What to Consider When Buying an Industrial Floor Scale

Industrial floor scales are versatile, robust weighing instruments that can be used to weigh all manner of heavy-duty items in an industrial environment – but what is the best industrial floor scale for you? Whatever your industry, in this blog, we’re going to look at what considerations you need to make before buying an industrial floor scale to suit your needs, to ensure that you can buy with confidence.

What is a floor scale?

As mentioned above, floor scales are versatile and can be found in a number of different industrial environments, including warehouses, factories, production lines, food processing facilities, shipyards and more! They come in all shapes and sizes, but are defined simply as being any scale that is used on a floor. This enables them to weigh heavy and bulky subjects, as loading and unloading is fast, safe and easy.

What to consider when buying an industrial floor scale

What capacity do I need for my floor scale?

The capacity of a floor scale is one of the most important considerations to make, and you should know exactly what you want to weigh before buying. Not only can an item be too heavy, but a higher capacity scales generally come with a higher readability, which may not be precise enough for weighing smaller objects.

On the smaller capacity side of the spectrum, you have the IFB Kern Approved Industrial Platform Scale with a capacity of 3/6kg – perfect for weighing smaller food items in a food processing facility. For a more heavy duty floor scale with a higher capacity, you have the Adam GFK Checkweighing Floor Scale. These weighing instruments feature maximum capacities of up to 600kg, making them suitable for weighing heavy boxes, packages or shipments.

If you require a higher maximum capacity, a platform scale such as the PT Floor Standing Industrial Platform Scale from Adam Equipment is a great option. This robust weighing scale has a maximum capacity of 3 tonnes – perfect for weighing large boxes, crates, barrels and pallets.   

What platform size do I need for my floor scale?

 The pan or platform size of your industrial floor scale is another important consideration to make, and like capacity, there’s often a lot of choice. A correctly chosen pan size ensures that subjects sit correctly whilst being weighed, which provides a safe and accurate weighing process. Users also have to take into consideration the size of their weighing area. For large, open warehouses and factories, users can afford to buy a bigger floor scale, but for smaller, more cramped spaces, a floor scale with a smaller pan size and footprint is needed. Always take into account where ramps, weighing scale indicators and users will go!

For production lines or food processing, you may only require a smaller pan size such as the Inscale IWW Waterproof Floor Scale. This robust, waterproof floor scale has a 250mm x 250mm pan, perfect for weighing individual food cartons and food items. For something with a larger pan size, we recommend the Adam CPWplus L Floor Scale with its generous 900mm x 600mm platform. This scale also features a unique handle and wheel design meaning it can be picked up, stored and transported with ease. You will also find a RS-232 output for sending data to your printer or PC.

Trade approved floor scales

Knowing whether or not your industrial and commercial floor scale requires trade approval is crucial, as it could mean that you are breaking the law by not doing so! Essentially, if you intend to sell an item with a price that is directly related to its weight, you should be using a trade approved industrial floor scale. Not doing so could result in fines, or even prison sentences. trade approved scales are common when weighing food, alcohol, produce and fuel. Click here to see our full range of trade approved industrial floor scales.

IP Rated floor scales

A washdown floor scale is necessary when working in environments that are dirty, dusty or humid, such as factories and workshops. These scales are built to last and can deal with tough industrial environments without being damaged. IP ratings make cleaning your industrial floor scale quick and simple, which ensures that scales remain hygienic at all times, which is perfect for weighing messy foods and fresh meats or fish. For this, we recommend the Gladiator IP68 Approved Washdown Floor Scale – a durable, stainless steel floor scale that is easy to use and delivers exceptional performance. For further details on IP rated weighing scales, please see our blog post: IP Ratings Explained.

Alternative weighing functions and features

 Many will only require simple weighing applications from their industrial floor scales, but other will need something more. Checkweighing functions can be useful for production lines or shipping departments where quickly checking the weight of a box is required. Industrial floor scales with a parts counting feature can make stocktaking and inventory monitoring tasks faster and far more efficient. For industries that make up a product using ingredients, such as food items or paints, percentage weighing can be used to ensure the same amounts are used at all times.  

For any further information on our extensive range of industrial floor scales, please Get In Touch.