds or even thousands of dollars of lost revenue from scale errors, a scale maintenance program becomes an easy decision to agree with.

It’s not just companies with truck scales. Every company out there usually has either UPS shipping scales or parts counting scales or pallet scales…. all of them could stand to have their scales checked at least a couple of times a year.

Most companies that come to us looking for scale repair or calibration often choose to work with us on a regular basis. They understand the benefits of having accurate scales and they like receiving discounted prices on certain things. Regular scheduled maintenance is great because you don’t have to think about having your scales checked. They are automatically checked by our skilled and experienced state certified scale technicians at certain intervals throughout the year. 

When we talk about scale service and the costs, one of the factors that you have to consider is certified test weights. When CCS goes to your site and checks your scales, we are bringing certified test weights to check your scales. The weights cost money and the yearly certification costs money as well. And when we are talking about checking truck scales, now we are getting into 1000 pound test weights and the cost to purchase those weights and to certify those. Did you know that at the time of this article, the price of item 12850 which is a 1,000lb ASTM Class 6 Cast Iron Painted Weight is $5000?  Each?

Scale Service & Repair Prices

So the point of this entry is to look at service prices. In most cases a scale service trip is likely going to be somewhere around half a day to a day in most cases. Pricing for this could be anywhere from around $320 to well over $1000.

This will vary depending on how far the location is from headquarters and how many scales need to be checked and/or repaired. Other cost factors will depend on how many scale technicians are needed for the work and which vehicle is needed. For example, do you need a small van or truck with max 50 lb weights or do you need a large test truck with cart and 1000 lb weights?

We hope this Industrial Scale Service Cost Guide & Recommendations entry has helped you understand some of the benefits of having your scales checked regularly and some of the pricing involved in that. If you need more assistance or want to get a quote on having your scales checked, be sure to call (919) 776-7737 or complete the RFQ form on our website to get started.  

Is my new scale calibrated and ready to use?  If you are purchasing a scale from us and you are located in central NC then there is probably a 99.9% chance we have tested and calibrated your scale. However, if you are or have purchased a scale from us and it is being shipped to you from the factory then that is a different situation.

In fact, we are asked this question quite often…. Do your scales come calibrated? I would say probably at least 95% of the time the answer is yes, they have been calibrated. The calibration is what we refer to as factory calibration. Most new scales are calibrated at the scale manufacturer or “factory” location. 

The vast majority of our suppliers calibrate the scales before the end user starts weighing.  But, that factory calibration can vary. We have some suppliers who have the scales calibrated overseas. So, they are not calibrated in the US. As you probably know, a lot of rough handling and bumps and tumbles can occur between the manufacturers location and yours. Some suppliers also charge extra fees to calibrate their scales in the US.

Many scales these days are manufactured overseas and the scales are tested and basically run through QC before final packaging. So your scale will be calibrated at that point. However, that doesn’t guarantee it will be correct once it’s shipped halfway around the world. You also will not typically receive any calibration documentation from this testing either. In fact, many of the scale manufactures located in the US don’t like providing written calibration reports either.  

So, you may be wondering, what can I do?  If you’re purchasing scales online, you really need to have your scales tested and calibrated once you put them into service in the location where you plan to use them. You will need to contact a reputable local scale company in your area to do this. They should have certified test weights.  At that point a calibration certificate or report should be able to be generated that is actually valid. 

So, do new scales come calibrated?  Basically, if you’re one of our local customers and you purchase a scale from us, your scale calibration should be taken care of and you will likely be able to find it online using our best in class software. If you’re purchasing a scale online, you need to verify with the sales department what type of calibration and/or documentation you need. Questions?  Call us at (919) 776-7737.

I think most scale buyers don’t think about a scale cart when they’re looking to purchase a bench scale. I also don’t think a lot of scale sellers think to offer a mobile scale cart as an option either.

Adding a mobile scale cart to your bench scale purchase can be a great choice. In today’s article we are going to go into greater detail regarding the benefits of adding a mobile scale cart to your bench scale purchase.

What is a Mobile Scale Cart?

Normally customers order a counter-top bench scale with capacity ranges of anywhere from 5 lb to 100 lb and they typically place these scales on a counter top.  The scale platform sizes are usually between 12″ x 12″ and 20″ x 20″ or so.  And in many cases these counter top weighing locations work out just fine and the scale delivers great accuracy and everyone is happy.  But what if you could buy a specialized mobile cart that the scale sits on top of?

