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Measuring Instrument Weight Mass Spring Scale Spring Torque Torque Lever Mass Gravitational Mass Weight Tension Compression Force
Measuring Instrument Weight Mass Spring Scale Spring Torque Torque Lever Mass Gravitational Mass Weight Tension Compression Force
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A weighing scale (usually just "scales" in UK and
Australian English, "weighing machine" in south asian
english or "scale" in US English) is a measuring
instrument for determining the weight or mass of an
object. A spring scale measures weight by the distance
a spring deflects under its load. A balance compares
the torque on the arm due to the sample weight to
the torque on the arm due to a standard reference weight
using a horizontal lever. Balances are different from
scales, in that a balance measures mass (or more
specifically gravitational mass), whereas a scale
measures weight (or more specifically, either
the tension or compression force of constraint provided by
the scale). Weighing scales are used in many industrial
and commercial applications, and products from feathers
to loaded tractor-trailers are sold by weight. Specialized
medical scales and bathroom scales are used to measure
the body weight of human beings.
History
The balance scale is such a simple device that its usage
likely far predates the evidence. What has allowed
archaeologists to link artifacts to weighing scales are the
stones for determining absolute weight. The balance scale
itself was probably used to determine relative weight long
before absolute weight.
The oldest evidence for the existence of weighing scales
dates to c. 2400-1800 B.C.E. in the Indus River valley
(modern-day Pakistan). Uniform, polished stone cubes
discovered in early settlements were probably used as
weight-setting stones in balance scales. Although the
cubes bear no markings, their weights are multiples of a
common denominator. It is interesting to note that the
cubes are made of many different kinds of stones with
varying densities. Clearly their weight, not their size or
other characteristics, was a factor in sculpting these
cubes. In Egypt, scales can be traced to around 1878
B.C.E., but their usage probably extends much earlier.
Carved stones bearing marks denoting weight and the
Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol for gold have been
discovered, which suggests that Egyptian merchants had
been using an established system of weight measurement
to catalog gold shipments and/or gold mine yields.
Although no actual scales from this era have survived,
many sets of weighing stones as well as murals depicting
the use of balance scales suggest widespread usage.
Variations on the balance scale, including devices like the
cheap and inaccurate bismar began to see common
usage by c. 400 B.C.E. by many small merchants and
their customers. A plethora of scale varieties each
boasting advantages and improvements over one another
appear throughout recorded history, with such great
inventors as Leonardo Da Vinci lending a personal hand in
their development.
Even with all the advances in weighing scale design and
development, all scales until the seventeenth century C.E.
were variations on the balance scale. Although records
dating to the 1600s refer to spring scales for measuring
weight, the earliest design for such a device dates to 1770
and credits Richard Salter, an early scale-maker. Spring
scales came into common usage in 1840 when R. W.
Winfield developed the candlestick scale for use in
measuring letters and packages. Postal workers could
work more quickly with spring scales than balance scales
because they could be read instantaneously and did not
have to be carefully balanced with each measurement.
By the 1940s various electronic devices were being
attached to these designs to make readings more
accurate. These were not true digital scales as the actual
measuring of weight still relied on springs and
balances. Load cells, small nodes that convert pressure to
a digital signal, have their beginnings as early as the late-
nineteenth century, but it was not until the late-twentieth
century that they became accurate enough for widespread
usage.
Balance
A precision balance scale for weighing silver and gold located on display at the Historic Archive and
Museum of Mining in Pachuca, Mexico.
The balance (also balance scale, beam
balance and laboratory balance) was the first mass
measuring instrument invented. In its traditional form, it
consists of a pivoted horizontal lever of equal length arms,
called the beam, with a weighing pan, also
called scale, scalepan, or bason(obsolete), suspended
from each arm (which is the origin of the originally plural
term "scales" for a weighing instrument). The unknown
mass is placed in one pan, and standard masses are
added to the other pan until the beam is as close
to equilibrium as possible. In precision balances, a slider
mass is moved along a graduated scale. The slider
position gives a fine correction to the mass value.
Although a balance technically compares weights, not
masses, the weight of an object is proportional to its mass,
and the standard weights used with balances are usually
labeled in mass units.
