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Industrial Scales

Bench Scales

What does a single load cell scale do?

A single load cell scale is a compact platform scale in which the whole platform is mounted on one load cell in the centre. It is also known as a single-point scale. Instead of a separate cell at each corner, one cell carries and measures the entire load; the construction is therefore simple, installation and calibration are easy, and there are fewer cables and connections.

On tables where cartons, parcels, parts and small crates are weighed, that simplicity translates directly into speed. The scale sits on or in front of the bench, the item is placed on the platform and the result appears on the indicator straight away. Being an electronic scale, the same indicator handles taring, piece counting and sending the result to a printer or computer. The Meram BS series covers capacities between 30 kg and 1.5 t, in various platform sizes.

Which jobs suit a single load cell scale?

A single load cell design works very well as long as the platform stays small to medium-sized and loads are placed on it by hand or in a controlled way. In short:

  • Packing and shipping benches: suitable, the platform sits on or in front of the bench
  • Part and carton checks beside a production line: suitable, ideal for frequent weighing
  • Sacks, drums and crates of around 150 or 300 kg: suitable, within the BS capacity range
  • Pallets set down by forklift, very large platforms: not suitable, a four-cell heavy-duty scale is needed
  • Long material overhanging the platform: not suitable, choose a scale with a long platform

How does a single load cell work?

The load cell used in these scales is designed to compensate for the bending effect that arises when a load sits near the edge rather than the centre of the platform. As a result, the reading is the same whether the item is placed in the middle or in a corner. During installation this is checked with a corner test: the same test weight is placed on each corner in turn and the readings are compared.

Where does corner error come from?

A load placed in the centre of the platform reaches the cell as a straight force. Move the same load to a corner and, alongside the force, a turning effect, or moment, appears. An ordinary beam mistakes that moment for weight and shifts the result. In single-point cells the body is machined with a double-bending or parallelogram geometry, so the effect the moment creates in one part of the cell appears in the opposite direction in another, and the two largely cancel out. The small difference that remains is trimmed out by fine adjustment of the cell during manufacture or installation. Corner error is the spread between readings when that balance is lost.

Limits: platform size and off-centre loading

Every single-point load cell has a maximum platform size set by its manufacturer. Once the platform exceeds that limit, or a load overhangs the edge, the off-centre effect can no longer be fully compensated and the corner readings drift apart. Loads that strike the platform from the side or are dropped from a height also stress a single cell more than a four-cell design. So as the platform grows, the load gets heavier and handling moves to forklifts, the right choice becomes the four-cell Heavy-Duty Scales group.

Choosing the platform size: an example

If the largest carton on a dispatch bench is 600 × 400 mm, the platform must take it without overhang in either direction. Since the operator will not place the carton dead centre every time, a margin of a few centimetres around the carton makes the job easier. But if parcels 1,000 mm long are also weighed on the same bench from time to time, there are two options: enlarge the platform, or weigh the long parcels on a separate scale. Enlarging the platform is the right answer as long as it stays within the size the chosen single-point cell allows; if that limit is exceeded, a four-cell platform is considered for the long parcels. In short, the platform size is set by the largest item to be weighed, not the most frequent one; but if that size pushes the limits of the cell, the choice is reconsidered.

BS single load cell platform scale

The BS is a fully electronic platform scale with a double-chassis frame and an electrostatic powder-coated finish. The load cell has overload protection, intended to prevent permanent damage when a load above capacity reaches the platform. Dual-range weighing allows a finer scale interval in the lower part of the capacity range, so light items are weighed more precisely while heavy ones still use the full capacity.

Overload and impact: what protects a single cell?

On a four-cell platform a bad knock is shared between four points; with a single load cell the whole force goes to the same cell. That is why protection is an integral part of the design. Beneath the platform there are mechanical stops that prevent the cell flexing beyond a set amount. When a load exceeds capacity, the platform comes to rest on these stops and the excess passes into the frame, so the cell is not permanently deformed.