The mobile scale cart is basically a portable cart that is designed by the scale manufacturer to fit certain scales and to easily allow you to move an industrial scale from place to place in your warehouse. These mobile scale carts are ideal for customers who need to have a weighing device in multiple locations in their business. 

The scale carts are manufactured with a painted steel construction. Sometimes a stainless steel version can be made available as well. Often a couple of the support columns will have swivel casters that can lock in place.

You might be thinking, well I can just buy some cheap cart from Uline and do this…. Well the beauty of the mobile scale cart is they also include other features sometimes like adjustable legs which allow you to change the overall heights of the cart as well as a column to mount the weight indicator. For example, the Rice Lake BenchMark MSC-20 mobile scale cart features two swivel, locking casters and two rigid casters and is designed to easily transport a counting scale and secondary scale anywhere you need to place it in your facility.

Benefits of a Mobile Scale Cart

Sure you can try to physically carry a bench scale all over your facility. However, all it takes is one mistake and now you have a broken scale or perhaps a load cell cable that has been ripped out of a weight indicator. The smart choice would be to place the scale system on a mobile scale cart and transport the scale where ever you need it. You can probably even place a power strip on the platform safely or maybe even place a label printer on there as well for maximum efficiency. 

We often talk about portable scales, but most of the time we think of the scales themselves being portable with carrying handles built in or perhaps wheels inside the scale platform.  We don’t often think about mobile scale carts that can also provide true portability. For example, the Rice Lake BenchMark MSC-10 mobile scale cart features two swivel, locking casters and two rigid casters. It also features adjustable height with telescoping tube designed legs and a 18-inch indicator stand for mounting weight indicators like the CW-90X, 480 Plus, 482 Plus, 680 Synergy, & 380 Synergy.  As you can see from this indicator list, you could use this cart for basic weighing, over/under check weighing, or even parts counting.

Today we focused most of our attention on portable bench scale systems. But we also have many different ways to make floor scales portable as well. Things like portability frames with wheels, scale carts, floor scale portability frames with forklift channels, etc… If you need more information on our mobile scale carts be sure to contact the sales department by completing the RFQ form or calling (919) 776-7737.  

Most warehouses in the United States have at least one pallet jack somewhere. An even greater luxury is to have a pallet jack scale that you can utilize. Sure you can always take a regular pallet truck or forklift and go find a platform scale. But if you have a pallet truck with built in scale, you just roll under the pallet, lift it up and get a weight!

These pallet trucks or pallet jacks or non motorized forklifts with scales built inside are actually very useful and are available in various fork sizes, max capacities, and brands. Some have printers. Some choices could be offered in stainless steel. Some choices could be legal for trade. Below I’m going to list my top four choices of the best pallet jack scales in America. 

CAS CPS SERIES
The CAS Corporation CPS Series Pallet Jack Scales are the ideal solution for commercially approved or general industrial mobile weighing. With its built in printer the CPS is the ideal scale to weigh pallets due its heavy duty construction. Choose from the industry standard, rugged, commercially approved CPS-1 & 2 pallet jack scales. These CAS pallet jack scales have been around a long time and have a proven track record.

The CAS CPS Series Pallet Jack Scales feature heavy duty construction – Designed and built to last with four shear beam load cells which provide stability, durability, & accuracy. The scale itself is easy to use with optimum maneuverability. Lift loads easily with hydraulic lift pump assembly and it’s easy to read the weight with the large 1″ high intensity backlit LCD display which is powered by the long lasting rechargeable battery which includes the programmable SLEEP mode to conserve the battery. 

The CPS series is available in either:
CPS-1N   3,000 x 1 lb     (NTEP/Legal for Trade)  
CPS-2N   5,000 x 2 lb     (NTEP/Legal for Trade) 

Standard fork dims are 45 x 27.8 x 3.1 inches in the model C.  Models A and B are also available with different fork dims via special order.

CAS CPS PLUS SERIES
The CAS CPS Series Pallet Jack Scales are the ideal and economical solution for general industrial mobile weighing. With it’s heavy duty construction, long lasting battery, and versatility; the CPS Plus is easy to read, easy to use. Designed and built to last. Features
5,000 x 1 lb capacity. Easy to read LCD with Backlight (CI201A Indicator) and Rechargeable Battery/AC Adapter Included. This scale is non-ntep but is a great value for customers who are looking for the proven CAS product but don’t need the legal for trade commercial grade equipment. Fork dims are 45 x 27.8 x 3.1 inches.