A spring weighing scale can measure forces transmitted through the scale in any direction.
down
Friction in the moving components that cause the scale
expansion/contraction of components
Magnetic fields acting on ferrous components
Tare weight
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weighbridge
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Weighbridge redirects here. For place names see Weybridge and Wadebridge.
A weigh bridge at a gravel pit. The weigh bridge is the two part platform over which trucks are
driven. The upper works is auxiliary equipment for leveling the load in the truck and is not part of
the scale. This scale uses electronic measuring equipment.
Electronic indicator for the bridge shown above. This allows input of the vehicle empty weight
and can compute and display the amount of material.
A moveable weigh bridge
Truck scales can be surface mounted with a ramp leading up a short distance and
the weighing equipment underneath or they can be pit mounted with the weighing
equipment and platform in a pit so that the weighing surface is level with the road.
They are typically built from steel or concrete and by nature are extremely robust.
In earlier versions the bridge is installed over a rectangular pit that contains levers
that ultimately connect to a balance mechanism. The most complex portion of this
type is the arrangement of levers underneath the weigh bridge since the response of
the scale must be independent of the distribution of the load. Modern devices use
multiple load cells that connect to an electronic equipment to totalize the sensor
inputs. In either type of semi-permanent scale the weight readings are typically
recorded in a nearby hut or office.
Many weighbridges are now linked to a personal computer which runs truck scale
software capable of printing tickets and providing reporting features.
Usage
Truck scales can be used for two main purposes:
They are used in industries that manufacture or move bulk items, such as in mines
or quarries, garbage dumps / recycling centers, bulk liquid and powder movement,
household goods, and electrical equipment. Since the weight of the vehicle carrying
the goods is known (and can be ascertained quickly if it is not known by the simple
expedient of weighing the empty vehicle) they are a quick and easy way to measure
the flow of bulk goods in and out of different locations.
A single axle truck scale or axle weighing system can be used to check individual
axle weights and gross vehicle weights to determine whether the vehicle is safe to
travel on the public highway without being stopped and fined by the authorities for
being overloaded. Similar to the full size truck scale these systems can be pit
mounted with the weighing surface flush to the level of the roadway or surface
mounted.
For many uses (such as at police over the road truck weigh stations or temporary
road intercepts) weigh bridges have been largely supplanted by simple and thin
electronic weigh cells, over which a vehicle is slowly driven. A computer records the
output of the cell and accumulates the total vehicle weight. By weighing the force of
each axle it can be assured that the vehicle is within statutory limits, which typically
will impose a total vehicle weight, a maximum weight within an axle span limit and
an individual axle limit. The former two limits ensure the safety of bridges while the
latter protects the road surface.
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CHAPTER 4
Averys Limited
4.1. Averys Ltd is the holding company for the 32 operating companies in
the Avery Group. The Group's main activity is the design, manufacture, sale
4.2. The company's history can be traced back to 1730 and the manufacture
In the early part of the nineteenth century the business passed to the Avery
family. It was developed from a purely Midlands concern into a nationwide, and
4.3. The firm of W & T Avery was incorporated as a private company in 1891.
This was the predecessor of W & T Avery Ltd, now the main operating company
and rebuilt as the company's main factory. When legislation was introduced
at the turn of the century requiring the stamping of all weighing machines used
for trade Avery branches were set up in some 100 towns in the United Kingdom.
This was the beginning of the sales and service organisation that has expanded
to cover not only every important town in the United Kingdom but also has
4.4. From the formation of the firm of W & T Avery until the present day
form the Group as it exists today. Some of the principal acquisitions in the
1920 Southall and Smith Ltd (50 per cent), balance acquired in 1928
1920 Saml Denison & Son Ltd (name changed to Avery-Denison Ltd in
1970)
1953 Pump Maintenance Ltd (50 per cent), balance acquired in 1976
1959 Geo Driver & Son Ltd, merged in 1966 with Southall and Smith Ltd
Averys owned companies in some European countries but these were unprofitable and were wound up
before 1939 except for a manufacturing company in
West Germany which was sold to a German manufacturer in 1968 because its
business also proved unprofitable. In Averys' view it had never achieved a
large enough share of the German market for its own products. It was not
Kingdom. From 1900 onwards Averys have gradually established the overseas
Present organisation
4.5. In 1958 the holding company, Averys Ltd, was formed and in 1971, to
are set out in Appendix 5, and a chart showing the organisation of the Avery
4.6. Two-thirds of Averys' group turnover lies broadly speaking in the sales
and updating. Averys' estimates of its share of its principal United Kingdom
markets are set out in Appendix 7. Sales between Averys and GEC in 1978
and measuring machines are standard, but machines are also designed and
scale which accounts for one-fifth by value of sales of new goods of the entire
Avery group.
