Precision Mastery: Top Grain Weighing Scales for Perfect Brewing Balance

Looking to elevate your beer brewing with precise grain measurements? Grain weighing scales are pivotal to ensuring the consistency and quality of your brews. Whether you’re running a commercial brewery or home brewing, selecting the right scale will make all the difference. This article dives into the features and considerations necessary for picking the best grain scale to suit your needs.

  • Grain scales enhance brewing precision by ensuring accurate measurements of ingredients, which is crucial for maintaining consistent beer quality, taste, and alcohol content across batches.

  • The selection of the right grain scale involves considering factors such as the brewery’s size, weight capacity and durability needs, with features like stainless steel components, tare function, and IP66 rating or higher for cleanliness and ease of maintenance.

  • Advancements in grain weighing technology, like digital scales with high precision and integration capabilities, support brewing efficiency, consistency, and help in scaling production while minimizing human error and labor.

The Essential Role of Grain Scales in Brewing

 

Brewing equipment including grain scales

The craft of brewing is akin to the delicate artistry of a symphony orchestra’s conductor, pivotal though often out of sight. In this intricate ensemble, scales designed for measuring grain function as virtuosos in ensuring exactitude within beer recipes. These instruments are vital for consistency, certifying that each new batch mirrors the exceptional taste and maintains the alcohol level anticipated by consumers—elements central to defining both character and standard.

In facilitating this meticulous process, digital scales have become transformative tools. They work by converting pressure applied on a load cell into an electrical signal which then manifests as an accurate digital display. This advancement permits unfailing measurement of every component—from grains to hops—fortifying each brew with uniformity in quality that enthusiasts have come to expect with every pour.

Precision Meets Practicality

In the beer brewing industry, precision in weight measurement trumps volume. This ensures that varying factors such as ingredient shape, density, and temperature do not compromise flavor or recipe exactitude. Grain scales step up to be the ideal solution here due to their many benefits.

  • They yield more precise measurements than those based on volume.

  • Their expansive plate comfortably supports grain containers.

  • The digital display remains visible for easy reading while blending functionality with accuracy.

The use of a grain scale can substantially refine your brewery operation and lead to consistent, flavorful outcomes.

These scales empower brewers with the capability to craft exceptional beers effortlessly. A straightforward dial allows them accurate weighing of grains so they’re prepared to concoct the perfect brew. Thanks to their ease of cleaning and stainless steel weighing surface, these scales seamlessly integrate into any brewery’s setup, whether it aims high volumes or operates at a modest scale.

The Tare Function Advantage

The tare function on scales provides many benefits, especially for brewers who require precise and immediate weighing during the brewing process. This handy feature allows for the container’s weight to be subtracted so that only the net weight of the grain or other ingredients is measured. Such accuracy is essential not just for crafting original recipes, but also when making incremental additions or modifications.

Grain scales equipped with a tare function greatly streamline production by allowing bulk materials to be weighed without including the weight of their containers in measurements. Effectively acting as an invisible helper, this function ensures simplicity throughout brewing operations while guaranteeing that ingredient measurements are both accurate and focused solely on their actual weights.

Selecting the Right Grain Scale for Your Brewery

THBC Tank Scale Load Cells for placing under the tank legs

Choosing an ideal grain scale is as crucial as selecting the finest specialty grains for your brewing process. The chosen scale needs to be in sync with the production scope and size of your brewery. Smaller operations like home or microbreweries may opt for precision balances tailored to minor ingredients, alongside bench or floor scales suited for heftier batches. Meanwhile, larger-scale breweries typically require robust platform scales or tank scale load cells that accommodate extensive batch sizes and fulfill shipping demands. Continue reading

The Peril of Monopoly: The Dangers of Choosing an Industrial Scale Provider who Basically Only Recommends One Scale Brand

In the world of industry and commerce, precision measurement and weighing accuracy are paramount, making industrial scales and laboratory balances an indispensable tool in many industries. When it comes to selecting a reliable provider for your weighing needs, many local businesses seek convenience by opting for a one-stop-shop that sells scales and offers calibration and service support. And, often folks search for old and familiar scale brand they may have heard of years ago.

