Accuracy, efficiency, and safety are all key aspects when it comes to industries like logistics, warehousing, manufacturing, and distribution. In all of these and countless other related sectors, you often have to deal with very heavy palletized loads, which is not an easy task if you don’t have the right tools.
To weigh these loads accurately and to transfer them from point A to point B, you need highly sophisticated tools like pallet jacks, floor scales, and other lifting equipment.
One innovative solution that can weigh heavy pellets and lift and move them safely at the same time is known as a pallet scale. These scales offer you combined functionalities of pallet jacks and weighing scales, which allows you to weigh pallets and move them in one single motion.
This blog covers the ins and outs of pallet scales, specifically highlighting their types, features, and applications. So, keep on reading till the end.
- What Are Pallet Scales?
- Key Features of a Pallet Scale
- Components of a Pallet Scale
- Principle and Working of a Pallet Scale
- Types of Pallet Scales
- Uses of Pallet Scales Across Different Industries
What Are Pallet Scales?
Pallet scales are innovative weighing solutions that have been designed specifically to weigh loaded pallets. These scales are embedded into pallet jacks, which allows you to lift pallets up, weigh them, and then transfer them to your desired location in a single process.
These scales eliminate the need to load and unload pallets on regular scales and then move them using pallet jacks, which reduces labor, saves you time, and reduces injury risks to a great extent.
Key Features of a Pallet Scale
Pallet scales are packed with several useful features. These innovative scales ensure your pallet weighing tasks are done efficiently and safely, no matter the industry you work in.
Here are some unique features that set these scales apart.
- Pallet weighing scales have very high load capacities that range from 1,000 kg to 3,000 kg.
- These are made from premium-quality stainless steel, which leads to their longer service life.
- These come with smart controls, digital indicators, and WIFI, Bluetooth, and USB connectivity.
- Some models can be operated solely on batteries.
- The compact designs, smooth wheels, and firm grips make these scales highly portable.
- These scales also give you tare, unit conversion, and data logging features.
Components of a Pallet Scale
A typical pallet scale has the following key components.
- A Weighing Platform
This is typically made from industry-grade mild steel or stainless steel. This platform is either flat or U-shaped, based on your application requirements.
- Load Cells
Load cells are sensors that are located under the weighing platform. Most pallet scales contain about 4 load cells that can detect and then convert the weight of the pallet into an electrical signal.
Just like most scales, pallet jacks also use strain gauge load cells. Strain gauges are thin strips of conductive material arranged in a pattern inside the load cell.
- Display Unit
This component shows you the weight reading in numerical form in your desired units.
- Handle and Wheels
Handles and wheels allow you to move around and navigate the pallet scale with precision.
- Power Source
These scales can operate on rechargeable batteries, and you can also plug them into sockets.
- Connective Ports
Some versions also feature ports that facilitate the integration of these scales with printers, computers, or existing inventory management systems.
Principle and Working of a Pallet Scale
Pallet scales rely on the principle of force measurement and signal conversion using strain gauge load cells. Load cells are force transducers that can detect the force applied by an object when placed on a scale and convert it into electrical signals.
Here is how it works:
When you lift a pallet with the pallet weighing scale, it exerts a force on the platform or forks. This force is shifted to the load cells that are below the platform. Inside load cells are strain gauges bonded to the metal element.
The force on the load cells deforms the strain gauges, which changes their resistance. This change in resistance is detected by a Wheatstone bridge circuit. As the resistance changes, a current is produced, which is amplified and converted into a digital signal by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC).
This signal is further processed by the microcontroller, and the final weight is displayed on the screen.
Types of Pallet Scales
When looking to buy a pallet scale, you need to carefully consider different models and their specifications. It is not easy to find a pallet scale that meets your operational requirements, and that is why you need to be extra careful.
The following section lists some common pallet scale variations that you can consider for your usage.
- U-Frame Pallet Scale
These pallet scales come with two straight beams joined together in the shape of a letter U. These forks of these pallet scales are fixed, and they can fit easily around the base of standard pallets.
With this pallet jack scale, you get a steady, fast, and easy loading/unloading, which enhances efficiency and reduces risks.
- Platform Pallet Scale
These pallet scales feature a stainless-steel platform with a solid flat surface. These pallet scales can handle different-sized pallets, bins, drums, and even large containers.
Platform pallet scales give you a greater weight capacity. Some versions even feature ramps or slopes, which help you load and unload pallets with greater precision.
- Speciality Pallet Scale
These are customized pallet scales that you can order after considering your weight capacity, space, and pallet shape requirements. These scales can have a weight capacity from a few hundred grams to several thousand kilograms, and they can easily handle bulky and irregular pallets without facing stability issues.
- Pallet Beam Scale
Pallet beam scales feature two adjustable, strong beams. These beams can be moved closer or apart with a lever, which allows you to weigh both smaller and larger pallets with ease.
- Low Profile Pallet Scale
As the name suggests, these pallet scales are very close to the ground, usually at a height of 30-50mm. These come in both platform and U-shape configurations, and they often include ramps.
These pallet scales allow you to easily weigh and lift heavy loads even in space-constrained locations due to their compact sizes and durable designs.
Uses of Pallet Scales Across Different Industries
Pallet weighing scales find countless applications in a diverse range of industries, from warehousing to retail and from logistics to shipping, to name just a few. The following are some key uses of these digital weighing machines in different sectors.
- Manufacturing
In this sector, pallet scales facilitate quality control and process optimization by allowing you to weigh raw material and finished goods quickly and accurately.
- Retail and Wholesale Distribution
These industries use pallet scales to weigh goods in bulk or heavy items before delivering to consumers and other businesses.
- Warehousing
This sector uses these scales to ensure accurate shipping, inventory control, and truck loading.
- Agriculture
Pallet scales are used in the agricultural sector for weighing feed, crops, animals, and fertilizers.
- Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals
These scales facilitate accurate and safe measurement of sensitive or toxic chemicals in these sectors.
- Food and Beverages
These are used to weigh packaged and palletized food products safely and hygienically in these sectors.
Conclusion
Pallet scales are a perfect choice for countless industries that are looking for innovative and efficient solutions to handle very heavy palletized goods. These scales give you safety, accuracy, and convenience, which is not something you can get with regular weighing scales and pallet jacks.
The advanced features that these scales provide streamline operations by eliminating measurement errors and accident risks. However, before buying a pallet scale, you need to carefully consider your operational, space, and budget requirements.
This can ensure the scale you pick gives you the best value for your money and ensures efficient workflow every single day.
You can visit us at Accurate Meezan today to check out our premium quality pallet scales and a wide range of other industrial, commercial, and personal weighing solutions.