In Balance: Terms to Know When Choosing Laboratory Balances

How comprehensive is your laboratory balance terminology? To understand the functionality and options available for balances, review the following:

Animal weighing: Balance function that determines the weights of live animals by taking several readings and averaging them.

Auto zero tracking: Display automatically zeroes periodically to correct for slow drift.

Below-balance weighing: A hook or connection point on the bottom of the balance that suspends items for weighing.

Calibration mass: A mass meeting certain standards that is used to calibrate a balance to ensure accuracy.

Capacity: Maximum load a balance can weigh.

Checkweighing: A function that compares the current balance load to a predetermined mass and indicates the load as being below, above, or within an allowable range.

Digital filters: Filters reduce the influence of draft or vibration, enabling the balance to display a stable reading faster.

Multi-range: Describes balances with both a coarse and a fine range; the fine range provides better readability at the low end of balance capacity.

Fine range: A weighing range within the capacity of multi-range balances that has better readability.

Full-scale tare: Feature that allows rezeroing of the display to occur anywhere within the full capacity range of the balance. Note: The remaining capacity of the balance is equal to the total capacity minus the tare weight.

GLP/GMP printout capability: Program that provides a specific set of information on the balance and the sample weight, so as to conform to Good Laboratory/Manufacturing Practices.

Keypad calibration: Feature that lets you calibrate balance by placing a calibration mass on the pan and pressing a calibration key.

Linearity: The maximum amount a weight reading may deviate from a straight line between zero and the maximum capacity of the balance.

Magnetic damping: Feature of mechanical balances that reduces vibration, decreasing the time required to reach an accurate reading.

Mass unit conversion: Feature that lets you toggle between two or more weighing units.

Moisture determination: Balance function that calculates percent moisture by comparing initial sample weight to weight after drying.

Net total formulation: Balance function that automatically adds the individual weights of several components and displays the total.

Net weight: Weight of the load on the pan minus the container (tare) weight.

NTEP certified: A term that designates those balances having National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) approved status for sale into legal-for-trade applications.

Parts counting: A weighing application that counts multiple items of the same mass by comparing them to a preset value based on a representative sample.

Percent weighing: Weighing application that uses a preset reference weight to equal 100%—the balance displays the sample weight in percent, relative to the reference value.

Repeatability: The degree of agreement between repeated measurements of the same mass, on the same balance, under the same conditions.

Readability: Smallest increment of weight a balance will display.

Tare weight: Weight of a container or package that should not be taken into account when weighing sample.

See a selection of balances and scales.