However, one mistake that some customers make involves choosing a scale supplier who essentially is only offering one brand of scale 99% of the time. This cozy relationship with a sole brand may appear convenient on the surface, but it comes with a range of potential pitfalls that businesses should be wary of. Do the terms Protected Territories, Limited Competition, and High Prices sound familiar? 

This article explores the perils of such an arrangement and underscores the importance of keeping an open mind when it comes to selecting a local industrial scale provider in your area.

1. Limited Product Options:

Relying on an industrial scale provider who predominantly offers one brand of scales leaves your business with limited options. Each industry has unique requirements, and no single scale brand can cater to the diverse needs of every enterprise. By restricting yourself to just one brand of scales, you risk overlooking better-suited alternatives that might provide more accurate readings, advanced features, or even more cost-effectiveness. Opting to work with a local scale company with a wide array of scale options ensures you can find the perfect match for your business requirements.

2. Bias and Unreliable Recommendations:

The inherent conflict of interest in exclusively recommending one scale brand raises questions about the objectivity and credibility of the provider’s suggestions. Is the recommendation driven by the best interest of the client, or is it motivated by financial gains or meeting sales quotas from promoting a particular brand? A biased recommendation might lead to investing in scales that are not truly suitable for your operations, leading to suboptimal performance, increased maintenance costs, or even safety hazards.

3. Lack of Customization and Product Flexibility:

Industrial operations vary widely, and a one-size-fits-all approach to scales simply won’t suffice. By relying on a local scale provider who predominantly deals with one brand, you may face limitations in customizing the scales to match your specific requirements. Customization could involve factors such as scale capacity, platform size, and specialized features, which are critical to ensuring optimal performance and efficient workflow.

There could be situations where your number one scale brand might be a good choice for the scale platform but the scale controller might be a different brand. Is the scale company willing to use another brand?

4. Inadequate Support and Service:

Calibration and regular maintenance are vital to the accurate functioning of industrial scales. Choosing a local scale sales and service provider that primarily deals with one scale brand may limit your access to reliable service and support. They may lack the expertise to handle other scale brands effectively, resulting in subpar calibration or repairs. In contrast, a diversified local scale provider (like Central Carolina Scale) is more likely to have a skilled team capable of servicing a wide range of scale models efficiently.

5. Competitive Pricing:

Monopoly situations can also sometimes lead to inflated pricing. With limited options and no direct competition, the scale provider may not have any incentives to offer competitive prices. As a result, your business might end up paying more for a scale that could be obtained at a better price elsewhere.

high quality scales and weighing equipment

Final Thoughts:

Choosing an industrial scale provider is a crucial decision that directly impacts the efficiency and accuracy of your operations. While the convenience of an all-in-one provider might be tempting, the dangers of opting for one who predominantly deals with a single brand of scales cannot be ignored. The limited product options, protected territories limiting competition, biased recommendations, and inadequate support could all hamper your business’s growth and success.

Instead, we recommend working with a scale company like ours. At Central Carolina Scale, we have good working relationships with many different scale manufacturers. If a customer approaches us and asks for a product or solution for their weighing, we are going to base our product recommendations off things like past success, proven products, overall value, etc… We typically provide multiple reputable choices to customers to consider.

In our experience, rarely is one scale manufacturer the best choice for everything. Some manufacturer really good truck scales. Some manufacturer easy to use digital weight indicators. In fact, we often provide scale systems to customers that have one brand of scale platform and a different brand of digital weight indicator. Most of the time we do that because we’re trying to provide the customer with the best overall scale equipment for their needs.

