If you run a small business manufacturing or reselling small parts to factories or retailers, it is imperative that you make precise counts of your inventory for pricing and packaging accuracy. Counting thousands of parts is boring and time-consuming. However, you can count thousands of miniscule parts quickly with an industrial counting scale. Investing in a counting scale can save you time and decrease your labor costs. If you are unfamiliar with the features of counting scales, the following primer can help you make an informed purchasing decision.

What a Counting Scale Does

Your valued customers expect that packages contain exactly what they ordered. If you rely on employees to package parts counted by hand, your business is vulnerable to human error.

A counting scale enables you to make precise batch counts in an efficient manner. You can program the device to weigh different types of parts such as fasteners, washers, bolts and miniature electronic components.

A precision counting scale not only provides weight but quantity. The device bases calculations on a sample, for example ten parts. The scale uses the weight of then ten parts to provide an exact count for other quantities.

Choosing a Counting Scale

Counting scales are durable devices that are meant to be used in factory environments. You can choose from portable devices that you can sit on a table and larger scales that sit on a warehouse floor. Modern scales have an array of high-tech features that enable you to quickly measure parts. You should make sure the scale you select has the following features:

• An LCD display
• On-board memory to save numerous product sample weights
• Large, easy-to-press keys
• Ports to connect the device to additional weighing platforms
• An Ethernet port to connect the device to your computer and printer network
• Stainless steel body

If you need a portable scale for mobile use, make sure it uses standard batteries so you do not have to worry about replacing proprietary batteries that are expensive or hard to find.

The scale packaging should also indicate that it is a federally-certified device. All scales sold in Canada must meet strict national standards and be approved by Measurement Canada.

Adding Accessories

You can integrate your counting scale into your overall workflow by adding some accessories to streamline your counting tasks. If you want to print out reports of the scale's activity, you can add a printer to the scale. You can also print out labels each time you count a batch of parts for shipping.

Other types of accessories that you can add to a counting scale include a USB port, a rechargeable battery pack and a custom cover to protect the device when it is not in use.

You can also purchase third-party software programs that are compatible with network-compatible scales. The software enables you to record the activity of each scale operator, export data to spreadsheet programs, network several scales and control the devices remotely.

Maintenance for Your Scale

While industrial counting scales are durable devices, they need periodic calibration and maintenance. Over time, wear and tear will cause the scale to move away from its original calibration.

The scale's owner's manual should provide details on how often you need to contact a certified calibration technician to service the device to make sure that it is providing accurate counts, does not have any defects and still meets federal standards.

You should keep the scale clean to protect it from dust, debris and corrosion. Foreign objects that infiltrate joints and crevices of the scale can affect its accuracy. Scales generally have smooth outer surfaces that make it easy to wipe down the device.

For more information about adding scales to your warehouse or maintaining the ones you already have, contact a local industrial scales manufacturer or supplier.