4.7. Averys considers that a substantial demand will continue both in the
United Kingdom and overseas for mechanical equipment. Meeting this will
are figures showing the orders received by W & T Avery, Oertling and Avery
Export for the years 1976 to 1978 split into those for mechanical weighing
machines and those for electronic. The figures in the top half of the table are
in prices at which the orders were taken, those in the lower half have been
adjusted for price increases to take account of inflation. In the three years total
mechanical orders rose from £12-7 million to £15-2 million but when adjusted
for price increases the figure is virtually constant (£11-9 million, £10-5 million
and £11-2 million at January 1976 prices). Orders for electronic machines rose
from £8-8 million to £18-1 million, which when adjusted for price increases
rose from £8-3 million to £13-3 million at January 1976 prices, a substantial
increase. Orders for export of mechanical scales show an increase from £3-9
million to £5-4 million at January 1976 prices, an indication that demand for
systems. The situation can arise in which Averys' tenders may be accepted
regardless of who obtains the main contract. Averys told us it had supplied
Airport and 21 for Glasgow when the successful contractors, one of whom
was GEC, were different in each of the three cases. Of 14 contractors who
14Averys quoted to all but four, was successful with one but would still have
obtained an order if any other of the ten had obtained the main contract.
4.9. Avery-Hardoll Ltd manufactures meter pumps, bulkmeters and couplings
for petrol and fuelling equipment including aircraft refuelling. It estimates that
it has approximately 20 per cent of the United Kingdom market for petrol
pumps, that its share is growing and that about 50,000 mechanical pumps
a cost of some £125 million at current prices. It has recently introduced its
Mark V microprocessor-based pump, and will shortly introduce kiosk equipment incorporating
microprocessors. In the more distant future there is the
petrol stations; Avery-Hardoll Ltd is discussing with some card and oil
companies the role its pumps may play in such business. It exports some 50 per
and overseas is carried out mainly through separate sales forces for each
in exhibitions and conferences, and the service organisations will bring to the
maintenance or repairs. The size of the sales force is related to each company's
requirements; thus W & T Avery Ltd, the largest subsidiary, has 173 sales
customers, the oil companies, has eight. Representatives also act as consultants
in each company support and control the activities of the representatives, and,
board.
4.11. Servicing is a major preoccupation of Averys for two principal
reasons:
weights and measures legislation. W & T Avery Ltd alone has 127,716
(ii) Apart from the statutory requirements, users of weighing and liquid
4.12. Approximately 50,000 weighing machines are repaired for users each
year. The company normally expects to answer a call on the day it is received
and provides a Saturday emergency service for retailers, and special services
to manufacturers having continuous processes. There are 250 sales and servicing
15manufacture, sale and servicing of weighing and testing machines overseas are
given at Appendix 9. In the countries other than those covered by the overseas
companies of the International Division, sales and servicing are carried out by
to establish service facilities for Averys' products, and to arrange for the
training of their service personnel in the United Kingdom.
Exports
exceed this figure, such as Avery-Hardoll Ltd which exports 50 per cent and
Driver Southall Ltd, which exports 40 to 45 per cent of their respective production. The Group provides
sales and service facilities in most countries of the
world outside the United Kingdom and in 1977 shipped its products to
Far East and Middle East—with which the United Kingdom has strong
Appendix 10.
and South Africa. Although, in the main, these units depend on design knowledge provided by the home
companies (for which royalties are paid) they are
markets.
4.16. The status of Avery Nigeria Ltd changed in 1978 as a result of Nigerian
holding of the equity has been reduced from 60 per cent to 40 per cent. Avery
India Ltd expects to comply with Indian Government requirements for increased
local participation in the autumn of 1979. The result will be to reduce the
holding of Averys Ltd to approximately 40 per cent of the equity from its
4.17. In Averys' view the weighing machine market in which it operates has
has several close relationships with other manufacturers. The Group is the
AG (Austria) and it has plans for forming associations with other European
under consideration.