How to Use a Triple Beam Balance

When you think of the triple beam balance, you probably remember it from science class in school.  You probably remember an accurate and dependable weighing scale that could operate with no battery and now 110 VAC power. But it’s been awhile and you may be wondering how to use a triple beam balance?  We’ll show you how to use the Adam triple beam balance below.

The triple beam balance has been the standard in science classrooms for decades. Whether you’re weighing solids, liquids, powders or even animals, a triple beam balance is well equipped to handle the job. These balances offer the accuracy and convenience of a toploading balance while allowing users (many times these are students) to gain hands-on experience through manipulation of the poises and attachment weights (usually sold separately).

triple beam balance

Triple Beam Balance Instructions

To weigh using the triple beam balance, place the item to be weighed on the stainless steel pan. The beam will move up. Adjust the weights on the 3 beams until the beam pointer is aligned with the zero mark again. Start with the largest weight and work towards the smallest. Each weight should be moved until the beam falls below zero then moved back one notch and then the next weight moved. The last weight moved will be the sliding weight on the front beam. Slide this weight until the beam pointer aligns with the zero mark. Read the weight by adding the values for each weight. For example 400 + 20 + 5.7 = 425.7g 

If the sample is more than 610 grams it will be necessary to add a weight to the hanger on the right side of the beam. Add the 500g counter weight first, then increase to 1kg, 1kg plus 500g or 2 of the 1kg masses. Add these counter masses to the readings from the sliding beams to determine the mass. Counter weights are supplied only with the TBB 2610S and TBB 2610T.  These instructions above specifically correspond with the Adam Equipment brand of triple beam balances but they should give you a good idea of how a triple beam balance generally works from any scale manufacturer.

 

Affordable & Reliable Weighing Device for Schools

A triple beam balance is a type of mechanical balance that is commonly used in scientific and laboratory settings to accurately measure the mass of an object. It consists of a horizontal beam with three weights that can be moved along the beam to balance the object being weighed.

One of the primary benefits of using a triple beam balance is its high level of accuracy. The balance uses a lever system to measure the mass of the object, which allows it to be extremely precise. This is important in many scientific and laboratory applications where accurate measurements are critical.

Another benefit of the triple beam balance is its simplicity and ease of use. It does not require any electricity or batteries, and it is straightforward to operate. The user simply places the object being weighed on the platform, moves the weights along the beam until the balance is achieved, and reads the mass of the object from the marked scale on the beam.

The triple beam balance is also highly durable and reliable. It is made of sturdy metal components that are designed to withstand the rigors of laboratory use. It is also resistant to temperature changes and other environmental factors that can affect the accuracy of electronic balances.

In addition to its accuracy, simplicity, and durability, the triple beam balance is also a cost-effective solution for measuring mass. It is significantly less expensive than many electronic balances, making it a budget-friendly choice for educational and research institutions such as junior high school science class.

So, we showed above how to use a triple beam balance and it’s an excellent tool for accurately and affordably measuring the weight of smaller objects. It is easy to use, highly accurate, durable, and cost-effective, making it a valuable addition to any scientific or laboratory setting on a budget.

Dangers of Buying Certain “Cheap” Scales Online

The article below is courtesy of Mr. Boon Lim who has been involved in the weighing industry for many years. It really hammers home the points that we have been trying to discuss with customers for literally decades! 

There are differences in quality between certain brands of scales. We’ve discussed this numerous times over the years either here in our learning center or on our Youtube channel or perhaps via phone or email with you. A lot of times it’s a balancing act between value & accuracy. Many customers don’t have the budget or the requirements for the top of the line most expensive scale… but they also don’t need to buy the cheapest scale under the sun either. Let’s take a look at what Boon found when he purchased some of the cheapest scales available online. We hope you enjoy the article below.

Have you noticed a quality shift in the weighing industry? Quality standards have
decreased significantly on consumer scales with “assembly only” operations making big
waves in the scale community. Large sellers are dominating the online retail space for
consumers, and this is not any different for scales. Whether you support the
unstoppable rise of these ecommerce giants or not, there is no denying the profound
impact associated with their operation.

