Scales are important items that are used in many ways, most of which we probably do not think about very often. The many types and uses of scales are likely taken for granted by the majority of the population; however, that does not make them any less important. Simply stated, a scale is a measuring instrument for determining the weight or mass of an object. There are many different kinds of scales, from the most accurate detailed analytical balances to doctor’s scales. Scales of all shapes and sizes are available to weigh things of all shapes and sizes.

Floor scales are used for big jobs like weighing pallets for a freight company, or managing the inventory in a warehouse. Most of these floor scales come in capacities from 500 lbs to 10,000 lbs. Other types of floor scales are veterinary scales that come in many different types from the common scales you put your dog or cat on when you take them to the vet all the way to equestrian scales with mats specially designed for horses’ hooves.

An analytical balance is an extremely accurate measuring device. They used to measure mass to a high degree of precision and accuracy. The weighing pans of an analytical balance are inside a transparent enclosure with doors so that dust does not collect and so any air currents in the room do not affect the measurement of the balance. Analytical balances are used when precision, readability, and repeatability is a top priority. They weigh from .1mg all the way down to 10 micro grams and provide statistical calculations. Draft shields and internal temperature adjustment sensors ensure pinpoint accuracy with analytical balances.

Doctor’s scales are specialty healthcare tools that physician’s rely on daily. There are scales specifically designed for use in doctor’s offices, hospitals, and even in infant nurseries. The scales designed for doctor’s offices are available in a digital format or the more traditional balance beam style with a height rod attachment. There are also specialty healthcare scales designed specifically for people in wheelchairs, dialysis patients, and special in-bed scales that will allow doctor’s to weigh patients who are bed-bound.

Shipping and Mailing scales are designed to help accurately weigh items specifically for determining the weight and postage of packages. Large mailrooms and home offices alike all have one thing in common: the need of digital postal scales. Weight only scales are extremely popular with eBay sellers, while rate calculating scales are helpful to suit small to medium sized businesses when calculating shipping and postage costs and eliminating trips to the post office.

Food scales come in many different varieties for many different purposes. Large kitchens use commercial food scales for check weighing and quality control. Commercial food scales are also used for managing food portioning. Portion control is not just happening in the commercial kitchen. Personal kitchen scales are used to help the home cook portion out their food in a healthy manner and are also used to measure ingredients when cooking or baking.

With the variety of scales out in the world today, it should come as no surprise that there is a scale perfect for any of your weighing needs.

• Digital Scales
• Baby Scales
• Bathroom Scales
• Counting Scales
• Floor Scales
• Food Scales
• Hanging Scales
• Kitchen Scales
• Medical Scales
• Postal Scales

For most ordinary purposes, if your home scale is off by a pound or two, it’s not a big deal. What most people are after is just a consistent reading so that they know if they are gaining or losing weight over a period of time. For some professional athletes, however, their exact weight determines whether they are allowed to compete in their desired weight class. For these athletes, if the scale they use to monitor their weight is off by a pound or two, it can be serious problem.

For official matches in which there are weight classes, scales with a certified accuracy are used to make sure there is no cheating or variance from the required weight. These are generally scales that are NTEP certified and may be further certified by someone authorized by the sporting commission overseeing the event.

When a boxer or wrestler, for example, weighs in on the official scale being used for the match, it no longer matters what his bathroom scale at home said. If the official scale has him at two pounds heavier than the limit, he needs to lose those two pounds within the allocated time for weigh-ins. This is generally done by sweating out the excess weight in the form of water. The fighter will try to shed as much weight as possible by emptying their bladder and then working out to sweat as much as possible. Unfortunately, this can lead to a condition of dehydration which saps energy and endurance from the fighter, so it is preferred to go in to the weigh in close to, but not over the upper weight limit.

Once the weigh in takes place, and the fighter tips the scale below the upper weight limit, he can rehydrate even if this extra water weight puts him over the limit. Water can be absorbed into the tissues at a pretty rapid rate so if the fighter didn’t have too much weight to sweat out, then they can effectively rehydrate before the start of the match without suffering any ill effects from the whole effort.

A good NTEP certified scale used in the fighter’s home or at the gym can help prevent the possibility of a fighter showing up thinking he is within the weight limits only to be rudely surprised once he steps on the official weigh-in scale. Accurately calibrated NTEP scales should provide a very consistent reading even between two different scales in two different locations. Lower priced bathroom scales that aren’t certified, however, may vary by several pounds from an NTEP scale, due to manufacturing variances or inability to hold its calibration over multiple uses.

Obviously, NTEP scales, which can also be certified for legal trade, are designed with higher quality components and built to tighter specifications. This can make them more expensive, but the extra quality that’s built in generally gives them a much longer useful life with proper care, as well.