4 Reasons to Sign-up for a Scale Calibration Program

Scale Preventative Maintenance Service Agreement

A Preventative Maintenance Service Agreement is a great way to ensure accurate weighments as well as track potential problems occurring with your weighing applications. During a Preventative Maintenance trip, technicians will check the internal and external features of your scale to ensure proper functionality while also checking and adjusting calibration. Many scale issues can be found during a Preventative Maintenance check that could reduce scale down-time and decrease weighing accuracy. The following are 4 reasons why you should sign-up for a scale calibration program:

1.  Mechanical Integrity

While performing a Preventative Maintenance check on your scale, technicians will inspection key mechanical features of your scale that could be failing. Mechanical parts such are pivots and bearings, load cell cups, links, and load cell stands are all common areas that a scale will wear due to use, age, and environment. It is important to have these parts inspected routinely to ensure your scale has great repeatability – ability to repetitively weigh accurately – and that the scale is not facing other major issues. Seldom, the wearing of these parts are indicators of a major underlying issue.

2.  Electronic Calibrations

Most scale these days features electronic indicators or scale heads as well as electronic load cells. These electronic parts are tested and evaluated during a Preventative Maintenance check to ensure accurate performance. Load cell values and indicator calibration are written down to compare against recommended values as a gauge for potential failure or accurate performance.

3.  Accurate Weighing

Scales often act as a cash register for many operations. Products are bought and sold by weight, or weight is tracked to reflect production. During a Preventative Maintenance check, technicians are guided by the scale standards set forth by Handbook 44. By using the standards of Handbook 44, technicians know how much weight should be used to test your scale and what the tolerance levels are to ensure accurate weighing. Through time and use, a scale will drift away from proper calibration. A Preventative Maintenance check will ensure that your scale is routinely brought back to its correct calibration to save you time and money.

4.  Legal Standards

Scale applications fall under different agencies and protocols governing their required checks and documentations. Most states require annual checks and calibrations while the USDA and others may require quarterly or monthly. By having a Preventative Service Agreement, you can assure that your company stays in compliance with appropriate scale checks and documentation.

Want to learn more about our calibrations programs; checkout out more details here.

3 Reasons to Calibrate Your Veterinary Scales

Why weigh at all if your scale is not accurate? Calibrating scales helps to keep them accurate and true. Veterinary scales are no exception. Since these scales are constantly used, they should be constantly calibrated. Their frequent use as well as the movement of animals on the scales causes significant wear and tear. It is important to maintain veterinary scales over time as they become less accurate.

1.  Cost Effective
Keeping veterinary scales accurate helps a company’s cost effectiveness. Veterinary scales tell the weight of an animal which is important in multiple decisions. The amount of food and medicine is directly correlated to an animal’s weight. An accurate weight ensures that an accurate amount is provided to an animal, no surplus.

2.  Animal Safety
A calibrated scale is also essential to an animal’s health and safety. It is important that decisions based on an animal’s weight are trustworthy and accurate. An animal’s weight is important in determining the dosage amount. When looking at prescriptions, antibiotics in particular are dependent on an animal’s weight. Antibiotics must reach a certain level to be successful in fighting infection. The heavier the animal, the more antibiotic that is needed to be effective. However, it is important not to overload an animal’s system by prescribing too large of a dosage. Accurate weight measurements help one to avoid these mistakes.

3. Company Liability
A veterinarian is ultimately responsible for the care it provides to animals. Keeping your scale calibrated protects the animal as well as any fault that may accompany inaccurate measurements. Not keeping a scale calibrated is an oversight that if not avoided, can result in major concerns.

At American Scale we offer routine scale calibrations. The calibration is completed by one of our state certified scale technicians. While on-site our technician will not only calibrate the scale but also provide basic preventative maintenance. The technician also provides scale calibration certificate verifying the scale is accurate. These calibrations certificates are key for any audits or third party inspections of your facility. Contact us today to schedule your calibration!