A postal scale is an extremely sensitive scale designed specifically for weighing pieces of mail. Many offices use this special type of scale to determine how much postage should be used for shipping orders and avoid overpayment of postage.
If you’re looking for a reliable device for your office needs, here are the top picks in the market today. Once you find the right postage scale, the next step is to learn how to calibrate it. Read on to know the step-by-step process of calibrating a digital postal scale.
Why Should You Calibrate a Postal Scale?
Calibration of a weighing scale is essential to getting an accurate reading. Whether you’re using an analog scale or a digital one, you need to follow a proper calibration procedure.
One of the most popular scales used by e-commerce websites is the postal scale. If they’re calibrated wrong, you’re bound to have issues with your package delivery.
In a nutshell, calibration is the process of testing your scale to ensure the level of accuracy you need. When calibrating your scale, you are setting a zero reference point and a known accurate weight.
Even though postal scales have high sensitivity levels, they aren’t always the most accurate. This makes calibration even more important.
How Often Should You Calibrate Your Postal Scale?
Regardless of the brand and model, any scale can become less accurate due to wear and tear. Thus, the more often you use your scale, the more often you need to calibrate it. If you use it multiple times a day or every day of the week, calibrating your device once a month or at least each week is recommended.
You should also calibrate your weighing instrument after each time it has been moved. This ensures that the load cell is providing accurate measurements.
Lastly, if your scale has been exposed to extreme environmental factors like heat, cold, or changing temperatures, you must calibrate it too.
How To Calibrate a Postal Scale
Before proceeding, remember that different brands and models of postal scales may slightly differ in the calibration process. Additionally, some scales calibrate automatically when turned on. Thus, it’s best to check the manual of your device for specific calibration instructions.
Here are the general steps for calibrating a postal scale:
- Set the scale on a hard, flat surface such as a table or counter. Feel the surface with your palm to check for unevenness, and gently push the surface a few times to ensure it doesn’t wobble.
- You may place the scale on top of a rubber mat. The mat will act as a dampener to reduce any vibration that can interfere with the calibration.
- Turn on your scale, and press the “Zero” or “Tare”. This button is usually on the front face of the scale, near the display. Wait for a few seconds for the scale to clear any remaining data from previous uses. At this point, the display should read “0.00.”
- Press the calibration mode. Again, the steps will depend on the brand and model of your scale. Check the manual or search online to know how to put your device into calibration mode.
- Use a calibration weight, and select an appropriate item. In the case of postal scales, U.S. coins are preferable. Any other item would do, as long as it features no air cavities. Whatever the weight you use, you should know its exact weight.
Coins make excellent weights for calibrating digital scales because they are minted to precise specifications. For example, every U.S. nickel will weigh five grams, while a penny will weigh 2.5 grams.
- Enter the mass of your chosen weight. Ideally, you should start with a smaller weight, such as five or 10 grams. For example, if the item’s weight is 10g, then enter “10 grams”.
- Add more weights to the scale until you reach the maximum weight limit. Check your device manual to verify its maximum weight limit as it varies from scale to scale. If you’re using coins, you should have enough to achieve the weight limit.
It’s important to use a weight similar to what you would normally weigh on your scale. Proper calibration requires using a weight that’s closest to the maximum capacity of your scale.
- Adjust the calibration up or down by pressing the upward-downward buttons on the front of the weighing scale. If the weight displayed doesn’t match the expected weight, adjust the calibration and enter the actual mass of the weights. Once you have successfully calibrated your device, you can now turn it off.
How Do You Know If Your Scale Is Calibrated?
The margin of error of your scale should be within a certain threshold. To determine whether your scale is properly calibrated, test it using standard weights of 10 grams and 20 grams. An acceptable calibration acceptance criteria should be +/- 0.1 percent of the value of the weight.
Tips To Keep Your Postal Scale Calibrated
When your scale is not in use, store it somewhere safe and away from any factors affecting its calibration. Store it in a cabinet with a flat and smooth surface.
Keep your scale clean. Brush the surface of the scale using a small brush to remove debris, particularly on the weighing surface.
When cleaning the scale, be gentle and avoid pressing on it too much. Too much pressure can damage the strain and other electronics that provide accurate measurements.
Properly Calibrating Your Postal Scale Is Important
Calibration is crucial to ensure the accuracy of your postal scale. Make sure to calibrate your device as often as necessary, depending on your frequency of use and other factors like if you’re moving it to a different place or surface or if it’s exposed to extreme environmental conditions.
The calibration procedure may slightly vary among brands and models, so check the user’s manual or the brand’s website for specific instructions. Lastly, keep in mind the tips we mentioned above to ensure proper calibration each time.