Rice Lake RL-HPJ Hand Pallet Jack Scale
Weigh and transport pallets in one streamlined process with Rice Lake’s RL-HPJ Hand Pallet Jack Scale. Easy to use, the RL-HPJ offers maximum precision for tracking shipping and receiving weights. Battery power keeps the weighing and transport process moving, while the integrated digital indicator provides a clear weight readout in any lighting condition. With a Rice Lake pallet jack scale, material handling is faster and more efficient for your warehouse.

The RL-HPJ Pallet Jack Scale features steering wheels and double loading polyurethane rollers along with four stainless steel IP68 load cells. The weight indicator is a IP65 stainless steel water-resistant enclosure with configuration, calibration and diagnostics from the keyboard. The system includes a rechargeable battery mounted on the pallet jack. Includes a 115VAC 50/60 Hz battery charger.

With fork dimensions of 48.75 × 26.75 × 3.125 inches the RL-HPJ will soon become one of your favorite pieces of equipment in your warehouse.

Atlas Kwik-Weigh Pallet Jack Scale
The all in one Pallet Truck with Scale allows product to be weighed while being moved to storage or to the production line service. Scale has 1 lb. resolution with maximum error of /-.2% of applied load. 4,500 lb. weighing capacity. LB/KG toggle switch and push button tare. English nomenclature on the indicator face. Lowered height of 2.9″ makes for easy pallet entry. Raised height is 7.6″. Equipped with rechargeable battery pack for a 35 hour continuous operation on a single charge. Portable Electronic Scale Operations include verify incoming and out going freight, batching by weight, drum filling, and inventory control. This is an all purpose mobile scale. Not legal for trade.

The Kwik Weigh pallet jack scale features a maximum weighing capacity of 4500 lbs or 2045 kg. The digital display has a 1.5″ tall LCD display. The manufacturer states that the Max error from 0 lbs to 2500 lbs is +/- .1% of applied load (which is 2 lbs at 2500 lbs). And, the Max error from 2500 lbs to 4500 lbs is +/- .2% of applied load (which is 8 lbs at 4500 lbs). The pallet truck has a lowered height of 2.95″ for easy pallet entry and a three position lowering control with loop handle for finger tip release. The high quality leak proof pump provides maintenance free service. Other features include sealed ball bearings throughout the device. Powder coated safety/color paint after anti-rust treatment and Non-marking polyurethane wheels.

Well there you have it, the top 4 Pallet Jack Scales for weighing pallets in your warehouse everyday. You might be wondering… how did you come up with this list?  Well, I’m glad you asked. It is 100% based on past sales and how well the scales have worked once sold. I also like to work with scale manufacturers that I know are going to build their products to a certain level of quality. Other pallet jack scales that I might look at in the future include Optima, Adam Equipment, and Worldweigh but we don’t have a lot of sales experience with those brands so far.

Contact Central Carolina Scale for Pallet Jack Scale Buying Advice 
When I did some research and put together this list of the The Top 4 Pallet Jack Scales for Weighing Pallets in Your Warehouse I realized that in many cases we’ve been recommending and selling pallet jack scales long before a lot of the internet “scale experts” ever thought of selling a scale. So be sure to contact our experienced sales team for honest product reviews and buying advice on which pallet jack scale is the best for your weighing application. Be sure browse our entire lineup of pallet truck scales and either call us (919) 776-7737 or complete the RFQ form today.

Today’s ultimate veterinary scale buyers guide entry is designed to provide you with some insight into purchasing vet scales to weigh everything from little dogs, kittens and rabbits to big dogs and more. There are really several key points you need to consider before making the scale purchase. And since we’ve been recommending vet scales to customers for over forty years, please allow us to provide you with several things to consider…. 

ANIMAL SCALE PLATFORM SIZE

What size weighing platform do you need for weighing animals?  What animals are you going to be weighing?  These are important questions when it comes to buying a veterinary scale. Many vet scales are around 36 to 40 inches long and somewhere near 20 inches wide.  That generally covers most animals like cats and dogs. However, if you’re only weighing kittens or bunnies, then you likely might need something smaller like the VS-11 from Rice Lake or the Vet75 from Detecto. And, likewise if you’re looking to weigh larger animals then you might need to look at the Brecknell PS2000.

VET SCALE POWER REQUIREMENTS

How are you going to power your vet scale?  If you’re just using it your vet clinic, then you can simply plug the weight display into the wall and you’re ready to weigh. But, what if you’re taking the scale on the road to weigh animals in their habitat.  Then, you will likely need some type of battery powered scale. Over the past few years, battery powered weight indicators have become more common in veterinary weighing equipment, so that should not be a problem to source. Of course, there’s always the question of do you prefer rechargeable battery or AA / AAA batteries?  

