Without scales? What would a world be - World With Weighing
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What would a world be without scales?
2 | What woud a world be without scales?
What would a world be so that our food always has the ing from large manufacturers
without scales? same taste. Scales are used for to small service providers are
quality assurance in industri- continuously working to en-
What would a world without al production, for example, to able research, improve pro-
scales look like? Certainly not detect low-quality parts with ductions processes and ensure
the way we all know it. Various air inclusions or missing parts fair trade, positively impacting
types of scales accompany our in larger elements. Scales can daily lives all over Europe.
daily lives without us always also assist in counting compo-
noticing. Scales are a funda- nents – for example, ensuring A look back - the history
the correct number of screws
mental part of medical and of weighing
pharmaceutical research, with- in a packaging unit - so that
out which the development of downstream processes run
The exact date of the invention
drugs would be impossible. smoothly. These are just a few
of the scale cannot be defined,
Scales are used to perform for- examples of why accurate and
but it is closely linked to the de-
mulations in food production, reliable scales have such a big
velopment of civilization and
impact.
the need to measure goods
with a value. However, the use
The European weighing in-
of scales in medical and do-
dustry, represented by CECIP,
mestic use is relatively new and
is providing and maintaining
began about 250 years ago.
the weighing instruments that
First findings of a beam balance
allows the world to work as it
in Egypt are more than 7000
is done now. Companies rang-
years old. Around 500 BC, the
accuracy of the beam balance weight. Decimal and kitchen
was improved by the Etruscans. scales were then developed
The Romans used unequal-arm in the first half of the 19th cen-
scales around 100 B.C., which tury, and around 1895 the first
had a movable weighing piece scales with simultaneous price
on the longer arm as well as a display appeared.
line marking to determine the
weight. The advantage of these In 1939, two engineers ush-
scales was that one sliding ered in the age of electronic
weight replaced a large num- scales with the use of electrical
ber of counterweights. In 1669, resistance changes, which was
the Frenchman Gilles Personne further advanced in 1981 with
de Roberval invented the table the first design of a fully elec-
balance. The special feature of tronic scale. In the meantime,
these was that the position of the development of the bal-
the goods did not affect the ance has progressed far and is
result. In addition to the table continuously being optimized.
scale, the inclination scale was The performance reaches into
also invented by Philipp Mat- the nanogram range, built-
thäus Hahn in the 17th centu- in cameras - e.g. self-service
ry. Its advantage was a direct scales at the fruit counter – sup-
weight indication, which works port the user or weighing data
without moving and placing a are automatically and wireless-
What woud a world be without scales? | 3
4 | What woud a world be without scales?
What impact do scales production process itself, to
have on our daily lives? quality control and packaging
and logistics.
Scales and weighing solutions
are more present in our lives Incoming goods
than we realize at first glance. When raw materials are deliv-
A large number of objects that ered, the process begins with
surround us and with which we the determination of the raw
have daily contact would not material quantity, usually by
exist or would not exist in the means of weighing. For this
form we know without scales. purpose, truck scales for trucks
Since the number is so high, or trains, built-in scales or load
we can only give a small insight cells in tanks or silos as well as
into the influence of scales pallet or floor scales can be
on our daily lives. However, it used. Even the moisture con-
gives a good overview of how
ly transferred from the scale to extensive and, above all, irre-
different software systems. placeable weighing technol-
However, the interesting histo- ogy solutions have become.
ry of the development of scales Scales in general accompany
is far from over, which will bring the value chain from incoming
us many more exciting devel- goods in production, through
opments for the future. research and development, the
tent of powders or granules and quality parameters such as In quality control, scales play
can be determined by means of tightness of packaging, closure an important role in analytical
moisture analyzers (also called torques or the frictional stabili- applications, such as quality
drying scales), whose technol- ty of tablets are ensured. assurance for food or pharma-
ogy is based on the weight loss ceuticals, but also in identifying
of the sample by heating. Bench or floor scales are incomplete or damaged prod-
then often used in manual pro- ucts – as in the plastics or metal
Production and quality control duction steps. The scales assist industries. Here, the weight of
During production, weighing employees in counting pieces a component provides infor-
modules and load cells in fill- so that customer orders can be mation about its quality. On the
ing, dosing and formulation processed without missing or other hand, integrated check-
systems support the correct excess components. At the same weighing solutions ensure the
use of individual raw materials time, counting scales can track completeness of assemblies,
and components. Overfilling inventory movements and thus kits or individual delivery units.
