Are You In The Market for a Lab Balance?

With older mechanical balances fading from the picture, balances are becoming sophisticated in terms of user interface, ergonomics, data acquisition, and built-in diagnostics. Most balances interface with the user through a front panel, although some features are available through a computer connection. Newer models are designed to make sample introduction and removal a comfortable experience and to reduce the likelihood of repetitive-stress injuries. For example, quality control or environmental laboratories may run several hundred samples per week; the busiest establishments may encounter such workflows in one day. Copying numbers to three or four decimal places is not only tedious—it may lead to skewed results through miscopying weight values or entering them into the wrong location on a spreadsheet. Analysts may not notice anything is wrong until after completing several days’ worth of measurements. The last thing a busy lab wants is rework: having to reweigh samples or, in a worst-case scenario, having to prepare a tray of samples and rerun an experiment. Most top-line balances include some sort of connectivity option to help make things easier for users.

Components our readers are using with their lab balances include:

Calibration Weights              33%
Balance Enclosure          23%
Vibration Isolation Table 12%
Weighting Table   12%
Moisture Analyzer  8%
Balance Printer   4%
Barcode Scanner 3%
Other  2%
Keyboard 2%
Evaporation Traps 1%


The weighing applications respondents are using their lab balances for:

Pipette calibration 25%
Differential Weighing 22%
Dynamic Weighing 21%
Mass Comparison 19%
Filter Weighting 11%
Other 3%


Types of balances respondents are using or planning to purchase for their facilities include:
   

Top 10 Features/Factors respondents look for when purchasing a lab balance:


Completed Surveys: 338

Article courtesy of Lab Manager Magazine: Are You In The Market for a Lab Balance?

Check out our Balances Category on LabWrench