Laboratories are the backbone of the research industry. It is in such institutions that some of our greatest innovations are produced. From medical and hospital labs to scientific research and beyond, there is a demand for extremely dependable, low capacity scales.
Many laboratories require scales that can detect the addition of a small number of grains of material and are able to adjust their weight accordingly. Strain gage scales do not provide this sensitivity. While force restoration scales do, they are extremely expensive.
However, this lack of sensitivity is through no fault of the strain gage scale manufacturer. It is simply a limitation of strain gage technology. The majority of strain gage scales do have some kind of auto drift, also called auto compensation, software built into them. This helps the overall stability, but cannot substitute for higher sensitivity.
So for example, if you set up a strain gage balance and a force restoration balance side by side and attempted to pour tiny grains of salt on each, the strain gage would not show any change, while the force restoration scale would.
While people say that you get what you pay for, we donÕt believe you need to pay so much for a quality piece of weighing equipment for your lab. This is why we engineered our low capacity laboratory scales with surface acoustic wave technology. These scales provide the accuracy and sensitivity of a force restoration scale at a price comparable to its strain gage counterpart.
Surface Acoustic Wave Technology
Internationally patented, our surface acoustic wave technology is different from strain gage systems because it measures displacement rather than strain or stress. The amount of displacement required to give a reading is so diminutive that there is practically no stress placed on the load cell. This system provides the most accurate readings available in today’s market.
Unlike strain gage load cell transducers, the transducers in SAW load cells are composed of lithium niobate substrates with a crystalline structure. A bulk wave is produced when a substance is placed on the platform, which is then sent by a transmitter to a receiver. The wave travels the length of the transducer to the receiver, a second parallel substrate that amplifies the wave and sends it back to the transmitter.
The distance the wave travels between the transmitter and receiver determines the weight, which is then displayed on the indicator in digital numbers.
Precision, Accuracy, and Functionality
Ten times more precise than standard scales at one one-hundredth of one percent, with twenty times better resolution at one part in one-hundred thousand, and virtually no vulnerability to temperature changes, scales with surface acoustic wave technology are the perfect choice for laboratory operations. The stainless steel weighing platform provides 500% shock load protection, as opposed to the 100% provided by standard scales, with a warning message that is displayed when the scale is at 102% capacity.
Capacities range from three pounds (1,500 grams) to two-hundred pounds (90 kilograms). Platform sizes range from five by seven inches to twenty by twenty-three inches. The frame is constructed of die cast aluminum and the weighing pan is constructed of stainless steel.
Click type switches enable easy toggling between various weighing units such as grams, pounds, ounces, etc. Parts counting and check weighing functions are available, as are automatic zero tracking and stability control. The parts counting function is a necessity for laboratories weighing extremely small substances. The zero tracking function is also necessary because it detects small reading changes over time and corrects the platform back to zero.
Our scales offer automatic calibration, requiring no dealer fees or future services. The quality of the materials used to construct the scales ensures reliable and accurate readings throughout the life of this precision weighing instrument.
Keep Records of Experiments
Precision, accuracy, durability, and reliability are not the only important qualities of a laboratory grade scale. Due to the nature of research, empirical data must be recorded. Our scales offer several different connectivity options so that the needs of every lab can be met.
Ethernet connectivity provides internet connectivity and allows your scale to interact with your local network, transmitting data through a wired or wireless connection to a workstation or PC.
The USB option allows you to send data to a PC as Excel Spreadsheet or Access Database file. There is also a utility available that allows you to send weight data directly from the scale to any Windows application software.
Datalogging allows you to not only record weight measurements, but time, data, group, and item information as well, which may be important when recreating experiments. Data will be saved to a removable SD memory card that can be read using Microsoft Excel on a personal computer.
We also offer an internal, six cell rechargeable NiMH battery pack. Its peak detect charging circuit can be installed in the scale indicator, providing portable usage of the scale, which is operable for over twenty hours on a single four hour peak charge.
About Arlyn Scales
In business for over thirty years, Arlyn Scales is a leading designer and developer of advanced technology for the weighing industry. Incorporating the latest technology, such as surface acoustic wave, into our designs, we pride ourselves on our ability to provide our clients with superior quality for the utmost value.
Because we engineer and construct our products in our Long Island warehouse, we are able to experiment with new technologies and craft custom weighing equipment for any unique need.
We offer discounts on bulk purchases, so if you need to outfit your lab with the most advanced technology, please contact us to discuss our laboratory grade scale options. Our qualified experts can be reached through our online form on www.ArlynScales.com or by phone at (800) 645-4301.
