A scale is a device that measures mass. It reports its output to a display or indicator.

Unlike traditional mechanical balance-beam scales, modern electronic scales intrinsically measure force, which varies with location. They must be calibrated to correctly convert this measured force into a report of mass.

Check weighing is a critical part of this calibration process. The following are tips to ensure a successful weighing process:

Zeroing and Taring

Zeroing and taring are two key functions that make it easier to conduct accurate measurements with an electronic balance. They eliminate the weight of a container or any additional substance from your measurement by subtracting it from the overall weight. These are especially useful when you’re weighing sensitive materials or compounds that cannot easily be transferred to another container without loss.

Once a zero value is stored, your balance is ready to start measuring. Place an empty tray or container on the weighing platform and press the tare button, which may be labeled as “ZERO,” “TARE,” or “Z.”

The scale control computer then opens the upper garner gates to allow grain to flow into the weigh hopper. As the indicator sends new weight readings, the computer waits until the weight of the grain and tare passes a pre-set cutoff value and then closes the upper gates. The tare value is then recorded. The resulting net weight reading is displayed on the indicator screen.

Sample Placement

Good laboratory practices and techniques are crucial to accurate weighing. There are many potential sources of errors including balance drift, air currents, lack of thermal equilibrium, magnetic or electrostatic fields, and manipulative handling. The accuracy required for a measurement and the criticality of the process usually determine the choice of weighing methods employed.

When weighing small parts, it is often convenient to use a piece of weighing paper and then transfer the sample to its container. This is known as ‘check weighing.’

For larger parts, a spatula may be used to remove the part from its container and place it directly on the pan of the balance. This is a common method for level indication in industrial applications. This is a high-accuracy application where a desired maximum or minimum silo or vessel level can be determined to within +/- 2% of capacity. Generally, this type of measurement is deployed in the STOCK (inventory management) manufacturing area.

Containers

Containers package application code together with libraries and dependencies, enabling it to consistently run on any computing environment-from developer laptops to test servers to production cloud infrastructure. They use a form of operating system virtualization (Linux namespaces and cgroups or Windows silos) to isolate processes from each other, controlling the amount of memory, CPU and disk resources they can access.

A container’s smaller size, compared to that of a VM, means more efficient utilization of hardware resources and lower overhead. This makes them ideal for deploying and running workloads in multicloud and hybrid cloud environments.

IT teams use containers to speed up application development cycles, adopt DevOps practices and support microservice architectures. Financial services companies rely on them to upgrade core banking systems, deploy mobile-first apps and maintain compliance with industry regulations. Gaming companies use them to deliver matchmaking and leaderboards in real time. Healthcare organizations use them to deploy analytics apps and comply with HIPAA regulations. Retailers rely on them to deliver personalized shopping experiences.

Recording

In food production, accurate weighing is vital to ensure that the end product meets quality and safety standards. It is also critical for quality control as it prevents production mistakes and minimizes product inconsistencies.

Ideally, the weighing equipment should be situated away from direct sunlight and air drafts that can influence readings. It should also be protected from humidity and major temperature fluctuations, especially when weighing volatile substances.

Recording the weighing process can be done manually by writing down the weight measurement on a slip of paper or using your hands, but it can be time-consuming and subject to transcription errors. For this reason, it is best to invest in a digital scale that can communicate with your computer via a COM port or USB virtual COM port and transfer the weights automatically to a file with the date and time. PCE’s Simple Data Logger software (SDL) is designed to do this for you, by capturing each stable weight with a click of a button on your scale or balance.