After all of the time and attention you have put into selecting a weigh scale for your business, you want to make sure it’s working accurately 100% of the time. Downtime of any kind of your weigh scale can cause major disruptions to the flow of your business and can lead to revenue loss.

We’ve put together our top 4 tips to help reduce the amount of downtime of your weigh scale.

1. Keep your weigh scale clean

As with anything, it’s best to catch any malfunction ahead of time and often times it’s the little things that can cause major problems down the road when it comes to weigh scales. By conducting routine checks on your scale, you can get ahead of the problem.

You should inspect the platform every day to ensure it is clear of any debris and dirt that could potentially jam parts. Be sure to check and double-check the end frames, side frames and load cells. Any debris should be carefully cleaned or removed, including ice and snow during those dreaded winter months.

You should also take note of any noticeable damage or rust to your scale. If you see any cracks or damage to the weigh scale, be sure to contact your Active Scale service representative immediately.

2. Operate your weigh scale properly, every time

It might go without saying, but ensuring that the weigh scale is operated correctly during every use can save you future maintenance issues. This means doing things like zeroing out the scale before every weigh-in.

When loading the truck onto the scale, be sure to do so slowly without any sudden braking. Abrupt transitions of heavy weight on and off your weigh scale can put a lot of strain on its parts which can cause harmful wear and tear to your equipment. Also, ensure the wheels of the truck are in the centre of the scale when it has come to a full stop.

3. Calibrate your weigh scale regularly

It is important that you regularly calibrate your weigh scale. Assuming you have already obtained you introductory certification, there are three tests you can perform to ensure the scale is working accurately.

  • The linearity test will help determine how the calibration needs to change by grouping different sets of weight together.
  • The repeatability test ensures that the scale is measuring the same weight accurately every time, as the name might suggest.
  • Finally, the eccentricity test ensures that the weigh scale reads accurately no matter where the weight is placed on the scale.

By calibrating your weigh scale regularly, you will be able to identify any issues as they arise instead of finding out about the issue when there is a full malfunction that can cause serious downtime.

You can read more about weight scale calibration here.

4. Call the Active Scale 24 Hour Emergency Service

If all else fails, we’re here to help. Call our 24 Hour Toll-Free Emergency Service at 1-800-850-8770 to talk directly to one of our service experts and get everything in working order as soon as possible.

At the end of the day, there is no magic trick when it comes to reducing the downtime of your weigh scale other than practising proper maintenance of your unit, replacing parts when required, ensuring repairs in a timely manner and proper use of your equipment. If you follow these guidelines you should be able to prevent a full weigh scale breakdown.

More questions? Don’t hesitate to contact Active Scale Manufacturing Inc. and we can provide you with expertise based on your unique needs.