Before Arlyn Scales incorporated Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) technology into our load cell design, the highest capacity that high-resolution bench scales could handle was about 50 pounds. These scales were extremely expensive due to the technology used, known as Magnetic Force Restoration (MFR). While MFR achieved the required resolution, this technology was not practical for most industrial applications and some laboratory uses. SAW technology has changed all that. Not only do SAW load cells cost about as much as high-end strain gauge load cells, which is just a fraction of the cost of MFR, they can handle loads of up to 500 pounds, a tenfold increase over MFR technology.
Inside the SAW Load Cell
Unlike our strain gauge load cells, our SAW load cells are made of a special metal alloy. This alloy has superior properties of hardness, spring characteristics, low plastic deformation, and stable performance over a broad range of temperatures. Rather than detecting the changes in electrical resistance for a bending load cell member, SAW uses two transducers to produce acoustic waves. One of the transducers acts as a sender and the other the receiver As weight is applied to the load cell, a very stiff component bends very slightly with the transducer pairs mounted on them. The distance between the pair changes by an exceedingly small amount. These transducers create an acoustic wave feedback loop that measures the slight change in distance, which is then expressed directly as a digital weight value.
Reasonably Priced SAW High-Resolution Scales
Compared to other manufacturers of high resolution scales, our Ultra Precision line of scales are very reasonably priced, and are not much more than our strain-gauge scales. We keep the prices low by operating as a factory-direct business, which eliminates dealership markups while providing you with the latest technology and utmost value.
SAW High Capacity Changes the Use of High-Resolution Scales
Prior to SAW technology, MFR-based scales could only handle up to 50 pounds of load. SAW increases this capacity to 500 pounds with a resolution of .005 pound. While our lower capacity SAW scales have even finer resolutions, such as .0001 pound for the 10-pound capacity scales, our high-capacity SAW scales allow you to do much more than was previously possible.
For example, you could run larger batches of mixes that require very fine weight resolutions, such as pharmaceuticals or polymers. If you are experimenting with new products, you can vary the proportions of the ingredients across a larger spectrum. Production runs that pack products into containers will be able to more accurately reach the desired weight levels, thereby reducing waste and increasing consistency.
SAW Digital Advantage
The SAW technology is inherently digital, which means that no inherently inaccurate Analog to Digital converter is required, as opposed to strain gauge technology. The straight-to-digital characteristic yields higher accuracy and finer resolution, while the SAW load cells retain stability over a long period of time. SAW technology also remains accurate through a broad range of temperatures.
Ready for the Digital Age
All of our scales, including the high-resolution bench scales, have a full range of options for digital connectivity. A USB port will allow the recording of weight data to a flash memory device for later uploading to a computer or a direct connection. For directly connecting a computer to a scale, theRS-232 ports two-way port meets that need and allows both data collection and scale control. The RS-485 option enables the networking of up to10 scales, and the wired Ethernet option supports connection to computer networks. The Wi-Fi option supports this in wireless mode.
Our digital-ready scales will incorporate easily into any automation design and can, through the set point option that can interface with up to eight solid-state relays, take an active part in system automation.
Free Software
The basic problem with digital equipment in an automated system environment is putting the data into some form of software records that other parts of the automated system can use. Our scales record to the universally accepted CSV file format that is easily imported into nearly every conceivable software system. We also offer free software that will automatically import weight data into Excel spreadsheets or Access databases. You can use this software to start out an automation project or more quickly incorporate our scales into an existing system. Our engineers have a great deal of experience with automation and will gladly offer their advice.
The Custom Scale Route
You may find that none of our standard scale models exactly fit your needs. If this is the case, we can build custom scales to your strict specifications. Since we have complete control over our engineering and manufacturing facilities, and because we are a factory-direct company, our custom scales are very reasonably priced. You can consider almost all factors of the custom scales to be open for modification, from overall scale size to materials used in construction. For example, you may want your scales to be made from aluminum for reducing scale weight or from stainless steel for greater corrosion resistance.
Our SAW-based scales offer high accuracy and high capacities, as opposed to the MFR technology that has a 50-pound limitation. Imagine what our high-capacity, high-resolution scales can do for your business. You can increase productivity without investing too much money into the effort, and you can do things that were not previously possible.
Contact Us
We are here to help you every step along the way, from discussing how our standard models will benefit your business to how we can build custom scales that fit seamlessly into your plans. Remember that we are a factory-direct business and that all our engineering and manufacturing are done on-shore and in-house. Get in touch today by calling (800) 645-4301 and speaking with one of our customer service representatives or through the form on the Contact Us page of our website.
