When it comes to investing in any equipment for your business, most people will consider the price and the quality as the most significant factors. This is equally true of weighing equipment, whatever your industry. However, as with all decisions, getting the balance right between the best price and the highest quality is important. When choosing weighing equipment, there are a number of other factors to consider that will affect both the price and the quality of scales for your business.
Quality matters
Quality counts when it comes to weighing scales. As with most purchases, buying the cheapest option usually results in a short life span and poor quality product. Look at industry specific brands and also specialist weighing equipment manufacturers to compare costs. In general, brand names with a good reputation within your own industry are the ones to choose.
Measurement matters
Scales are designed to suit their specific purpose and there’s a big difference (literally) in the size and design of those to be used in a grocery store and those which are used in manufacturing processes. While it makes sense to choose the ‘right’ capacity weighing equipment it also makes sense to buy slightly larger than you’ll normally need. Regular overloading will damage the scales accuracy and could mean more maintenance will be required.
Long term costs
When it comes to maintenance costs, don’t forget to consider these in your overall budget. Elaborate systems, connected to computers and printers, will inevitably have more components that can go wrong, whilst simple systems can be more robust. Maintenance and occasional re-calibration costs should be considered. Service contracts may be most appropriate where heavy-duty scales are in constant use and may prove cheaper than one-off repair visits.
The legal stuff
Legal for Trade scales (or officially National Type Evaluation Program – NTEP scales) are required for many firms. These are required by legislation to ensure fair trade practices are adhered to and will be required for commercial transactions in which accurate weights are required.
Location, location, location
Size and location will be factors you’ll need to consider carefully. For small units, adequate space should be available in most premises, but for larger weighing equipment in a manufacturing setting it’s important to be sure you have enough room for scales, other machinery and safe work spaces. In some cases outdoor locations will be the most suitable and weatherproof models should be chosen.
Hardy Process Solutions is headquartered in San Diego, California and the firm is renowned for its innovative technology. Servicing a range of industries from the food and chemical industry to the mining and metal industry, Hardy Process Solutions has been providing solutions for process control for over 90 years and is the best place to purchase weighing equipment.
