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When Was the Last Time Your Scales Were Calibrated?
Investing in regular scale calibration is an essential part of ensuring your business achieves exact readings of weight measurements. Regardless of whether you’re using a heavy-duty weighbridge for a large vehicle or precision scales for minuscule amounts of pharmaceuticals, accurate scale readings are vital for the ongoing success of a business – as well as its industry reputation.
These impressive weighing capabilities are only possible with regular cleaning and all-important professional calibration throughout the year to maintain their ongoing performance. The following guide outlines why scale calibration is more important than you might think, as well as the benefits and pitfalls of failing to calibrate scales in your vital industry.
What is Calibration, and Why Does it Matter?
Scale calibration is the meticulous process of adjusting and confirming the accuracy of measuring instruments, like scales, alongside a known standard to align with accepted industry guidelines. Each scale type requires its specific calibration process, making it a wise investment to choose expert calibration services.
When you regularly use scales the accuracy can diminish and produce false readings, making the calibration of weighing scales necessary to maintain correct results and a reliable operating environment.
The significance of calibration is much more than simply a regulatory requirement, it guarantees that each measurement provided is precise and reliable. This makes calibration an essential investment, regardless of whether you work in manufacturing, logistics, or pharmaceutical; establishing your position as an industry leader through consistent product quality and safe operations
The Consequences of Not Calibrating Scales
Just like many types of leading industries in WA rely on scales daily, there can be multiple forms of consequences for failing to regularly calibrate your weighing instruments:
- Failing to measure goods with a calibrated scale can provide inaccurate weights that lead to accidents or damage during transport.
- Costly manufacturing errors can arise from defects in the production process caused by incorrect weight readings.
- Poor product quality can lead to significant supply chain efficiency issues.
- Companies risk failing regulatory compliance by not calibrating scales, including food, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and shipping.
- In some cases, there are fines and even legal consequences following failure to comply.
- Overall financial success can be impacted by low-quality products, logistical issues, and losing customer trust.
The Calibration Process: from Selection to Testing
The calibration of scales is a meticulous process that requires a systematic approach, typically carried out by experienced professionals who can adhere to the specific requirements in question.
Calibration & Scale Selection
The process begins with careful selection, where appropriate calibration standards and weights are chosen based on the scale range, type and application. These standards act as references during the calibration process.
Preparing Your Scales For Calibration
Preparing the scale for calibration involves giving it a detailed clean and ensuring it’s in optimal condition. This includes inspecting the surrounding environment to ensure it’s free from moisture or other elements that could negatively impact scale accuracy.
Post Calibration Testing
The calibration itself involves comparing the scale’s readings to the predetermined standards chosen during selection, with the tester making precise adjustments as necessary.
Reporting
Qualified scale calibration technicians then document the calibration results, providing a detailed report tailored to the industry in question.
Benefits of Regular Scale Calibration
The straightforward act of investing in regular calibration, ideally carried out by experienced industry technicians, can bring a multitude of tangible benefits that are critical to a wide range of industries:
Accuracy
The most important benefit of the calibration of scales is the accuracy it ensures in each measurement. Failing to produce accurate weight readings can lead to compromised product quality and even financial losses due to dissatisfied customers or non-compliance.
Consistency
Being able to guarantee consistency is invaluable for many industries, and calibrated scales can maintain accurate readings over long periods. In the pharmaceutical industry, for example, precision is paramount to providing reliable products every single time.
Cost-saving
Accurate readings mean less waste produced during manufacturing, as well as costly rework resulting from errors caused by incorrect results; all of which add up to an improved ROI.
Compliance
By complying with industry standards and regulations, companies can avoid potential fines and legal issues. Compliance is only assured through regular calibration of weighing scales, and the accurate scale readings this guarantees.
Customer Satisfaction
Maintaining calibrated scales means securing multiple areas of your business, from quality control to efficient operations. All of this safeguards your overall operational resilience, with happier and more satisfied customers as a result.
The Real, Dangerous Results of Non-Compliance
Failing to calibrate your industrial scales correctly can have real-world consequences. From underpaying on tax due to inaccurate scale data to undergoing legal action from a customer who has overpaid for goods, the risks of uncalibrated scales can be detrimental to your business.
A company in NSW was fined a whopping $1500 for a truck that was exceeding the weight limit by 22.66 per cent, or two tonnes. In an even worse case, a worker was killed when an overloaded crane tipped over on top of them after operating at 130% of its capacity.
Invest in Regular Scale Calibration for Better Business
The importance of scale calibration is hard to overstate, with reliable weighing scales resulting in improved operational efficiency and consistent adherence to industry standards. A plethora of leading Perth industries rely on the daily accuracy of their weighing scales, whether it’s an industrial weighbridge for mining or a forklift scale used in logistics, making it important to know a trusted partner for scale calibration services.
Experts in calibration of weighing scales at Instant Weighing offer on-site and workshop-based calibration services, including written calibration test reports, and NMI Form 6 certificates for trade-approved scales. Safeguard your business today against the costly consequences of inaccurate measurements, and take the proactive step of booking regular calibrations today.
Expert Calibration Services with Instant Weighing
With over 25 years of industry experience, Instant Weighing is a renowned trusted provider of expert calibration services in Western Australia. Each highly trained technician follows a comprehensive calibration regime tailored to suit your scale type and range that ensures precise results and consistent accuracy.
Whether you’re looking for a trusted partner for regular calibrations or repair services, trust in the niche expertise of Instant Weighing.
Get in touch today to schedule the calibration of scales and appreciate the difference between accurate, reliable scales aligned directly with your industry standards – your precision is our priority.