Technology
4.18. Although Averys' business was for many years based primarily on
where they could contribute to its activities. It says that it was the first in the
1930s. Since the Second World War it has employed such technologies as
164.19. Involvement in electronics goes back more than twenty years and,
by the early 1970s, the company was established in electronic weighing equipment. It was producing a
microprocessor-based unit in 1973 and there are
now many Avery scales in use, in the United Kingdom and overseas, employing
these devices. Microprocessor technology has been adopted by all the weighing
and measuring companies of the Group. The Applied Research Unit, more
companies, the Avery Research Administration and the Applied Research Unit.
4.21. As each company concentrates on a particular sector of the Group's
view this ensures that design and development are carried on close enough to
organisations report on present and forward market requirements, on competitors' activities and on
orders lost and the technical departments make
proposals for new or improved products. Special orders developed for individual
customers may lead to the creation of standard products for a wider market.
responsible for the three operating divisions of the company, who are also
4.23. The Applied Research Unit leads the company's search for new
Avery Ltd, but is sited away from that company's main factory in order to
keep it free from day-to-day activities. Its purpose is to examine all relevant
in the year ended 31 December 1977 was £1-7 million, 3-2 per cent of its new
goods sales in the United Kingdom. The new premises now housing the
more than 50 years in connection with the policy and framing of weights and
with various official bodies of the United Kingdom and the EEC on a variety
Financial information
4.26. The net assets of the Avery group amounted to £65-8 million for the
year ended 31 December 1978. Summaries of the balance sheets and source
and application of funds of the Avery group for the five years to 31 December
1978 are set out at Appendices 11 and 12 respectively. The balance sheets
indicate that the group is largely financed by retained profits. The increase in
fixed assets and bank overdrafts in 1978 largely reflects Averys' entry into the
during the next five years and should reduce the group's tax charge. Expenditure
and 1978. Expenditure on fixed assets (excluding assets for leasing) over the
next five years is estimated to average £5 million a year at 1979 prices, which
was largely due to the reduction of Averys' holding in the equity of its Nigerian
subsidiary (see paragraph 4.16). The statement of source and application of
funds at Appendix 12 indicates that the group until 1977 operated within the
limits of the cash flow generated from its operations. Even at the end of 1978,
when borrowing had been increased by £4£ million to finance the leasing
activity, borrowings represented less than 10 per cent of total funds employed.
Management accounting
financial accounts for the group and each of its subsidiaries, supplemented by
monthly returns of sales and orders, and of the cash position for each. Averys
said that it had considered whether it was necessary to produce full group
financial accounts each month, but it was not yet clear that the benefits would
be worth the extra expense. The business was stable and, with the close involvement of the executive
directors of the holding company in the affairs of the
subsidiaries, and monthly reporting of sales orders and cash Averys considered
4.28. Computers have been used for some functions of accounting and production control since about
1970 but Averys was not satisfied with the service
accounting. A new ICL computer system which will provide the service required,
including direct access, is now available and has been installed, and will be
used for production control and for a much greater proportion of the control
and accounting, particularly costing, functions than was covered by the former
computer system.
was as follows:
Overseas 3,962
Total 12,551
Averys claims that its industrial relations are good and it considers that it has
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Avery
Avery
1731
James Ford established a business as a maker of 'stilliards' in Digbeth, Birmingham, described
at the time as a city with a 'more varied and lively industrial life than any other city in the world'.
(However, the company has roots stretching as far back as 1670 and Charkes de Grave who
had a shop near St Paul’s Cathedral.
1760
James Ford retires and the business passes to William Barton and then toThomas Beach in
1782.
1799
Business passes to Joseph Balden, who married Mary Avery.
1813
As the Industrial Revolution gathered momentum, the business was transferred to William
Avery, soon joined by his brother Thomas, who traded under the name W&T Avery.
1817 –1837
Business expands and acquires more premises in Digbeth and opens a London branch Hatton
Garden in 1837. The company now employs almost 200 people.
1870
Acquire Atlas Foundry in West Bromwich to carry out iron founding.
1876
First Avery weighbridge designed and made by Mr. A W Brown, and ex Boulton & Watt
apprentice.
