Weighing the Right Way with Laboratory Balances

A comprehensive guide, "Weighing the Right Way", provides our recommendations on achieving more accurate weighing results and avoiding mistakes when working with laboratory balances.

Factors affecting weighing accuracy can negatively influence the results of a whole analysis, such that it is important to be aware of the rules that need to be followed when working with laboratory balances.

Weighing is one of the most common, yet critical and time consuming, tasks undertaken in the laboratory; therefore, weighing the right way is crucial.

The purpose of this guide is to identify the most common factors affecting weighing accuracy and to explain the basic rules of weighing the right way with laboratory balances. The guide covers the full laboratory balance lifecycle, from balance selection, place of installation, and daily operation through ensuring ongoing accuracy, data management, servicing, and lean laboratory practices. It also includes an easy-reference glossary of technical weighing terms.

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Common Causes of Inaccurate Weighing Results

Modern laboratory balances enable you to perform weighing tasks quickly and efficiently. Intelligent software and multiple helpful features simplify your daily work. Nevertheless, it is important to be aware of the common ways in which inaccuracies in your weighing results can occur:

The influence of external factors (e.g., airflow, magnetism, electrostatic forces)
Misinterpreting sample characteristics for external influences
Improper operation of the balance
Choosing an inappropriate location for the balance
Incorrect interpretation of technical data

External Factors Affecting Weighing Accuracy

Technological advances in electronics have considerably simplified the operation of balances, reducing weighing times. Moreover, the touchscreen digital display makes operation of the balance intuitive.

However, this apparent ease of use can lead to insufficient care being taken to avoid the negative influence on analysis results caused by multiple factors affecting weighing accuracy. External influences are defined as physical effects that are measurable for all laboratory balances. Examples of external influences include:

Electrostatic forces
Airflow
Environmental vibrations
Effects of magnetism
Evaporation
Moisture uptake

Certain sample characteristics – such as evaporation of liquids or hygroscopic/hydrophobic solid materials gaining or losing weight – may also be mistaken for external influences.

METTLER TOLEDO’s Weighing the Right Way guidelines will help you understand these factors and more so that you can avoid mistakes, save time, and get your weighing results right the first time.

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