Buyer’s Guide: Check-Weigher Scales

Check weighers are used by many industries (such as food production) to compare the weight of their products with predetermined limits set by the user within the scale. Some basic checkweighers may have a traffic light system, or Hi/Lo/OK indicators, whereas more advanced models could have configurable colour touch screen displays where the user can clearly see the target weight. 

These scales play a huge part in speeding up the processes without jeopardising accuracy. Underweight packages can lead to unhappy customers, whereas overweight packages can have a detrimental impact on costs (product giveaway and overweight shipments).

In this article we'll take a look in to some of the different options available:

The clue is in the name here, using the weight limits set by the user the indicator will change colour. For example, a 500g packet of mincemeat, 0-499g will show up Yellow (sometimes amber when nearing the correct weight) 500g will show up green and then, once over the weight limit will show red. Different scales may have the whole indicator backlit display change colour as shown on the Defender 3000 & Cardinal 190 Storm below:

Some may have a separate “traffic light tower” that can be purchased as an accessory such as the Kern GAB with the CFS-A03 Signal Lamp pictured: 

Some models such as the Adam Equipment GBK opt for an audible alarm alongside the visual colour coded system that will make a sound when the pre-determined weight limit is reached.

Last but not least, some of the more basic check-weighing bench scales opt for a simpler method such as the A&D SJ-WP below which shows Hi/Lo/OK indicators on the side.

• Check weighing scales guarantee the product being sold remains the correct weight agreed, providing they are calibrated regularly
• If trade approved, they can be used to calculate the correct price for label printing
• They stop products from being returned by customers due to incorrect weight
• They help maximise profits by not giving away extra product
• They help avoid fines from overweight shipments
• Increasing productivity due to a reduction in waste 

• Does your scale need to be Trade Approved? The best way to think about this is: If the result of a reading on the weighing scale determines the money that’s going to change hands, then by law, the scale must be Trade Approved. For example, food sold by weight or scrap metal bought by weight.
• Does your scale need to be waterproof? In the food production industry, the weighing process can be messy and smelly, therefore a scale that has a high IP rating to stop water ingress can be a lifesaver for washing down without damaging the scale.
• What capacity & division size do you need? What’s the maximum weight you are going to reach? We recommend going a bit higher than this number to avoid overloading the loadcell which can be a costly mistake. Also, just as important is how accurate you need the weight reading to be, the better the accuracy the less product that is given away.
• How big do you need the weighing area? If you are weighing large items, you may need to look at a platform scale with a check weighing indicator. Alternatively, if your company is only weighing small items (such as meat) then a small portioning scale like the Baykon BCW may be better suited.