Breaking Down The Cost.
Pricing a counting scale can seem a bit daunting due to the amount of options, features and capacities. This article will break down what goes into the cost of a counting scale.A digital counting scale measures the weight of the items you place on the weighing platform and divide the weight by the number of pieces you entered, to compute the average piece weight. This is how a digital counting scale displays the number of pieces or parts or better yet how it works. The items that you are weighing have to be uniform in weight. Be sure that your weigh samples do not have a big variation in the weight of the items. Remember that the larger the weight sample is the better results the counting scale can provide.
What goes into the cost of a counting scale?
The anatomy of a counting scale is similar to different bench scales with different applications. When breaking down a digital counting scale, the parts that make up the scale will vary in price depending on features and quality of the part. A good example of this is if you were to price out an Ohaus counting scale (Ranger Count series) which costs roughly $900. This particular scale has a simple design with several features. This particular scale is by no means along the higher end of scales, but it is a well made scale with decent features but is not the absolute best scale you can buy. On the other side you could be considering a higher end counting scale (A&D® FC-i/Si Series) which is $1,800 and has a lot more features which overshadow the Ohaus. The A&D is going to be the better option with a lot more features.The item(s) you are counting must be uniform in weight. No counting scale will ever work if there is a significant variation in the weight of the items. The larger the initial sample (100 pieces versus 5 pieces) the better results the counting scale can provide since it averages out any variations in the piece weights.
Capacity Matters.
Many people buy a counting scale with more maximum capacity than they typically need. A good example is If 75% of the time you are counting no more than 10 lbs of parts at a time, a 10 lb. capacity counting scale is the ideal choice as opposed to a 50 lb. The reasoning for this is because having a too high of capacity will cause you to sacrifice resolution. Keeping your capacity in check will also help keep costs down when optioning your scale. Also a quick note; If you think you may need to weigh and count larger items in the future, just make sure you buy a counting scale with a remote scale option available or a counting scale with an accumulation function. A scale with the accumulation feature are, A&D HCi and the A&D FCi series scales.
Choosing the right scale.
When selecting the scale you want, it is a good idea to figure out what you will weigh the most. If you are to be counting lots of different weights, identify the weight of the lightest item. This will allow you to choose the appropriate scale resolution to obtain a precise and accurate weight. Knowing this will help you to pick the appropriate counting scale. Once you figure out your maximum capacity and know what you will be weighing it is time to select a scale. In the second half of this article we will discuss the scales that we recommend for each level. This will help give some insight as to where to start.
Our recommendations
Intro Level:
Cardinal C Series: The Cardinal C series portable counting scales are a good scale to get started with. The C series counting scales are ideal for inventory counting where you need a more mobile option. The scales come in 30 lb/15 kg, 65 lb/30 kg, and 100 lb/50 kg capacities and feature a rechargeable battery pack standard for mobile weighing. These durable counting scales offer a full keypad to enter and recall known piece weights and tare weights, metric conversion, 1/300,000 counting resolution, bubble level, and non-skid feet for stability. You can quickly count multiple inventory parts with ease, and 15,000 weight divisions makes them capable of counting the smallest of parts. Starting Price: $569
Mid Level:
Rice Lake Counterpart Series:More than a weight indicator and more than a counting scale, Counterpart from Rice Lake stands alone as a configurable counting indicator, able to convert almost any scale base into an intelligent piece-counting device—for parts of every shape and size. Unlike traditional counting scales, Counterpart uses Rice Lake’s simple configuration method to adjust to the parameters and resolution of any attached scale base, whether a floor scale, bench scale, or laboratory balance. Counterpart also connects with most barcode scanners, label printers, and inventory management software, making it a versatile piece of equipment. Starting Price: $1,080
High Level:
A&D® FC-i/Si Series:The FCi Series counting scales utilize ACAI, A&D’s exclusive Automatic Count Accuracy Improvement. ACAI combines the two most critical performance requirements of a counting scale: count accuracy & operation expediency. Initial Average Piece Weight can be determined through an operator’s choice of fixed, random, keyboard entry, or memory recall.Starting Price: $1,800
Conclusion
Counting scales are a great way to streamline and make your operation a lot more efficient. Knowing what type of items you will weigh and the frequencies of each measurement will make your job a lot smoother. The scales mentioned above are good starting points to help guide you with your scale purchase. For more information, please check out our article on counting scale basics. You can also head over to our products page to check out our counting scales selection.