Weighing scale

A weighing scale is a measuring instrument for determining the weight or mass

of an object. A spring scale measures weight by the distance a spring deflects under its load. A
balance compares the torque on the arm due to the sample weight to the torque on the arm due to
a standard reference weight using a horizontal lever. Balances are different from scales, in that a
balance measures mass whereas a scale measures weight . Weighing scales are used in many
industrial and commercial applications, and products from feathers to loaded tractor-trailers are
sold by weight. Specialized medical scales and bathroom scales are used to measure the body
weight of human beings.

Analytical balance
An analytical balance is used to measure mass to a very high degree of precision
and accuracy. The measuring pan(s) of a high precision (0.1 mg or better) analytical balance are
inside a transparent enclosure with doors so that dust does not collect and so any air currents in
the room do not affect the balance's operation. The use of a vented balance safety enclosure,
which has uniquely designed acrylic airfoils, allows a smooth turbulence-free airflow that
prevents balance fluctuation and the measure of mass down to 1 μg without fluctuations or loss
of product. Also, the sample must be at room temperature to prevent natural convection from
forming air currents inside the enclosure, affecting the measure of mass.

Analytical precision is achieved by maintaining a constant load on the balance beam, by

subtracting mass on the same side of the beam to which the sample is added. The final balance is
achieved by using a small spring force rather than subtracting fixed masses. This makes calling it
an "analytical balance" a misnomer, because it should actually be called an "analytical scale",
due to it measuring force, rather than gravitational mass.

Spring scale
In a typical spring scale, the spring stretches (as in a hanging scale in the produce
department of a grocery store) or compresses (as in a simple bathroom scale) in proportion to
how hard the Earth pulls down on the object. It is therefore affected by the local gravity. Every
spring has a proportionality constant that relates how hard it is pulled to how far it stretches.
Spring scales measure weight, or more precisely, the tension force of constraint
acting on an object, opposing the force of gravity. They are usually calibrated in units of force
such as newtons or pounds-force. They have two sources of error that balances do not; the
measured weight varies with the strength of the local gravitational force, by as much as 0.5% at
different locations on Earth, and the elasticity of the measurement spring can vary slightly with
temperature. Spring scales which are legal for commerce either have temperature compensated
springs or are used at a fairly constant temperature, and must be calibrated at the location in
which they are used, to eliminate the effect of gravity variations.

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Strain gauge scale
In electronic versions of spring scales, the deflection of a beam supporting the
unknown weight is measured using a strain gauge, which is a length-sensitive electrical
resistance. The capacity of such devices is only limited by the resistance of the beam to
deflection. The results from several supporting locations may be added electronically, so this
technique is suitable for determining the weight of very heavy objects, such as trucks and rail
cars, and is used in a modern weighbridge.

Calibrating the weighing scales

Calibration of a weighing scale is very important process as it sets the precision of

the weighing scale and it accuracy also depends upon its calibration. Make sure the person in-
charge of such tasks is knowledgeable about calibration and precision. Accuracy is the utmost
need of industrial standards and you should make no mistake to displease your client. These
weighing scales will also ensure more accurate analysis of the inventory, raw materials etc. Most
of the industrial units and retail stores make use of a weighing scale and here is a five-step guide
that will help you to calibrate your electronic weighing machines.

1. Place the weighing scale on a perfectly flat place. Although it does not affect the
precision of electronic scales but a sensitive scale might show biased results because of
deformation of the weighing spring.
2. Now take a standard weight, which is easily available at the authorized stores and
laboratories. If the weighing scale shows no fluctuation and shows the precise weight of
the weighing scale, your scale is perfectly balanced and needs no calibration.
3. In case the readings appear different for a standard weight, note down the average
fluctuation factor for a set of readings and feed it in the weighing scale while zeroing it
before every measurement.

Calibration of a weighing scale will always give an average value because achieving perfectly
balanced scale is very difficult. While performing the calibration tests of electronic devices, the
mobile phones and other electronic devices must be kept way to avoid interferences. Most of the
weighing scales have a user manual, which explains the complete calibration process. The
calibration process becomes even more important in case of industrial weighing scales to ensure
precision and accuracy. Even an error of 0.1 grams may lead to wrong calculations while dealing
with objects weighing more than metric tons.

There are certain guidelines by industry standards in every country, which must be met by every
industrial weighing scale because the standards are set to ensure symmetry and accuracy in
weighing large weight masses. The electronic scales must be zeroed before measuring any new
weight to avoid any miscalculation because of previous readings on it.

Last but not the least, the weighing scales should be checked for errors by the manufacture. Any
manufacturing error will always result in replacement of the product, as the manufacturing error
cannot be replaced by conventional methods.

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