and underfilling are avoided avoid out-of-stock situations. In filling systems, too, weigh-
What woud a world be without scales? | 5
6 | What woud a world be without scales?
ing is the only method of filling the packaging system for indi- The importance of qual-
control that is not dependent vidual packages or even pal- ity, reliability and safety
on container shape, density letized freight automates the
differences, foam formation or processes. If scales do not work reliably,
air pockets. then this can have significant
Scales can send shipment influences. For example, in
Packaging and logistics weight data to invoicing via the case of pharmaceuticals,
Freight costs often depend software integration, minimiz- only the smallest amounts of
on weight and volume and are ing manual paperwork and active ingredient can have an
thus essential for accurate in- thus transmission errors. For impact on the life and death
voicing. Integrating a scale into volume measurement, the of a patient. The effects are of
scales can be combined with a course not always immediately
camera system and also linked so dramatic, but the user of a
to the control software. scale should always be able to
rely on its results - whether in
the nanogram or ton range. In
this respect, it is important that
a scale is of good quality. Only
high-quality scale parts, com-
bined with careful assembly,
will allow many years of daily
use without failures due to bro-
ken components. If repairs are
necessary, it is important that rious consequences - from im-
they are carried out by trained mense costs to significant legal
specialists using approved consequences.
spare parts - preferably direct-
ly from the manufacturer. The Legal framework for
European weighing industry
weighing
supplies the high-quality scales
and carries out the repairs to
It is important that someone
guarantee the quality of scales.
is able to trust the weighing
instruments they use. For cen-
To ensure accurate results
turies legal metrology legisla-
from a scale, it must also be
tion is in place to guarantee the
checked or calibrated regu-
quality of weighing. Currently,
larly. This involves determin-
there is a comprehensive legal
ing whether the scale deviates
framework consisting of Euro-
from the true, actual value of
pean and national legislation,
the measure and, which is done gotiable. Consequently, the
international standards and
with the help of metrological weighing instruments need to
guidelines to protect users and
comparison objects. Only if a meet certain standards when
consumers. Particularly in the
balance works accurately is it a being sold and during its life-
area of commercial transac-
reliable measuring and testing time they need to continue
tions, medical diagnoses and
instrument. Inadequate mea- functioning correctly. In most
legal disputes these require-
surement results can have se- European countries this means
ments are strict and not-ne-
What woud a world be without scales? | 7
8 | What woud a world be without scales?
the weighing instruments are olution and accuracy, the con-
also obliged to be checked on nection to automatic dosing
a regular basis. and control systems, automatic
networking in databases, in-
For purchasers it is essen- tegration in software systems,
tial to buy the weighing instru- the combination with camer-
ments that are compliant with as or intelligent self-checking
the legislation. Additionally, functions of the scales them-
users need to follow national selves.
legislation and ensure the ac-
curacy of the weighing instru- Development of innovative
ment over the years by having weighing instruments is ongo-
periodic reverifications. This ing and is currently focusing
way the legal framework pro- very strongly on the topic of
tects users and customers. data integration and facilitation
of daily use for the user. Here,
Outlook into the future the gain in efficiency through
time savings in the individual
of scale development
weighing process plays a major
role. Tests are also being car-
In the last 20 years alone,
ried out to find out which me-
there have been fundamental
dia the scales can use to sup-
advances in the weighing in-
port the user even more in the
dustry, be it in the area of res-
individual process steps. Virtu- are becoming increasingly im- will continue to support us in
al reality glasses or intelligent portant, as is the avoidance of the coming years to simplify
laboratory tables that commu- overfilling or underfilling and our daily lives.
nicate with the scales play an the complete traceability of re-
important role here. sults.