So, we bought some of the “Best Selling”, highly rated, affordable scales and balances to test the quality.

Yes, with 2-day free shipping too.

Our discoveries were astounding… Continue reading

What Does 5000 x 1 Mean? Scale Capacity x Readability

We’re going to discuss something that many folks wonder about the first couple of times they are tasked with buying scales.

What Does it Mean when you see 5000 x 1 on a Scale?

If you’ve done any research at all online for scales, you’ve probably seen something written like 5000 x 1, or perhaps you’ve requested a quote and seen that number written. Either way, you may be wondering what these mean. 5000 x 1 lb, or it could be 60 x 0.02lb or it may have been 3000 g by 0.01g. 120,000 x 20 lb, 500 x 0.1 lb etc….

600 x 0.1 LB

 

 

But what exactly does that mean? It’s actually pretty simple.

In the case of 5000 x 1 lb, this means that the total weighing capacity of the scale is 5000 pounds and the scale increases or decreases in weight by 1 lb increments from zero all the way to 5000 lb.

Some people refer to the 1 lb in this example as the readability or the graduation size. In the 60 x 0.02 lb example, it would be as follows, 60 lb is the capacity and 0.02 lb is the graduation size that the scale increases or decreases by from zero all the way to 60 lb. Continue reading

Why it’s Important to Use Accurate Scales and Load Cells on Concrete Batching Hoppers

Using scales at a concrete batching facility is extremely important to guarantee the quality and consistency of the final product. In fact, it can be argued that the use of scales and weighing equipment, is one of the most critical aspects of the entire concrete production process. There are several reasons why this is the case, which we’ll discuss below.

Accurate Ingredient Mix

Using scales and strain gauge load cells helps to ensure that the correct amount of ingredients are used in the concrete mix. Concrete is made up of a mixture of cement, water, sand, and aggregate, and the proportions of these ingredients play a major role in determining the strength and durability of the final product.

If the amounts are not accurately measured, the concrete may be too weak or too brittle, which can result in costly failures or repairs down the line. By using hopper scales and load cells to measure the exact quantities of each ingredient, concrete producers can ensure that the batch is consistent and accurate. 

load cells for a cement hopper

Quality is important. But, utilizing scales at a concrete batching facility can also help to reduce waste and save the concrete company quite a bit of money. If the proportions of ingredients in the concrete mix are not accurately measured, it can lead to excess or shortages, which can result in wasted materials and additional costs. By using hopper scales with strain gauge load cells to measure the exact quantities of each ingredient, concrete producers can become more efficient. 

Load Cells for a Hopper 

Scales and weighing equipment is used at batch plants. Strain gauge load cells are installed on hoppers to weigh the elements of the mix. It is very important that any moving parts of the batching system are inspected on a regular basis for any buildup or seizing.

Furthermore, using scales at a concrete batching facility can help to improve efficiency and productivity. Accurate measurement of ingredients using scales allows for the production of consistent batches of concrete, which can be processed more quickly and efficiently. This can help to reduce the time and labor required to produce each batch, resulting in increased productivity and profitability for the concrete producer. Continue reading

Peak Hold Feature on Scales and Weighing Balances

What is Peak Hold?

There are several ways to describe peak hold, but for our purposes, we are going to say that a scale with peak hold enabled displays the highest reading detected by the scale or balance and holds the result on the display.  

How Is Peak Hold Different From a Regular Hold Function?

This is where the “hold” function can get a little confusing. Many scales these days offer some version(s) of a hold function. Some offer a hold function that will hold whatever weight is on the scale when it stabilizes. Some scales will hold the stable weight and then increase the displayed weight if it increases beyond a certain percentage. 

The regular hold function freezes the results on the display when the scale receives them. In this case, that means that the weight on the display would only show what first registered on the scale, paying no attention to the weight applied afterwards. So if your scale measures 3kg, 7kg and 5kg, it will hold and display 3kg. As mentioned above, some scales will go beyond this and display an increased amount if the scale weight increases beyond a certain percentage. Other hold settings average the weight and hold or “lock” the weight once it becomes stable.

