Running a laboratory or quality control lab is not easy. Beyond the bulk of your work itself, there is a long list of regular maintenance tasks that you have to carry out. You need to wipe down surfaces, refurbish equipment, and ensure that your PPE and emergency stations are always ready to go. And do not make the mistake of ignoring your scales, balances, and test weights. Today, we will give you an overview of proper maintenance for your lab equipment.
Proper balance and scale maintenance is crucial in your laboratory or quality control lab. Here’s a brief guide.
Keep It Clean
When cleaning your laboratory, be sure not to skip over your balances and scales. Regularly cleaning of your weighing equipment is crucial to making sure you get an accurate reading. Dirt and dust may seem harmless enough on your weighing plate, but they can do some serious damage to the components should they find their way inside. Then there is the fact that your scale may weigh these particles, which can cause an inaccurate reading, especially when using a high-resolution balance. Most of the time, these units have a draft shield that enclose the weighing pan from the collection of debris.
For as needed cleaning of your balances and scales, a lightly moistened microfiber cloth will do. Make sure to lightly dust the weighing pan and if need to clean more thoroughly, remove the pan completely, this is especially important with high resolution units. Putting any type of heavy, unbalanced pressure on the weighing component can cause damage. If you do not feel comfortable doing this on your own, our service technicians will perform a cleaning of your units at each visit.
Regular Calibration
Calibration is the most essential of balance maintenance tasks. You may think that you can skip this step because your scale has internal calibration, but it is still best practice to do so at least once a year and depending on your quality system up to four times a year . Calibration of scales and balances requires certified NIST traceable test weights. Many labs have a set of certified weights they use to test the accuracy of their scale or balance before each use. These weight sets also need to be cleaned, checked and verified on an annual basis by a professional company. The Scale People offer calibration and test weight verification services.
, you should have a professional scale calibration company come on-site at least once a year and depending on your industry or quality requirements maybe even more frequently. Leaving this task in the hands of professionals is your best bet to ensure accurate readings and longer equipment life.
Proper Storage
Balances and scales require more maintenance the more frequently they are used, but when not in use it is important to properly store them. When storing your scale for any significant period, be sure to store it in the right environment.
We mentioned earlier that dust and moisture can harm the workings of your equipment. For this reason, you should store your scale in a location where these threats won’t have the chance to do any damage. Use the dust cover it came with as well for an extra layer of protection. A moisture-controlled environment is ideal. Finally, make sure it is put away somewhere where bumps and collisions will not damage it.
Proper storage of your balance is slightly more complex than for a scale. Remember, with any high-resolution balance, moving them ever so slightly can impact and even void their calibration so limit movement. If a laboratory balance is not in use, simple power unit down and place a dust cover over for extra protection. If you plan to keep your equipment plugged in, then it is always recommended to have a power surge protector.
CONTACT THE SCALE PEOPLE FOR ISO and Non-ISO SCALE and balance CALIBRATION TODAY!
Since 1956, The Scale People have earned a reputation as the finest service provider for calibration and repairs of weighing equipment in the mid-Atlantic area. Our sales team can help work with you to find the best weighing equipment for your application. Founded in Washington D.C., we have since expanded to offer our services in the states of Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and nationwide. Over the years, we have built up a long list of satisfied clients from a wide variety of industries, including pharmaceutical, food and beverage, and government manufacturing. We are a fully ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited service company. All of our services have a 100% satisfaction guarantee. We’re only a phone call away at +1 (800) 451-9593. To learn more about what we do, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.