The danger the stops cannot catch is sudden impact. A carton dropped onto the platform from a few centimetres can, for a very short moment, put several times its own weight on the cell. A load pushed or slid on from the side applies force in a direction the cell was not designed for. These two habits are the most common cause of faults on single load cell scales. Placing items rather than dropping them, and not sliding them on from the side, is the cheapest way to extend the life of the cell.

On the bench or on the floor?

A single load cell scale can work on a table or on the floor; the choice depends on the weight of the item and how the operator moves.

  • On the bench: for cartons, parcels and parts that can be lifted by hand, the operator works without bending; with the platform at table height, weighing and packing happen in the same spot
  • In front of the bench or on the floor: for sacks, drums and heavy crates, setting the item on a floor platform is safer than lifting it onto a table
  • Indicator position: on floor installations the indicator goes on a column at eye level; on bench installations, in front of or beside the platform
  • Moving around: for scales that change place often, a battery indicator does away with cables and sockets

Whichever layout is chosen, all four feet of the platform must sit firmly and its edges must not touch any surrounding surface.

Models

Applications

Single load cell platform scales are used wherever items are placed on the platform by hand or in a controlled way and weighing is repeated many times a day:

  • E-commerce and courier: establishing carton and parcel weight before dispatch
  • Production lines: checking parts, cartons and semi-finished goods
  • Quality control: picking out under- or over-filled packs
  • Warehousing and dispatch: weighing small crates, sacks and drums
  • Workshops and laboratories: material, sample and recipe weighing
  • Wholesale trade: selling sacked and crated goods by weight

Practical notes by application

Courier and e-commerce benches

Because shipping charges are often based on weight, a small error on a dispatch bench adds up over hundreds of parcels into a noticeable sum by the end of the day. On these benches the scale should sit level with, or just in front of, the packing surface: the item is packed, placed on the platform and the label printed. A printer or computer connection is what really saves time here.

Packing and fill checks

On lines filled by hand, the scale shows whether each pack has reached its target weight. If the operator fills directly on the scale, tare and dual-range weighing work together: the container is tared, product is added, and light packs are read with a finer interval.

Warehousing and dispatch

Sacks, drums and small crates are usually weighed on a floor platform. What matters here is that items are not dropped onto the platform and that its edges do not touch shelving or walls. Loads brought on a hand trolley should be unloaded without the trolley leaning on the platform; if a trolley wheel or handle touches it, part of the weight finds its way into the reading. A small clear working area in front of and beside the platform prevents this kind of contact.

Wholesale counters

Where goods are sold by weight, the result should be displayed in full view of the customer. This counts as trade weighing, so the scale’s periodic inspection schedule is planned for from the start. At a sales counter the scale interval should also suit the unit price of the goods: with expensive products, a coarse step can turn into a loss nobody notices on every sale.

Choosing a single load cell scale: key points

Simplicity is the great strength of a single-cell design, and keeping that advantage means choosing within the right limits. For a bench or small platform scale, we weigh up the following:

1. Heaviest item and tare. Add the weight of any container, crate, base or pallet to the item itself. Capacity should then sit comfortably above that total.

2. Lightest item and resolution. A larger capacity also enlarges the smallest step the scale can show. If very light items are weighed too, dual-range weighing or a lower capacity is considered.

3. Platform size. Items must not hang over the edge, yet the platform should not be bigger than necessary either. There is a limit to the platform size a single load cell can carry, and exceeding it increases off-centre error.

4. Loading method. If items are placed by hand, a single cell is easily enough. If loads are pushed on from the side, dropped from a height or brought by forklift, a four-cell platform is the better choice.

5. Indicator and connections. If only the weight is read, a basic indicator is enough. If piece counting, labels or recording to a computer are needed, the indicator option is chosen accordingly.

6. Working location. Battery operation away from sockets, a display type that stays readable in bright conditions and the height of the bench are considered from the start.