 

Peak hold normally is the highest amount the scale has registered. It doesn’t usually involve all the averages and percentage increases. When the weight is held for dynamic weighing, it’s after the scale has averaged the results of all instances of weight registered. If your scale measures 3kg, 7kg and 5kg, it will hold and display 5kg. You see some of this on animal or livestock scales sometimes. This would not be “peak” hold.

While peak hold will record the highest value obtained rather than the first stable value, or the average of multiple values. It can be useful when a lot of weight is applied very quickly and removed just as quickly. If your scale measures 3kg, 7kg and 5kg on it, it will hold and display 7kg.

Why is Peak Hold Used in Quality Testing?

You don’t want cardboard packaging to fall apart because of the weight in the box. Peak hold can be used to determine a material’s tensile strength, which can help manufacturers determine if a material is suitable to contain and transport various objects, materials and chemicals.

Also, product consistency is very important. Imagine purchasing a bag of candy only to find that some pieces of candy melt in your mouth, while other pieces of candy hurt your teeth when you attempt to chew them.

You probably would not buy that brand again.

Quality testers need to ensure that tools that see heavy duty usage can always withstand daily usage without breaking randomly.

Another example, a can with potentially volatile chemicals needs to be made of a material that can withstand a certain amount of pressure build up before it breaks, or people could get injured.

peak hold scale

Many manufacturers use peak hold to test the amount of weight and pressure that can be supported by a part or piece to make sure components will not break from daily usage and stress on individual components.

The peak hold function can also be used to measure the highest weight for multiple weighing results in a short succession. For example, you can place an item, weigh it, remove it and place another one until you’re done measuring all your items, but the only weight recorded will be the highest one. Peak hold can also capture unstable weight spikes, while most weighing functions capture weight results once they are stable.

How is Peak Hold Used?

Some scales, like certain Adam Equipment scales, allow users to set a time interval in which the scale will keep displaying the recorded peak. The user can either have it displayed for that time interval before the display clears, or manually clear the display. Scales will often record and display a peak until another one is captured.

Material is sometimes weighed too quickly for the human eye to follow, or the sample is so bulky that it hides the display, which needs to maintain the weight to be read when the sample is removed from the pan. In addition, many quality testing facilities use systems with switches or remote mechanisms in place, so the scale or balance must be able to capture weight even if a person is not at the scale.

We have a customer who has purchased peak hold scales from us for many years. They measure the amount of weight that a person can lift by utilizing a S-Beam Load Cell along with a Digital Weight Indicator with Peak Hold Function enabled. The system has worked very well over the years and is currently utilized across the United States.

For more information on scales that offer peak hold capability, contact the Central Carolina Scale sales department or call (919) 776-7737.

Buy an Adam Equinox Balance, Get a $75 Gift Card (Limited Time Offer)

Adam Equipment is running a limited-time special on the Equinox balance range, rewarding  customers with a $75 rebate (via gift card) when you purchase any Equinox semi-micro, analytical or precision balance from an authorized Adam dealer like Central Carolina Scale.

SEMI MICRO & ANALYTICAL BALANCES

Adam Equinox analytical balances provide outstanding precision to laboratory settings that perform highly detailed testing. The Equinox, available from Central Carolina Scale located in Sanford, North Carolina, is perfect for research and quality assurance facilities; science education; and production and manufacturing applications needing exceptionally precise results.

Eight analytical models offer capacities from 120 grams to 510 grams and 0.1 milligram readability. A color touch screen display provides intuitive operation, with icon-driven menus and readily accessible applications and functions. The five-inch screen is generously sized, offering 800 X 480 pixel resolution for excellent visibility. Higher capacity precision balances are also available.

