Use the table below to compare the scales. Once you have formed your opinion vote for each one!
| Brand | A&D | A&D | Arlyn | Arlyn | CAS | Digi | Ohaus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | FC10Ki | GF-12K | 820T | SAW-T | SC-10P | DC-788-20 | RC12LS |
| Capacity | 20 lb | 26 lb | 25 lb | 25 lb | 25 lb | 20 lb | 24 lb |
| Readability | 0.002 lb | 0.0005 lb | 0.002 lb | 0.0002 lb | 0.005 lb | 0.005 lb | 0.002 lb |
| Operating Temp | -10 -> 40 | 5 -> 40 | -10 -> 40 | -10 -> 40 | -10 -> 40 | -10 -> 40 | -10 -> 40 |
| Pan Size | 11″ x 11.8″ | 8.2″ x 10.6″ | 12″ x 16″ | 12″ x 16″ | 11″ x 14.6″ | 10″ x 13″ | 8″ x 9.5″ |
| Load Cell Material | Aluminum | No Spec | Stainless Steel | No Spec | Aluminum | No spec | No spec |
| Price | $1,095 | $2,650 | $549 | $1,099 | $650 | $998 | $1,008 |
| Purchase | Purchase | Purchase | Purchase | Purchase | Purchase | Purchase | |
Parts Counting Scales are useful in a wide variety of different industrial applications. These industrial scales are used when a large quantity of identical parts has to be accurately counted. This is suitable for the hardware industry where nuts, bolts, washers, rivets and other items are counted. Similarly, the electronics industry used counting scales for resistors, capacitors, diodes, and integrated circuits. Printed items are yet another area.
Standard operation requires a small number of parts to be placed on the scale platform. The quantity of the sample parts are entered by the user, so the scale can determine the weight of a single piece. Now, when a large quantity of parts is placed on the platform, the scale can calculate that quantity.
One of the most important specifications for a counting scale is the resolution, or readability. If small parts are being counted, a large percentage error can occur if the scale does not have enough resolution. In this case, either a larger number of sample parts should be used, or a scale with higher resolution should be chosen.
Most of the lower cost counting scales use standard strain gage technology. This includes Scale Compare’s selections of the A&D FC10Ki, Arlyn 820T, CAS SC-10P, and Digi DC-788-20. The A&D FC10Ki and the Arlyn 820T have a superior readability of 0.002 lb. The other two fall slightly behind at 0.005 lb. All of these scales will accurately count parts that are not too light. Generally, the load sensors of all of these scales are fabricated from aluminum. An exception is the Arlyn 820T, which uses stainless steel. This will protect the scale from accidental damage from shock loads caused by dropping items onto the scale platform.
For much better accuracy, the A&D GF-12K uses force motor technology, and increases the readability by a factor of 5. There is a rather large trade off in a much higher price. The Arlyn SAW-T uses their patented Surface Acoustic Wave technology to increase the readability by a factor of 10, resulting in exceeding accurate results. The SAW-X has an overload factor of 500%, far exceeding the other technologies. This provides excellent protection from shock load and overload. The price is much lower than the GF-12K, and only slightly higher than the much less accurate strain gage scales.