Scales in retail that provide At the same time, increas-
recipes on the smartphone to ingly strict legal requirements
match the food purchased are for almost all industries de-
also an innovation as well as mand appropriate instruments
the implementation of sustain- and processes for quality con-
ability in the entire production trol, in which the scales can
and food industry. support the user considerably.
In the production sector, re- So it remains very exciting how
jects due to flawless batches weighing technology solutions
What woud a world be without scales? | 9
10 | What woud a world be without scales?
Who is CECIP? all sectors. Nowadays weighing dard in the manufacture of
About us instruments plays an important weighing instruments;
role in every industry, contrib- » Co-operating with the metro-
CECIP is the European associa- uting to the quality of the final logical services in the estab-
tion for national trade organisa- product. lishment and amendment of
tions representing the Europe- the regulatory environment;
an manufacturers of weighing Today, CECIP is playing its » Reducing the technical and
instruments. Founded in 1958, role within Europe, striving for administrative regulations
CECIP has today 14 members. common and harmonised stan- relevant to weighing instru-
These include 11 national mem- dards to be adopted at Euro- ments to those requirements
ber associations from: Austria, pean and International levels. which are necessary not to
Czech Republic, France, Ger- These standards and legislation harm users;
many, Italy, Netherlands, Po- should provide safety and qual- » Ensuring harmonisation of na-
land, Slovakia, Spain, Switzer- ity to both consumers and users tional regulations and the use
land and United Kingdom and of weighing instruments. CECIP of established international
three company members from aims to provide valuable contri- standards, in order to elim-
Portugal, Sweden and Turkey. butions to improve the quality inate barriers to cross-bor-
of legislation and standards. der trade of weighing instru-
The weighing industry has ments;
gone through tremendous The mission of CECIP » Ensuring that national and in-
changes in the past decades ternational requirements do
with new technologies and CECIP´s mission is: not prevent the development
techniques being introduced in » Promoting a high quality stan- of new weighing technologies;» Liaising with national and in- them being partly or even over » Protecting consumer rights
ternational organisations and 50 % active on related fields as via trustworthy and reliable
with end users concerning all well). The weighing industry in supermarket scales.
aspects of legal metrology in- total employs around 50.000 » Helping doctors providing
cluding consistent interpreta- people and has a turnover of the right medical care.
tion of requirements; about 3 billion Euros. » Supporting advanced re-
» Promoting a good under- search via high-precision
standing of modern weighing There is a wide variety of scales.
technology, especially in de- weighing instruments that » Increasing productivity in the
veloping countries; are produced by the industry. process industry by enabling
» Ensuring fair trade practices These range from weighbridg- further atomisation.
by all weighing instrument es and supermarket scales to » Making agriculture more sus-
manufacturers worldwide. high-precision scales in labora- tainable by allowing agricul-
tories. ture machinery to work more
Power behind CECIP precisely.
Reliable and high-quality » Producing safe and high qual-
European weighing instruments weighing instruments improve ity food products.
manufacturers, including mem- processes and equipment in » Ensuring fair busi-
bers of CECIP, represent over various ways. ness-to-business trade via
50 % of the worldwide trade vol- accurate truckscales and
ume. There are ca. 700 compa- Weighing instruments help bulkscales.
nies active in the production of consumers, researchers and
weighing instruments (many of companies in, for instance:
What woud a world be without scales? | 11Our Office The secretariat of CECIP is located in Brussels and led by Secretary General. It is in charge of the daily management of the association. In addition, the secretariat coordinates the work of the working groups of CECIP organising and assisting their meetings. Contact us Bluepoint Building Boulevard Auguste Reyers 80 1030 Brussels Tel.: +32 (0)2 706 82 15 Email: info@cecip.eu © 02/2021 CECIP
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