Choosing the indicator

Even with the same BS platform, the choice of indicator decides how much work the scale does in a day. Points to consider:

  • Display type: LED is easy to read in dim light and from a distance; LCD uses less power and is preferred for battery use
  • Power: mains for fixed benches, a rechargeable battery for scales that move often or stand far from a socket
  • Functions: which of tare, zero, piece counting and unit switching will actually be used
  • Connections: a printer for labels or tickets, a computer link for records
  • Mounting: on the bench, on a wall or on a column attached to the platform

How to run a daily check

Thanks to their simple construction, single load cell scales are easy to check. A routine of a few minutes catches drift before a customer complaint does:

  • Zero: with the platform empty the indicator should read zero, and zero should not wander by itself
  • Known weight: a test weight suited to the capacity is placed in the centre and the value noted
  • Corners: the same weight is placed on each corner in turn; if there is a clear difference between corners, the scale is taken for adjustment
  • Repeatability: lifting the weight off and putting it back should give the same reading
  • Log: values are written down with dates; a difference that grows slowly over days gives warning before a sudden failure

For example, if a 50 kg test weight reads 50.0 on Monday, 50.2 on Thursday and 50.4 the following Monday, drift has begun even though the values may still look acceptable, and the scale should be checked.

Tips for correct use

  • Level surface: stand the scale on a flat surface that does not rock
  • Free platform: the platform edge must not touch a wall, table or any other object
  • Gentle loading: place items rather than dropping them, and do not knock them on from the side
  • Respect capacity: do not put loads above capacity on the platform, overload protection notwithstanding
  • Regular checks: check accuracy from time to time with a known test weight

Details we need for your quotation

To recommend a capacity and platform size that fit your work, just tell us:

  • The heaviest and lightest items you will weigh
  • The item dimensions and any container, crate or base used when weighing
  • How items will be placed on the platform
  • What you need from the indicator: piece counting, printer, computer connection
  • Whether the weight will be used to set a sale price or postage

We reply to quotation requests within 3–4 hours.

Frequently asked questions

Does placing the load near the edge change the reading?

Not as long as the platform stays within the size limit of the load cell and the corner adjustment has been done properly. The reading suffers when the platform is larger than that limit, or when the load overhangs or rests against something.

How do I choose between a 150 kg and a 300 kg scale?

Add the weight of any container, crate or pallet to your heaviest item and leave a margin on top. For example, a 180 kg drum weighed on a 15 kg base comes to 195 kg: a 150 kg scale is not enough, while a 300 kg scale leaves a comfortable margin. Choosing more capacity than needed, on the other hand, reduces resolution on small items.

What platform sizes are available?

The BS series is built in several platform sizes. The right size is one on which the item sits without overhanging and which stays within the limits of the chosen load cell; just tell us the dimensions of your largest item.

What is dual-range weighing for?

If light and heavy items are weighed on the same scale, dual-range weighing gives a finer step at low weights. Choosing a higher capacity then does not mean giving up precision on small items.

What can the indicator do?

Tare and zero, either by hand or automatically; piece counting once a unit weight is entered; and showing the weight in units besides the kilogram. The indicator can be connected to a printer and computer and can run on a rechargeable battery away from the mains. The display can be LED or LCD, depending on where the scale works.

Does a shipping or packing bench scale need inspection?

If postage or a sale price is calculated from the weight, yes: that use falls within legal metrology and the scale must be inspected at regular intervals. Having a single load cell makes no difference to this. If the scale only checks pack contents, mention it in your enquiry.

Should I choose a single-cell scale or a four-cell platform?

If items are placed by hand, the platform stays small to medium-sized and the capacity falls within the BS range, a single-cell design is enough and more practical. If the platform needs to be larger, loads arrive by forklift or pallet trucks will be wheeled onto it, a four-cell floor scale is the better choice.

Can a single load cell scale be used in damp or dusty areas?

That depends on the protection rating of the load cell and indicator and on the surface finish of the frame. If the scale will be used in a wash-down, damp or very dusty area, tell us at the quotation stage so the right cell and indicator are chosen from the outset.

Not sure which model fits?

Tell us the capacity, platform size and site; we will work out the right model and price together.

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