ANIMAL WEIGHING SCALE MOBILITY

If you’re planning to take your vet scale to different locations or you are looking to move the scale around your animal hospital, then you will need a portable vet scale that is relatively easy to move throughout the building.  Often these types of vet scales will be a little lighter and will have handles on one side and sometimes they will have some wheels built into the scale platform. In this situation, we might recommend the Tree LVS-700 or the Detecto Vet550 for portable animal weighing.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Vet scales are available from various manufacturers these days. We strongly suggest that you stick with the reputable brands that both you and your scale company trust. You know the names… Detecto, Brecknell, Rice Lake, & Weighsouth to name a few.

Remember, as we’ve discussed before, there are always cheaper imported products being dumped into the market every year but they often aren’t as durable AND they often lack the manufacturer support or spare parts capability that are necessary for long term use. In many situations, we recommend the Weighsouth VS-2501 vet scale.  If you need assistance choosing the right vet scale for your application, be sure to contact the sales team by phone or by completing the RFQ form.

Today we’re going to look at the subject of industrial scale maintenance. Generally, there are a couple of different types of industrial scale maintenance available. Scheduled, where your scale company comes out and checks your scales on a regular basis. Or, Unscheduled, aka… we’ll call you when it breaks. As for industrial scales, those are basically things like crane scales, pallet scales, bench scales and truck scales. So, let’s take a look at the two types of scale maintenance. 

Scheduled Scale Maintenance

Scheduled scale maintenance is sometimes referred to as preventive maintenance. We try to avoid calling it preventative because while there are a few things you can possibly prevent or catch before it becomes a big deal, there are a lot of scale issues you really can’t prevent. That being said, often scheduled scale service is a good idea at certain intervals because it helps to make sure your scales are accurate as much as possible and it can help facilitate things like having your scale cleaned regularly which often goes together with consistent accuracy and increased equipment lifespan.

The scheduled scale service intervals are usually a collaboration between your scale company; (hopefully that is or will be Central Carolina Scale), and yourself. These intervals are typically monthly or quarterly but can also be other time frames depending on what you and the scale technician decide. Scheduled scale maintenance hopefully keeps your scales accurate year round, minimizes any downtime, and can possibly even extend the weighing equipment lifespan in certain situations, like greasing a mechanical truck scale. 

These scheduled visits are also often referred to as service agreements. And, they usually offer the customer a discounted labor and mileage fee.

Unscheduled Scale Maintenance

Some customers for whatever reason do not want to commit to a service schedule at certain intervals. So, they essentially only call us whenever they have a break down. This can sometimes save them money throughout the year. But, when the scale breaks, they are now experiencing downtime while waiting for a scale technician to arrive, troubleshoot and fix the scale issue. We hope this is a short time but it can sometimes be a long wait. What if the service schedule is already full?  Most scale companies prioritize their service agreement customers. And of course any scale service or repairs performed will be charged at the standard price level. Therefore, we highly recommend that most customers have their scales checked on a regular interval.

Industrial Scale Maintenance Overall Recommendations

We’ve been repairing and calibrating industrial scales since Reagan took office and there are a few recommendations we suggest that most companies consider. First, find a scale company that you like and trust. (Hopefully they are located on this webpage : )  Discuss your scale usage and calibration intervals with them. Then put a service agreement in place so you can have your scales checked regularly, save a little on rates, reduce downtime and increase accuracy. This will hopefully help you to experience minimal downtime in your business. We also suggest discussing with your scale company what replacement scale parts they stock and what parts they suggest that you stock on your shelf.

One nice feature of working with us at Central Carolina Scale is that we offer a wonderful asset management software that allows us to provide you with not just online scale calibration certificates, but an overall history of your scales performance over time. Most of our local competitors can’t offer that. They just offer an online scale cal cert that they can store online or email to you. On the other hand, our weighing data acts essentially like a mix of maintenance records and historical data on each of your scales, helping you make better decisions about your scales.

At Central Carolina Scale, we always are working on improving our service and calibration offerings. We are always trying to learn about the different scale indicators and controllers available from various scale manufacturers. We focus our attention completely on scales and weighing equipment. While others are working with everything from material handling pallet racks to color testing to airbags…. we focus all our attention to scales and weighing equipment. 

So, when it comes to buying or servicing industrial scales in North Carolina, be sure to contact Central Carolina Scale for the best product knowledge and service around. You can call us at (919) 776-7737 or complete the RFQ form on our website for more info today.