From the receiving room to the stockroom, production, quality control and shipping, counting scales are an essential tool for verifying high volumes of identical parts. Use counting scales to reduce labor, save material, have an accurate cycle count and deliver excellent customer service. Before purchasing be familiar with the following.

The most important factor in counting parts is that they be of uniform weight. If the parts are not uniform it is difficult if not impossible to get a true average piece weight. The average piece weight is determined by sampling a number of pieces and determining their average weight. If one or two of the parts are out of spec the average piece weight will be compromised. In following, the bigger the sample the more accurate the average piece weight. The downside is that counting out a large sample increases the chances of error in the sample count itself. Parts counting begins with the parts so before purchasing a parts counting scale it is important to give due diligence to your parts uniformity.

When selecting the proper capacity of counting scale it is important that you adhere to the following guidelines. The internal resolution of the scale must be, at minimum, less than or equal to the weight of one part. The weight of 10 parts should equal 0.1 percent of total capacity. Scale capacity should handle the largest container of the heaviest parts. Use two or three platforms to get this range if needed. For fast and easy sampling, the sample scale capacity should be no larger than 10,000 times the piece weight. This will allow the sample size to be at least 0.1% of the capacity of the sample scale.

When using a counting scale make sure the scale is located away from air conditioning vents, as well as drafts from windows or doors. Use electrical outlets distanced from any machinery or fluorescent lights. Check forklifts in the area to see if they produce static charges. Dissipate this charge before operating the scale. Use a minimum of 10 samples. Optimize your sample by using the piece-weight enhancement feature of counting scales. Verify all tare containers are correctly marked for weight, especially if you are not taring at every weighment. Use bar coding to increase productivity.