Economic woes have affected every sector of industry, including the construction industry. It is not without careful scrutiny that profit margins have remained in place but for some the added benefit of highly precise scales have increased this margin further. With material costs being what they are, it behooves the industry sector to address the areas that they can have control over. With the many facets of the construction industry: carpentry, masonry, steel, plumbing, bridge erection, roadway paving and much more, it is really important that rugged scales be provided for each specific facet. However in the world of scales, precision, durability and accuracy are not necessarily a given. It takes a company that understands the complexities and intricacies of the industry to address each facet with its independent requirements.
Commitment to High Precision
Arlyn Scales, an industry leader, has been manufacturing electronic scales for over thirty years. We have seen the changes coming and addressed them accordingly time and time again. Because we manufacture our own subassemblies, we are able to utilize the best materials for the construction of our many offerings. The precision aspect has always been at the top of our priorities. The affects of temperature and shock load on the load cells led our team of dedicated engineers to research the subject and devise a means by which these issues would not affect our scales performance. Prior to the innovative use of Surface Acoustic Wave technology, strain gage technology and force restoration technology were the best choices available. However they did not address the variables that are more often than not, present in the day-to-day dealings of the construction industry.
The Main Issues
Strain gage scales are not consistently accurate. This technology relies on the resistance of the load cells to the weighing load. However over periods of heavy usage, after the strain gage springs have been bent a few too many times, the resistance becomes faulty and the repeatability ratings suffer, ultimately shortening the useful life of the scale. The use of four strain gages forming a bridge helped assuage this issue but did not completely eradicate it. Force restoration scales rely on the electromagnet that supports the platform to produce very accurate readings as long as the temperature remains stable. As the weight of the objects to be weighed increases, the electrical current needed to support the item increases, as does the utility bill. You can imagine how expensive this proposition could become with the heavy objects to be weighed in the construction industry. Additionally, these scales cost more than four times that of the strain gage scales making this technology a very expensive option.
The New Frontier
Surface Acoustic Wave technology is the ultimate solution for most weighing applications. Instead of measuring stress or strain, the load cells in these state of the art scales measure displacement. Fabricated using semiconductor technology, SAW scales measure the time it takes the bulk wave to travel the distance from the transmitter to the receiver. This rapid-fire technology also utilizes a spring element load cell, but because displacement is measured rather than resistance, these scales have none of the disadvantages of the spring load cells used in strain gage scales. The temperature stability ratings far exceed its predecessors.
The Answer to the Durability Issue
In order to address this issue for the construction industry where weight measurements are high, our engineers have designed our high precision scales to accommodate objects weighing from ten pounds to 500 pounds and beyond. Accomplishing this with a large load cellblock insures over a five hundred percent capacity rating. This is exactly what is needed in an industry where various objects will be placed on the scale and more often than not, the overload and shock tolerance will be tested on a daily basis. What’s more, the application of stainless steel in the load cells insures dependability and consistent readings that will not be affected by extreme weather conditions. Construction takes place in unheated, raw environments and it is a known fact that these scales stand up to extreme conditions and are easily able to handle the overloading that often occurs on construction sites.
Cost
Stainless steel is a very expensive material, especially when compared to nickel plated steel or the often-used aluminum. When companies are looking to cut costs, they will opt for aluminum. However, it will not perform as well as stainless steel in regards to shock and overload and durability ratings. Despite the higher costs, our Ultra High Precision Scales cost two times less than the comparable weight bearing load force restoration scales. When budgets are on the table and scales are being purchased for specific applications, reliability, accuracy, variable temperature resistance and shock and overload resistance need to be at the forefront of the decision-making. These decisions can mean all the difference in a construction schedule being maintained. Reliability and complete dependability is what Arlyn Scales is known for and we maintain that there is no better option for the construction industry than our industrial scales with SAW technology.
Custom Applications
There are many aspects to address in an industrial application and though we have listened to our customers and provide the industry standard for the middle ground, we realize that there are specific changes that need to be made to incorporate customized weighing solutions. Because we manufacture our own subassemblies and our scales in our New York based warehouse, we are able to address custom orders in an expedient fashion for the best possible price. Arlyn Scales employs the best technical advisors who are at the ready to answer all of your weight related questions and guide you to the best High Precision Floor, Bench, Drum and Platform scales with SAW technology to suit your specific construction application. Contact Arlyn Scales for more information or calling us at 800.645.4301.
