How to Use the Counting Function on Your Weighing Scale

Do you want to waste your work hours counting tiny items by hand when you have other things on your to-do list? Unlikely. Not only is it extremely boring, there’s also a high chance of human error! When you want to get the odd parts counting task done quickly, you’ll want to use a counting scale, or a weighing scale with a counting function. This blog will discuss what it is, what the benefits are, how to use the counting function, and which weighing scales with counting functions we recommend.

Counting Scales vs. a Weighing Scale with a Counting Function

There’s a difference between a counting scale and a weighing scale with a counting function. Counting scales are scales designed specifically for parts counting, with dedicated screens that display weight, unit weight and piece count. For frequent counting tasks, counting scales are strongly recommended, as they’re guaranteed to give highly accurate, detailed results and be straightforward to use, as counting is what they’re built to do. Curious as to how they work? Check out this blog post to learn more about counting scales. 

If you’re not regularly performing counting tasks, a regular weighing scale with a counting function will likely be sufficient. Many weighing scales offer multiple applications besides basic weighing, such as parts counting, checkweighing, dynamic/animal weighing, percentage weighing, etc. Because the scale can handle so many applications, it’s not specifically designed to accommodate one over another, prioritising basic weighing.

Applications for a Weighing Scale with a Counting Function

One application for a weighing scale with a counting function is for inventory control. Keeping an accurate inventory record, updated at least once a year, is beneficial for your business in multiple ways. The most significant benefit is that you can more easily track how well your products are selling regularly. Therefore, it’s simple to determine when it’s necessary to restock. For example, let’s say you had 20,000 Phillips-head wood screws in January. If you have 6,000 remaining in June, it’s clear that 14,000 sold, and you may need to restock before December.  This knowledge helps guarantee that you don’t end up wasting money overstocking on items that don’t sell well while your highly demanded best sellers are out of stock.

It would be a truly time-consuming and tedious task to count all those screws manually, especially when their quantities range into the thousands. It’s the obvious choice to make your life easier by taking advantage of the counting function on your weighing scale. The counting function also helps with order packing, as there will be less of a chance of human error, ensuring that your customers will get what they paid for, no more and no less.

How to Use the Counting Function

Not all weighing scales have a counting function, but even the ones that do may work a bit differently from each other. Make sure to read the manual carefully so you know that you’re operating your scale correctly. In general, however, they’ll all include these steps:

1.     Preparation

To begin, make sure you Zero out your scale so you’re guaranteed a fresh slate. If you’re weighing your items inside a container, place the empty container on the scale and press Tare to remove the weight. Keep the capacity of the scale in mind and take care not to exceed it as you add items to the container, as overload can cause damage to the scale.

2.     Creating a Sample

The first step to using the counting function is creating a sample. The scale will ask you to place a certain number of items on the pan or in the container, usually five or ten, so that the scale can then divide the resulting weight by the sample number in order to determine how much a single item weighs. Without the sample weight, the scale wouldn’t be able to distinguish how many of the items are being added.

3.     Counting

After you’ve created your sample, you can begin adding more items to the pan and the display will show how many are present, saving you time and effort counting manually.

4.     Resetting

When you’re done counting one batch, you’ll need to re-zero before counting another. This will start the process over again, so ensure that you Tare out the container and create a new sample.

Recommended Weighing Scales with Parts Counting

Adam CKT ‘Cruiser’ Bench Checkweighing Scale

Capacity: 4kg – 48kg

Readability: 0.1g – 0.5g

The CKT ‘Cruiser’ Bench Checkweighing Scale can accomplish basic parts counting operations with ease. This scale can be used to count small tools, parts and screws in manufacturing and engineering operations, among other applications. Like its counting scale equivalent, Adam’s CCT, the CKT has an impressive 1:1,600,000 counting resolution. This makes it one of the most capable weighing-scales-with-a-counting-function you’re likely to find. Built to be versatile, the CKT also offers a checkweighing function and an RS-232 interface. Connect the scale to a printer or PC to record your weight and counting data. Get an accurate inventory count easily!

Adam ‘Gladiator’ Waterproof Floor Scale

Capacity: 8kg – 300kg

Readability: 0.2g – 10g

Besides its parts counting abilities, the Gladiator Waterproof Floor Scale boasts IP68 rated protection against dust and water ingress. This means that if your counting gets messy, you don’t have to worry about damaging your scale during the cleanup – simply hose it down!

Adam ABW-S Aqua Stainless Steel Waterproof Scale

Capacity: 4kg – 32kg

Readability: 0.1g – 2g

The ABW-S is another IP68 rated scale, able to be washed down in a matter of seconds. This scale is ideal for parts counting out in the field or in a warehouse, as its rechargeable battery makes it highly portable. The responsive display provides highly accurate parts counting results in seconds!

Kern DE-D Standard Platform Scale

Capacities: 3kg/6kg – 150kg/300kg

Readabilities: 1g/2g – 50g/100g

The Kern DE-D Standard Platform Scale is ideal for when you’re counting either high quantities of items or items of a heavier weight. A rechargeable battery makes the DE-D highly portable, so it can be taken where the weighing is, rather than vice versa. In addition to parts counting, the DE-D also offers a percentage weighing application as well as dynamic filtering.

A&D GR Series Analytical Balance

Capacities: 120g – 310g

Readabilities: 0.0001g – 0.01mg

Even tiny things can be counted with the A&D GR Series Analytical Balance, and your results are guaranteed to be accurate thanks to the GR’s one touch calibration and automatic self-calibration features. Alongside parts counting, the GR can perform density determination and checkweighing. Low on space? The GR is 30% smaller than a conventional balance, making it perfect for your benchtop.

Need help choosing a weighing scale with a counting function? Contact the Inscale team at 01908 972 660.