Monthly Archives: April 2024

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 Load Balance vs Analytical Balance

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What is a Top Load Balance?

A top loader balance is a balance without a built-in draft shield, so the pan is easily accessible from all sides. There are many kinds of top loader balances, including mechanical triple beam balances, compact balances, and precision balances.

Precision Balances

Precision balances often provide finer readability than compact balances because they intend to deliver highly precise weighing results. Unlike compact scales, precision balances offer more functions than weighing alone.

For example, the Adam Luna precision balance offers features like parts counting, check weighing, dynamic weighing, and percentage weighing applications. Our selection of Adam top loader precision balances ranges in capacity from 2100 grams to 15 kilograms, with readabilities going from 0.001 grams to one tenth of a gram. 

top loading balance

Compact Balances

Compact balances, with their lightweight design, offer portability and occupy minimal space. They frequently feature batteries, enabling operation without requiring a power plug. Our Adam compact balances range in capacity from 100 grams to 30 kilograms, with readabilities from 0.001 grams to to five grams. 

Triple Beam Mechanical Balances

Mechanical balances, like our Adam Equipment TBB Triple Beam Balances, operate without electricity. The weight of an object is determined by actively moving counterweights to physically balance the item. Our TBB Triple Beam Balances have capacities from 610 grams to 2610 grams, with readabilities of a tenth of a gram.

Summing up Top Loader Balances

Top-loading balances often are built using a robust housing and typically feature high capacities such as 2600 grams, 3200 grams or even 15,000 grams. However, they are much less precise and accurate than analytical balances, with readabilities ranging between 0.01 grams and 0.1 grams.

Top-loading balances are frequently used for material testing applications in construction and engineering where precision is still needed, but the balance cannot be as sensitive to minute changes because they are used in more demanding environments.

Top-loading balances are also very useful for applications where density is important, since they offer a large capacity with smart features that can do a lot of the work for the user.

They’re also well-suited for mobile laboratories where the conditions are less than ideal, and the samples are larger. Because they can weigh larger batches, top-loading balances are often used for pilot production or small batch production.

analytical balance

What is an Analytical Balance?

While analytical balances are slightly less precise than semi-micro balances (their readability tends to be around 0.0001g), they are usually used with an anti-vibration table to help minimize mass fluctuations caused by their environment.

They’re still very precise and pick up on slight changes, so precautions must be taken to accurately measure small samples. These types of balances are one of the most commonly used tools in a laboratory, from life sciences to forensics. Analytical balances are frequently used for quantitative analysis and reagent measurement in chemistry.

Analytical and semi-micro balances both feature draft shields that enclose a small weighing chamber designed to protect the sample from environmental factors like drafts or static electricity. They tend to share features such as formulation or percentage weighing.

 

Laboratories don’t only benefit from exceptional precision and accuracy – lab scales also offer additional applications, such as formulation, parts counting, check weighing and dynamic weighing. In the times of beam or spring balances, these extra calculations would have to be done manually. Now, you save time, money, and effort when using one of our Equinox, Luna or Solis balances.

Extraordinary scientific research and developments have come about thanks to scales and balances used in laboratories – yes, even before they became as accurate as the ones we use now. Imagine what will come!

How are Lab Balances Used in Research?

– Sample preparation, such as weighing compounds and solutions

– Analytical techniques like titrations and chromatography require precise weighing results to determine sample concentrations or purity

– Formulation & Quality Control for pharmaceutical research, ensuring accurate dosing and compliance with regulatory standards

– Environmental studies, including soil samples to determine ecosystem health and monitor pollutants.

The most common weighing instruments for laboratories are precision, analytical and semi-micro balances. 

Load cells are transducers that convert force exerted onto it into measurable electrical output. When a weight is applied to a balance, the load cell located under the weighing pan bends, and the amount of force it takes to bend the load cell is converted to the result you get on the display. 

Our range of Adam Equipment precision balances have capacities ranging from 120 grams to 22,000 grams, with readabilities from 0.001 grams to 0.1 grams. Our range of Adam analytical balances have capacities from 80 grams to 510 grams, with readabilities from 0.1 milligrams to 0.0001 grams – significantly more precise and accurate. 

Which is better, Analytical Balances vs. Top Loading Balances?

As you can tell from reading the entry for today both analytical balances and top loaders have their place. So when you think of the question, Top Load Balance vs Analytical Balance?  Your particular weighing needs will often determine which weighing device is the best for certain applications. In some instances, you may need both types of balances. Whichever you choose, make sure you choose a quality weighing device. 

Generally speaking, analytical balances cost more and need to be used in a controlled setting.  These scales are designed to be used in one location and are not very portable. The trade off however is an extremely accurate laboratory balance often with three or four decimal places of readability. 

Top loading balances are typically built to be somewhat portable. Many of these top loading balances feature a rechargeable battery and robust construction. Top loading balances can be much more affordable as well. Top loaders also feature high max capacities for versatile weighing. However, the readability with top loaders is often limited to one or two decimal places.

