Standard industrial weighing scales are only able to provide a certain range of capabilities. Sometimes this is enough to meet the needs of specific industries and weighing applications. But if you have unique weighing needs and want to take advantage of industrial scales that specifically meet them, then the solution will be to have custom scales fine-tuned to your specific requirements.
Industrial scales are available in a wide variety of different configurations. Hanging scales and crane scales are good for heavy loads that are too big to rest on a platform. Bench scales and explosion-proof scales are suitable for many chemical agents, and some platform scales are especially suited to the medical industry.
Why Weighing Systems Need Customization
Custom industrial scales can be designed in almost any type of configuration. There are counting scales, bench scales, and platform scales,, and floor scales that are available, depending on the size of the items needing to be weighed. When weighing chemical liquids and powders, an explosion-proof scale or an ultra-precision scale may be the ideal choice.
Weighing food items has often been done using a floor scale. Platform scales are used in many industries but are especially valuable in veterinary and medical applications. Choosing the right type of scale is the first step toward getting the most accurate results in your weighing processes.
Different Configurations Have Heavy-Duty Applications
High-quality scales are designed to receive heavy use. They may be legal for trade scales where the user is selling by weight directly to a customer. They could even be truck scales, used to determine both the net and gross weights of a truckload.
Industrial Scale Customization Options
The most common customization would be the platform size. This would be the case for anything from a chemical tank scale to a livestock scale. Arlyn Scales can build any required platform size that may be needed.
Platform Types
Each type of scale is specifically designed for the application in which it will be used. Even the materials used are dependent on the usage of the scale. For example, corrosion-resistant scales use stainless steel with a special glass-filled 3 part epoxy coating.
Benchtop
The primary parameters of interest are the capacity and the resolution or readability. Most industrial bench scales use strain gauge load cells where the accuracy is good enough for most, although not all industrial applications. As an example, a good quality 100 lb capacity scale from a reliable may have a readability of 0.02 lb.
If higher resolution is needed, Arlyn Scales Ultra Precision scales provide a unique, patented technology that results in a resolution that is ten to twenty times better than strain gage. Using a similar example, a scale with a capacity of 100 lb can be read to 0.001 lb. This is likely to be highly useful in such industries as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors, among others.
Countertop
These are very similar to the benchtop scales noted above. Choices of communication types can be a driving factor in determining the best match to the application. This, in turn, is determined by the device that is receiving this communication.
RS232 is a legacy standard that can help connect a scale to a recording device, a printer, or a computer. Most modern computers utilize USB for connection to peripherals. Alternatives include RS485, Ethernet, and WiFi.
Modbus is a common communication protocol between different types of devices. RS232 or Ethernet is most commonly used. Arlyn Scales offers this option on almost all of their countertop, and other types of scales.
Platform
There is usually enough flexibility on the factory floor to be able to use a standard-size platform scale. Occasionally, though, the scale must fit into a small space, or match the size of a lifting or moving device. Arlyn Scales can fabricate your custom-sized scale if it is for one piece or 500 pcs. Often, there is little or any price penalty.
Hanging And Crane
Large or bulky items may be difficult to weigh on a platform scale. They could be difficult to position on the scale and could hang off of one or more edges. A hanging scale is an excellent solution for this situation.
Measurement Configurations
Digital weight output in weighing systems consists of many different parameters. Depending on the scale, they may be preset or user configured.
Custom Zero
Most scales store the zero weight value and automatically apply this at power on. A customizable configuration allows the user to enter this value.
Measuring Capacity
A family of scales will have different models with fixed, noted weight capacities. Arlyn Scales can customize a unit to match the capacity required by the user.
Automatic Metering
Material may be dispensed by weight from a tank or container. By use of a set point controller, valves can be actuated when the weight reaches preset values.
Batch Measuring And Ratios
Recipes require a ratio of a number of different ingredients. Arlyn set point controllers can actuate up to 16 valves. A number of different recipes may be stored in memory.
Size And Ramp Accommodation
A ramp will often match the width of the scale with the depth is fixed by the scale manufacturer. But there are situations where the user may need a shorter ramp to accommodate the space available or may want a long ramp with a milder slope due to the method of loading. Arlyn will build any sized ramp to the user’s specifications.
Get Exactly What You Need From Arlyn Scales Weighing Systems
Although there are straight out-of-the-box weighing options that may work for your industry, generally a custom scale is the best way to ensure that you have all the features that you need to increase efficiency and save time. Arlyn can construct a scale to match your requirements, so you don’t have to match your requirements to what happens to be available. Call us.
