Crane Scale Calibration
If you’re looking for info on crane scale calibration, look no further. In this article, we’ll cover what crane scale calibration is, why it’s important, how to carry it out, and more.
What is crane scale calibration?
Crane scales are a type of industrial weighing scale used for the precision weighing of large objects. But as a scale is used over time, its accuracy will diminish. That’s where calibration comes in.
Crane scale or other heavy-duty scale calibration is the process of ensuring the scale accurately measures weight. Calibration involves using known weights to compare against the scale's readings. If there's a discrepancy, adjustments are made to bring the scale back to within an acceptable level of weight accuracy tolerance. This ensures safe and reliable weight readings for critical lifting operations.
The importance of crane scale calibration
Regularly calibrating your crane scale isn’t a matter of convenience—it’s actually a crucial part of all industrial weighing solutions and should be one of the main elements of scale maintenance and care.
Crane scale calibration is important for several reasons:
- Safety: An inaccurate scale is a safety hazard. Inaccurate weight readings can lead to unintended overloads of both the crane scale and the crane itself. Exceeding a crane’s max lifting capacity risks equipment failure and even crane collapse. This could cause injury or even death.
- Weight accuracy: Receiving precise weight information is vital during lifting operations. Incorrect weight readings can lead to overloaded trucks, exceeding building weight limits, or miscalculations for material handling. All of these could have both negative financial costs and pose safety hazards.
- Financial costs: Inaccurate readings can cost money. Overpaying for materials due to weight mistakes, or under-charging clients, can impact profits. And, of course, damaging expensive equipment is also a factor.
- Legal compliance: Many industries have regulations requiring regular calibration of weighing equipment. Failing to comply could result in fines or even stopped operations.
Regular calibration ensures crane scales function properly, safeguarding workers and preventing financial losses, while keeping your operations in compliance with local regulations.
Calibration considerations
The questions of who should perform a calibration and how often don’t have single answers.
Initially, calibration should be performed annually in an authorized laboratory, unless local laws, regulations, or other policies require more frequent intervals.
Once you become familiar with your scale and how you typically use it, the necessary frequency of calibration may vary. Between calibrations, it’s recommended that you occasionally verify that the system is still well-calibrated. To do this, simply check it against a known weight.
Calibration verification and adjustments should always be performed with extreme care. An error during calibration will result in false readings, which could lead to overload or other dangerous situations.
Calibrating your crane scale
Now that you know just what crane scale calibration is and why it’s important, let’s dive into how to carry out the process.
Selecting the weight
To calibrate a crane scale, you need to compare its reading against a known weight. But it can’t be just any weight—the maximum lifting capacity of your scale will determine the size of the weight you need.
It’s recommended that calibration and adjustment are performed using a known weight that is 80% of the system's maximum capacity. Doing so will give the most accurate results. And while the weight doesn’t need to be exactly 80%, it does need to be between 80%–100% of the scale capacity.
Never use a weight that is more than the scale’s max capacity, as this would constitute a dangerous overload.
Preparation
Before calibration, ensure the crane scale is clean and free from any debris or damage that could affect its performance. Clear the area and follow proper safety standards as you would with any other lift. Make sure the scale is securely attached to the crane or lifting apparatus and powered on. It’s recommended that the system is turned on for at least 10 minutes before the calibration is performed.
Performing the calibration
Ensure your scale reads zero when there's no load applied. This is important to make sure there’s no offset or bias in the measurement. At this point, there should be no weight or force applied to the scale.
For many crane scales, including Eilon Engineering systems, there is a special calibration setting found in the indicator’s menu. Each brand of scale works slightly differently, but in general you'll be prompted to first load the scale with the known weight, and then to enter the weight value of that weight.
Once you’ve entered the known weight into the indicator and hit “OK,” this means the scale has been adjusted.
Verify the accuracy
Once the calibration has been completed, try weighing the known weight again to verify the system’s accuracy.
Certified scale calibration
Every scale is different and customers must determine if and when their system requires calibration in accordance with local regulations. We recommend going through a scale verification process every six months. If self-calibration verification results show that the calibration is outside of the system’s specifications, a lab calibration should be performed.
When using calibration services, make sure they are certified. For example, all Eilon Engineering systems undergo stringent quality assurance procedures per our ISO 9001 certification. Our systems are calibrated in our on-site calibration laboratory prior to shipping and are shipped with a NIST traceable calibration certificate.
Industrial weighing solutions
Crane scale maintenance, calibration, and load cell testing are part of owning and using industrial weighing solutions. With five decades of experience in the crane scale market, Eilon Engineering has earned a global reputation for quality and dependability.
We are committed to delivering the highest quality load monitoring and overload prevention systems and design all of our systems with specifications that meet the highest safety standards.
Further reading
Learn more
Whether you’re looking for more information on crane scale calibration, or are considering purchasing a new scale for an upcoming project, get in touch today. Our experienced technical and sales representatives will be happy to answer all of your questions.
Phone:
US/Canada/Int'l: 1-888-778-8064
UK: 0800 8620354
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sales@eilon-engineering.com
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