Need help deciding on which precision weighing balances would work best for your application?  Just contact our sales department (919) 776-7737 and we can assist you. We have a wide range of Adam Equipment balances. This line of precision weighing equipment is often considered to be one of the most affordable and reliable laboratory weighing equipment available in the United States.

 

 

Trailer Tongue Weight Scale Choices

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In this entry we are going to discuss the recommended weighing methods when it comes to a trailer tongue weight scale choices. We’ll also look at a few of the other solutions that our portable wheel weighing scales can provide. 

Portable Wheel Load Scale Rental

You could purchase a tongue weight scale or you could rent our portable scales. There’s a variety of models available. One way to determine the trailer tongue weight is to rent three portable wheel weigh scales. Then place a scale under your two trailer tires and a scale at the trailer tongue area.

PT300 Portable Wheel Weigher Scale

How to Build a Trailer Tongue Weight Scale

If you have done any  research on different ways to obtain the trailer tongue weight then it’s only natural to try and find a way to build your own trailer tongue weight scale. A quick search online will show various methods from using a bathroom scale to hydraulic hitch mounts to a column scale with a spring.

How to Determine Trailer Tongue Weight at a Commercial Scale

Our first recommendation is probably to use the portable wheel weighing scales we mentioned above, either by purchase or rental. However, if that doesn’t work for you, probably our next best recommendation would simply be to take your vehicle and trailer to a nearby truck scale.

Truck scales can be found at truck stops, public landfills, metal recycling centers, rock quarries, etc….  One website that often comes in handy when trying to locate public scales is https://www.publicscaleslocator.com  — Now keep in mind, it’s a good idea to call ahead and make sure the facility will weigh your vehicle and there will likely be a small fee charged when using a commercial truck scale.

If you choose to use a public scale, make sure your trailer is fully loaded just like it would be on your trip. You are going to get the weight of your vehicle only while under load. First, drive all four tires of your vehicle on the scale while your trailer is attached (do not drive your trailer on the scale with your vehicle)  Now, write down the weight. 

While the vehicle is still on the scale, unhook the trailer and lift the tongue jack high enough so that there is no weight on the hitch ball. Be sure that no part of the trailer is on the scale. This is the weight of your tow vehicle. Write down this weight as well.

Now, subtract the two weights from each other to give you your approximate tongue weight.

Finally, it might be a good idea to drive on the scale and get a total complete weight of the trailer, and/or total weight of your tow vehicle and trailer. 

wheel scales for RV

Camper Club Uses PT300DW Portable Scales to Raise Awareness in “Know What You Weigh” Campaign

On a related note to trailer tongue weight scales, an overloaded motorhome is a safety issue that affects driving stability, braking distance and tire wear. Exceeding the maximum weight limit stated on the motorhome’s registration certificate can also lead to substantial fines. In the Netherlands, you may drive a vehicle with a Class B driver’s license if the maximum weight limit, including passengers, luggage, water and fuel tank, is less than 3500 kilograms (7700 lb).

As a service to their members, NKC offered a series free events encouraging campers to weigh their vehicles prior to traveling. Under the motto “Know What You Weigh”, the NKC invited participants to come to a weighing site with loaded, ready-to-travel campers. Because they were hosting multiple events at various sites, they needed a portable option for weighing the vehicles. The local scale company suggested Intercomp’s PT300DW
portable truck scales as the ideal solution for the camper weighing events.

PT300DW scales are built with lightweight aluminum, making them easy to transport and set up virtually anywhere. The flexibility of the PT300DW portable scales supports a wide range of applications and axle configurations. Fully integrated RFX Wireless Weighing Technology
facilitates communication between scales and a variety of remote indicators.

All PT300DW™ scales feature progressive solar charging technology which allows the commercially-available AA rechargeable batteries to be powered for up to one year with daytime, outdoor use. A series of 2021 weighing events revealed approximately one third of the motorhomes were overloaded. 

Loading & Unloading Truck Scales

Finally, it’s worth mentioning on a larger scale, filling a trailer with bulk items, like scrap metal, requires continuous monitoring. Once the weight of a trailer and its contents hit a pre-determined value, that trailer is ready to be hauled away. Continuous weight monitoring not only maximizes the waste disposal process due to fewer disposal runs but can simultaneously confirm axle weight and gross vehicle weight (GVW) compliance.

Our Intercomp AX900 along with PT300 scales, provide accurate weighing and measurement solutions for loading and unloading. If you have specific questions regarding our static or WIM scale options, contact us for more information.

Weight Compliance Benefits – Keeps trucks in compliance with commercial vehicle weight restrictions, which can save significant amounts of money that would otherwise be spent on fines.

Safety Benefits – When loading and unloading a truck, knowing vehicle weights before, during and after will assist in providing a safe, reliable, and compliant vehicle.

Wrapping things up, we hope this entry regarding trailer tongue weight scale options has been helpful to you. As you can see, there are several options available from renting scales, to using nearby commercial scales, to even building your own scales. Be sure to contact our sales department with any questions you may have regarding trailer hitch tongue weight scales.