PRECISION BALANCES

Adam Equipment Equinox precision balances provide users with exceptional precision to laboratories that perform highly detailed testing. The Equinox balance, available from Central Carolina Scale, is perfect for research and quality assurance facilities; science education and virtually any other application needing exceptionally precise results.

Twelve precision balances offer capacities from 360 grams to 8200 grams and readabilities of 1 milligram and 0.01 grams. A color touch screen display provides intuitive operation, with icon-driven menus and readily accessible applications and functions. The five-inch screen is generously sized, offering 800 X 480 pixel resolution for excellent visibility.

adam equinox analytical balance

From September 21, 2021 through December 31, 2021, when you purchase any Equinox semi-micro, analytical or precision balance from an authorized Adam dealer, you will be eligible to receive a gift card for $75.  All you need to do is make the purchase and complete the form below and submit a copy of your invoice. (Sorry this offer is expired)

The gift card will be delivered via email. Redemption must be submitted before January 15, 2022.

Fine Print: Offer valid through December 31, 2021 on qualifying purchase. Limit: one free Amazon gift card per customer. Cannot be applied to past purchases or combined with any other offers, quantity pricing, discounts or promo codes. Offer applies to purchases from authorized dealers made through the U.S. office of Adam Equipment Inc. only. Void where prohibited by law. Adam Equipment reserves the right to change or cancel the offer at any time without notice. Other restrictions may apply. Gift card will be delivered within 6-12 weeks following submission of the redemption form.

Why use Digital Scales when Brewing Beer?

There are many reasons to use digital scales when brewing beer.

It can be for a microbrewery or an international brand. Consistency is first and foremost.

If you created a beer with a special taste, you want to make sure you can recreate that taste in every bottle. If ingredients are not measured properly, the taste can be unpleasant, and the alcohol content (typically referred to as alcohol by volume or ABV) can change.

Specific quantities can allow even new employees who are not familiar with a recipe to recreate the product with ease. A formula can also be tweaked more easily. Weight quantities also make recording easier. Recipes should always be written down with the exact amounts used during brewing. That helps ensure good batches get reproduced, and it can also allow brewers to find out why a recipe did not work.

Measuring ingredients can also help minimize waste by ensuring the right amount of ingredients are used in correct proportions. For home and microbreweries, it can be particularly tricky to scale the right amount of yeast for a first batch, so precision is very important. Even small batches can be ruined by imprecise recipes, which spills all the ingredients, time, money and effort down the drain.

Scales can also help during the carbonation process, depending on your method of choice. Carbonation can be added to beer in two ways: natural carbonation or forced carbonation. Natural carbonation results during the fermentation process of beer; when yeast digests sugar, alcohol and CO2 are the byproducts. This means brewers must carefully measure the sugar and yeast in order to create the proper amount of carbonation.

Forced carbonation is putting beer (post fermentation) in a container and pumping it with CO2 directly. Nowadays, this is the preferred method, particularly for large quantities.

It takes less time to carbonate a batch and forced carbonation allows beer to sit longer, but naturally carbonated beer is smoother and is considered more flavorful. In the end, it comes down to personal preference and equipment availability.

Scales are also used during bottling and to fill cans or kegs. Before fermentation, wort (unfermented beer) is made by boiling the ingredients together. Because some of the water can boil away, it’s important to add more water as need during the fermentation process. Monitoring a keg’s weight can help brewers ensure there is always enough water, and that the beer is not losing carbonation.

The weight of bottles (and their thickness) can also help ensure that carbonation, when combined with temperature and agitation, does not create too much pressure, which could break the glass bottles.

Why measure by weight and not by volume?

Using volume might seem more intuitive since beer is liquid. However, measuring by volume is not as accurate as measuring by mass. The shape of ingredients can dictate how much fits in a cup, while density and temperature can affect a liquid’s volume. Beer goes through numerous processes that can affect volume, including boiling, fermentation, and carbonation. Mass does not have to take these factors into account. That additional precision can improve the beer’s taste and help brewers tweak their recipe to perfection.

