Whether you manufacture car parts, children’s toys, prescription medication or anything in between, a reliable counting scale will be crucial to maintaining your inventory of small parts and pieces. Counting each piece by hand is obviously time consuming, but it’s also prone to human error.
And while a counting scale will allow you to convert the weight of a batch of parts into the number of pieces in that batch in a fairly simple process, not all of our competitors get it right. Our Series 820 Counting Scales will make it easy for you to count your small parts and maintain your inventory with accuracy.
Now you can complete inventory checks in record time!
The Brightscale Quick Count Feature
Forget the confusing menu functions and complicated counting processes! Simply enter “Quick Count” mode on any one of our Series 820 counting scales to turn parts counting into an intuitive, one-step process.
Once you choose your sample size of 10, 25, 50 or 100 pieces, you can enter that number into the scale, place your parts on the platform and the scale will average the weight and shift into counting mode. To get the most accurate sample value, you’ll want to use a higher quantity of pieces.
If you have more parts than will fit on the platform, you can use the Accumulate function to keep a running count of all the pieces placed on the scale as you move through your large inventory.
Counting Scales for Lightweight Parts
Let’s say the sample weight of your piece is a mere .03121 lb. If you have a 100 lb capacity scale with a resolution of 0.02 lb and a sample size of 10 pieces, your result should read .3121 lb. However, because your scale is only able to read to its best resolution, your display would read .32 lb. This means you have an error of 2.5%, which is pretty significant.
So what can you do to reduce that margin of error?
You can purchase an Arlyn Counting Scale with SAW technology. Now let’s say you bought the SAW-C model so you could keep your 100 lb capacity. This scale has a much finer resolution of 0.001 lb. Let’s use the same sample weight (.03121) and sample size (10 pieces). Using the SAW-C, your display would read .312 lb, which reduces the error to a mere 0.03%, which is far less concerning than one of 2.5%.
How SAW Technology Improves Our Counting Scales
While regular scales generally have a readability of 1 part in 5,000, our ultra precision SAW scales have a readability of 1 part in 100,000. This means the resolution is 20 times higher than that of a regular scale.
But how do we accomplish this?
By replacing strain gage technology, which is the standard in most scales, with our internationally patented SAW technology.
Strain gage scales have a few disadvantages including:
- Measuring stress / strain placed on spring element within the load cell, which leaves them vulnerable to damage from shock loads and overloads
- An analog-to-digital signal conversion that reduces accuracy
- Drops in accuracy due to changes in temperature
- Loss of flexibility in the spring element of the load cell due to the adhesive used to attach the strain gages onto the load cell
- Load cells that are designed to detect vertical forces and reject horizontal ones (placement within the scale affects how well it can reject horizontal forces)
- A higher maximum capacity means a lower resolution
- A readability of 1 part in 5,000 (suitable for most jobs, but may not be for counting extremely small pieces or parts)
Instead of measuring the strain of the spring element, our ultra precision SAW scales measure displacement. This means strain levels are less than 10% of those found in strain gage scales . Therefore these scales are more reliable in industrial environments because they have a higher overload capacity that makes them more resistant to shock loading and overloading, which are two major causes of scale failure. Because measurements are taken digitally, there is no need for an analog-to-digital signal conversion, which makes measurements inherently more accurate. It also increases the readability to 1 part in 100,000, which is perfect for count weighing very small, very light pieces.
Inventory Data Is Meant to Be Shared
You have your choice when it comes to transferring data. Choose Wi-Fi for wireless capability or Ethernet to tap into your local network. USB can deliver data directly to an Excel spreadsheet or Access database file. Store data virtually using Cloud technology. You can also choose a USB flash drive, RS-232, 4 Ð 20 ma and more!
Automating Processes
If your counting scale will be used to automate other parts of your manufacturing process, such as packaging or distribution, consider equipping your counting scale with our setpoint controller. It allows you to set up to 8 target weights that can be used to control other pieces of equipment or set up alerts.
Factory Direct Pricing
We manufacture our scales and all their subassemblies in our New York-based factory. We’ve eliminated the price markups associated with imports and distributors so that we can provide you with a higher quality product at an extremely competitive price.
It also means that we can provide you with custom weighing solutions and OEM design and development services. So if you need a counting/weighing component incorporated into something you’re developing or have unique space requirements that must be met, be sure to ask us about our custom options.
Contact Arlyn Scales Customer Support
If you have any questions about our counting scales or which one will best meet your needs, contact us today. We’re standing by to provide you with more information or to walk you through the selection process to ensure that you’re purchasing the scale you actually need with none of the bells and whistles you don’t.
