Searching for scales is easy. Simply Google scales and you are off to the races. However, how can you tell if you are getting a great deal or if you are getting a lemon? Even if you have a very good idea of what you need for your scale, and have an idea of the required capacity and type of scale, finding a great scale instead of a bad one can be a risky proposition.
Fortunately, we have been a leader in the scale industry for thirty years. When you buy from Arlyn Scales, you never need to worry about the quality of your scale. We are always keeping an eye on technological breakthroughs and shifts in industry expectations so we can anticipate and meet our clients ever changing needs. Plus, we can create cutting edge scales at a relatively low cost. Our factory is located in Long Island, New York, and all of our scales are produced right here in the US. This arrangement means we can sell and ship our scales to you factory direct. When we do this, you get to keep the money you would normally spend by purchasing from a distributor. This helps us sell you a better scale at a lower price than the competition can even think about beating.
There are a number of ways to distinguish good scales from bad ones. You generally want to use these four qualities as a baseline to ensure that you select a superior scale: higher accuracy, durable construction, user friendliness, and connectivity and communication options. With these four characteristics in mind, you will find a great scale.
Higher Accuracy
Accuracy is the hallmark of all scales. After all, if your scale is not precise, what is the point in having it? Should you require very accurate scales, look no further than Arlyn’s Ultra Precision Scales. We incorporated a breakthrough technology into our scales, called Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) technology, that helps achieve greater precision.
Typically, a scale is built using a strain gauge load cell as its key component. This has been the practice for the last sixty years or so. Now, strain gauge load cells measure the stress of an object placed upon the scale platform. How so? The load cell resembles a diving board and is constructed with flexures made out of a thin piece of metal, usually aluminum, and is attached to the floor of the scale and the bottom of the platform. The load cell bends under the weight of the load on the platform. This stress is converted to an electric signal that the scale indicator uses to create the weight measurement.
That’s all well and good, but the key problems with strain gage load cells can be found in their ability to provide high resolutions and their vulnerability to damage by shock loading or overloading. Shock loading occurs when a weight is dropped from a height on to the scale platform. Overloading occurs when a load beyond the scale’s capacity is placed on the platform. These situations can damage the scale and cause it to be inaccurate.
Our SAW load cells measure displacement, as opposed to stress. The load cells require a displacement sampling equivalent to a tenth of the amount of stress needed to produce an accurate measurement. Since the SAW load cells measure displacement, they register accurate readings with much less movement of the load cell. This allows us to manufacture a much thicker load cell than a strain gauge cell, which means that our Ultra Precision line of scales have a resolution of up to .0001 pounds and capacities of up to 500 pounds, effectively eliminating the dichotomy of capacity and resolution that was inherent with strain gage scales.
Abuse Resistance
No matter what kind of load cell you require, we manufacture ours out of stainless steel, or an appropriate alloy metal which protects the load cell from rust and corrosion, greatly increases the life span of the scale, and prevents errors in accuracy.
Instead of using sheet metal in our scale design, as many other scale companies do, our scales have a welded construction with an aluminum or stainless steel frame and an aluminum, steel, or stainless steel platform. We prefer to use these metals in our scales because they are much more durable and not as vulnerable to damage from daily use or overuse.
Additionally, these metals are much more corrosion and rust resistant to chemicals, animal waste, petroleum products, etc. The scale platform is much easier to clean thanks to these metals. Should you purchase a scale model with a steel platform we can even offer a triple epoxy protective coating on the scale platform. This helps prevent corrosion and rust and contain any possible corrosion or rust that might develop during the normal use of a scale. There is also an optional garnet infused epoxy available on our stainless steel platforms, which helps prevent abrasion.
User Friendly Graphics Display
Our scale indicator comes in an easily viewed graphics display. LED displays are okay and provide additional visibility in poorly lit areas, but the display tends to be difficult to view in environments that are brightly lit or if the scale indicator has direct light shining on it. Our display is a high resolution LCD display and can show multiple units of measurement and additional scale information. It’s very user friendly and easily configured to your specific needs.
Connectivity Capabilities
Another item high quality scales offer is computer connectivity. We can outfit our scales with USB, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet capability, among others. Regardless of what option you pick, you will be able to control and view your scale on your Windows based laptop or PC. You can also extract weight data from the scale indicator and import it onto your computer for viewing in MS Excel or MS Access. Should you desire offsite access to your scale, our Ethernet and Wi-Fi connection options are perfect for you.
A Helping Hand
All the above options are a lot to consider, but one thing that is not an option at Arlyn Scales? Poor customer support. We believe that not only should we provide you with the scale that works best for you, but that we should provide you with excellent support and advice when selecting your scale. Let us help you save money while providing you with a scale that you actually need. Give us a call at (800) 645-4301 or fill out the form on our Contact Page to discuss your options today!
