The scale industry has traditionally offered two major technologies, Strain Gage and Force Restoration (also known as Force Motor). Arlyn Scales has developed and introduced to the market a superior, third technology called Surface Acoustic Wave, or SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) scales.

As you might imagine, this kind of technology was developed completely in-house by Aryln’s own engineers, so it is only available directly from Arlyn. If you’re looking to obtain an Ultra Precision SAW scales, then you’ll certainly want to investigate the units available from Arly Scales. We’ll be sure to configure the kind of measuring equipment you need to take more precise measurements than you might have ever thought possible.

Consider one simple fact when making your buying decision.

Strain Gage scales are the most widespread. They are also the least expensive. Typically, the resolution is 1:5,000 (1 part in 5,000). So a scale with a capacity of 50 lb will have a resolution of 0.01 lb.

Likewise, a scale with a capacity of 100 lb will have a resolution of 0.02 lb. Premium scales will stretch this to 1:10,000. Recently, with the advent of modern electronics and compensation schemes, some vendors have offered a much higher resolution. But actual accuracies have remained fairly similar, so very little is gained.

Strain Gage load cell can be considered to be like a diving board. A weight is placed on the left-hand side will cause the load cell to bend downwards. When the weight is removed, the load cell springs back up. The four strain gages are wired together in the format of a Wheatstone bridge. The output voltage of the bridge will vary in direct proportion to the load on the load cell.

The majority of Strain Gage scales use load cells made out of aluminum. This helps keep the cost down because aluminum is relatively inexpensive and easier to machine into the required shapes. The higher-end scale will choose to use plated steel, and the premium units, such as those offered by Arlyn Scales, use aluminum. This tends to provide increased ruggedness and durability.

You’ll want to keep some of these technical facts in mind when shopping for weighing technology.

Finding The Right Weighing Equipment For Your Use Case

Force Restoration scales use the principle of an electromagnet force opposing the weight on the scale platform. This has the advantage of very high resolution and accuracy ranging from 1:50,000 to 1:150,000 or even higher. It has disadvantages that include some temperature instability and drift, and difficulty in implementing in scales with capacities of 50 lb and greater. It can also be prone to damage from overload and shock loading. Perhaps the greatest disadvantage is the cost, which can range from four times to more than ten times the cost of Strain Gage scales.

Always remember that potential expended effort is a part of business planning, especially when you’re making decisions related to technology. Finding the exact type of technology you need is in part dependent on how much you plan on exerting effort to perform necessary chores related to using it.

That being said, a better option is, of course, available to you at all times.

Internationally Patented Scales

Arlyn’s new internationally patented SAW scales (Surface Acoustic Wave) incorporate similar technology to that used in fabricating semiconductor integrated circuits to produce an extremely precise digital output. They are available as lower capacity Bench Scales and as Platform Scales in capacities as high as 1000 lbs. These models are twenty times more accurate than Strain Gage scales, but less than ½ the cost of equivalent Force Restoration Scales. Whereas a high quality 100 lb capacity Strain Gage scale may have a resolution of 0.01 lb, Arlyn’s 100 lb SAW Scale has an amazing resolution of 0.001 lb.

The large load cell block is extraordinarily rigid, providing unequaled levels of overload and shock tolerance. Temperature stability is also superior. When the low cost is also considered, these new industrial-grade scales are the closest thing to perfect.

Roots In The Semiconductor Industry

You may recall that these scales incorporate technology that’s pretty close to what’s used by those who manufacture semiconductors. The push for miniature and mobile technology in almost every field these days; these designs power the largest computer servers and the latest smartwatches. Thus, it makes sense for this kind of technology to make its way into scale manufacturing as well.

Interestingly enough, this kind of technology has gone full circle in a way and ended up right back into the semiconductor industry in the form of counting scales, which are used to find the exact number of microchips, screws or other small parts that make their way into a specific container.

Since technicians know the initial tare weight of the container, they’re more than capable of calculating the number of products that have gone into it.

In fact, this is slowly helping to automate the inventory management process as well. Warehousing operators can find scales that are designed specifically for their needs, so you’ll be able to keep track of your product accounting chores more easily if the need were to arise.

At the same time, industrial scales have incorporated several advances, and authentic SAW scales have started to take off in a wide variety of ancillary industries

Over a period of time, scales that utilize traditional strain gauges can also theoretically lose some degree of functionality for a variety of other reasons. For instance, it’s possible to have them wear out due to extra stress or even corrode. By investing in a SAW scale, you won’t have to worry about these problems even if you’re weighing rather light objects that might not tip other types of electronic balances.

That’s ensured countless individuals have all asked the same question. Namely, they’re interested in how they could potentially get their own equipment.

Finding Scale Technology that Works in Your Business At Arlyn Scales

Whether you’re a small business owner or you manage a larger enterprise, there’s a good chance that some new more precise scales could help you run your company. Even if you run a workshop that’s attached to a much larger operation, there’s a chance that a few new instruments can lead to more accurate measurements and, in turn, a much lower risk of making mistakes.

Naturally, this should sound good to anyone who works in any technical, agricultural or even manufacturing-related field so make sure to contact us today and learn a little more about how surface acoustic wave technology can bring benefits to your own business venture.