Even small balances can also measure a wider range. Take your usual measuring cups and spoons, where you often need multiple items to measure various ingredients. With a scale, you can simply put the ingredients in a container (tared, of course) and fill it until you have the right weight.

What kind of scale do you need for brewing?

You must establish your level of production, and the weight range you will need. If a brewery focuses on seasonal flavors or taste experiments, they will weigh smaller quantities than a brewery focusing on a single product.

Depending on the size of your operation, you’re most likely going to need more than one scale. Usually, micro or home breweries use a compact or precision balance to measure ingredients such as hops, spices, yeast and other fine items, and a stationary pallet scale or a portable pallet jack scale for batches, kegs, mass production and bottling.

Some breweries also have scales to check grain deliveries and yeast brinks. Larger breweries often have platform scales for larger batches and shipping and can buy more expensive balances that include more features that can save them time.

For large amounts of shipping and receiving, pallet truck scales or pallet weighing beams offer maneuverability and heavy-duty weighing capacities.

For more information on choosing the right digital scales for your brewery call us at (919) 776-7737

Is It Time to Replace Your Laboratory Balance?

You’ve probably been using your laboratory balance for years and you’ve come to rely on it to the point where it almost feels like an extension of your own hand. But how long is too long to use the same electronic weighing balance?

How do you know when it’s time to replace your laboratory balance?

One of the most important ways to extend the life of your balance, of course, is to have it serviced by certified scale technicians on a regular basis. A factory trained scale technician can certainly make recommendations on whether it’s time to replace your device. Some of the questions you should consider are:

  • Does your balance need maintenance much more often than it used to?
  • Does your balance hold its calibration, or does it need to be re-calibrated after just a few tasks?
  • Are its weighing results consistently unstable, with drift or unexplained jumps? Have the stability and repeatability become inaccurate?
  • Are there signs of corrosion in the pan or at access points like the communications interface?
  • Have your weighing needs changed, or do you need more advanced features such as updated communications interfaces, data storage or PLUs?

Answering yes to any of those questions does not necessarily mean your balance needs replacing.

For example,  static electricity could cause drift or instability and an anti-static device such as an ionizer may remedy the issue. Vibration from nearby equipment could also be the culprit, in which case an anti-vibration table may be what you need. For optimal performance, operate your balance away from vibrations,  excessive heat or moisture, direct sunlight, chemical vapors and drafts.

Diagnosing the Problem

If you’re experiencing problems with your balance, first try the troubleshooting tips included in the product manual. You may be pleasantly surprised to find a quick fix! A service technician can rule out many problems, such as warped load cells, malfunctioning internal calibration motors or even software issues.    

If your balance requires more frequent maintenance or calibrations than it used to, you’ll have to consider lost productivity to downtime in addition to money spent on repairs or technicians.

If you’re seeing signs of corrosion, you’ll need to address possible causes of rust (often, excess moisture) before looking into cleaning it or replacing the balance just to have the same thing happen to the new unit.

Which Features Does My Balance Need?

Next, look at your current needs. Even if your balance is in working order, does it fulfill everything you need it to do? Consider the efficiencies that a newer device can bring to your laboratory operations.

Maybe you have an older balance that lacks the capability to communicate with a computer, USB flash drive or printer. Some of today’s balances even have multiple options like RS-232 and USB interfaces included on the same device, like the Adam Equinox series weighing balances.

Can your balance format Good Laboratory Practice-compliant printouts? Quite a few  analytical balances and many precision balances are capable of GLP-compliant output. When doing formulations, can your balance store ingredients? Or perhaps you need under hook weighing or density tests?  Contact us with your needs and we can recommend the right weighing scale or the correct scale calibration / service plan for your specific needs.

If you do decide the best course of action is to replace your balance, Central Carolina Scale can help you with tips to select a new one and guidance on which balance is right for you! Call (919) 776-7737 to speak with our sales department.