1885
Produced the first ticket printing steelyard in 1885. The company now employs more than 700
people.
1887
Introduced the first equipment maintenance contracts as an added service to its customers.
This heralded the beginning of its international service business.
1895
Acquired the business of James Watt &Co and the 25 acre Soho Foundry site in Smethwick.
1918
Death of W E T Avery, last family member actively involved with the company. It now employs
more than 3,000 people.
1963
First load cell weighbridges made at Soho.
1971
First digital retail scale in volume production.
1979
W&T Avery became part of the GEC Group of companies. Major investment to increase
production of electronic weighing machines.
1982
First volume production retail scale with integral printer and PLU (price look up).
1984
First UK manufacture of retail scale with networking facility and data capture facilities,
1993
The Berkel company was acquired as a wholly owned GEC subsidiary, and combined with GEC
Avery Ltd to trade globally under the Avery Weigh-Tronix name.
2000
The Avery Weigh-Tronix group was acquired by Weigh-Tronix Inc.
Platform scales
Our platform scales are used across industry, helping to weigh, handle, monitor, mix and fill a
multitude of everyday items, from foodstuffs, to household components, detergents and
medicines.
Whatever the application and wherever the location, our heavy-duty platforms can handle loads
from 6 kilograms to 20 tonnes. Choose from bench mounted, standalone, pit-installed, mobile
or hazardous area models, with stainless or mild steel finishes to suit your requirements.
There are literally hundreds of combinations of size and capacity, all of which can interface with
our range of digital instrumentation to create the ideal configuration for your business.
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Our filling systems are designed to handle a wide range of liquids and semi-solids in the food,
chemical and pharmaceutical industries. We offer an extensive choice of volumetric,
gravimetric, mass flow meter and automatic conveyor fillers for applications across the
processing plant, from the raw material store to the packing environment.
From a single head unit, to a multi-head, multi-conveyor system, all our machines are custom
designed by specialist Avery Weigh-Tronix engineers to meet your exact requirements. They
can be integrated seamlessly with your production processes for ease of operation and
increased management control.
Every volumetric machine features the renowned Neumo pump, synonymous with quality,
reliability and endurance.
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Belt Weighing
Avery Weigh-Tronix belt weighing systems are an efficient, cost-effective solution to weighing
products on the move.
Suitable for flat or inclined conveyors, systems can be installed with new equipment or
retrofitted to existing belts, to provide accurate measurement and recording of batch weights,
flow rates and belt speed.
Load Cells
Since the introduction of electronic weighing, Avery Weigh-Tronix has been at the forefront of
load cell technology.
Our comprehensive range includes analogue, digital and vibrating beam loadcells and the
innovative weighbar transducer and is suitable for many types of weighing equipment - from
retail scales, to vessel weighers, to intrinsically safe systems, to weighbridges.
Each load cell is designed, developed and manufactured in-house and the entire process is
regulated by stringent quality assurance procedures to ensure a lifetime of consistent
performance. For added reassurance, all weighing equipment and systems that rely on our load
cells carry international Weights and Measures approvals.
www.averyindia.co.in
Avery India Ltd. brings to you its vast experience in field of weighing with access to
cutting edge technology from our principals Avery Weigh-Tronix, the global leader
in innovative weighing solutions.
Avery India Limited has been supplying weighing machines and weighing
automation solutions to customers since 1911. We are the leading Electronic
Scale manufacturer in India.
We provide efficient after sales services with our strong network of Service
Establishments across India having a totally dedicated team of more than 200
trained Service Engineers/Technicians. Our Services include annual maintenance
contracts, repairs, retrofits, capacity enhancements, installations, civil foundations
and Calibration & Certification of our products.
Belt weigher
A belt weigher replaces a short section of the support mechanism of the belt, which
might be one or more sets of idler rollers, or a short section of channel or plate. This
weighed support is mounted on load cells, either pivoted or fully suspended. Fully
suspended belt weighers are considered to be more accurate due to the turning
moment of the pivot mechanism on pivoted belt belt weighers. The mass measured by
the load cells is integrated to compute the mass of material moving on the belt, after
allowing for the mass of the belt itself. Belt weighers generally include the necessary
electronics to perform this calculation, often in the form of a small
industrialized microprocessor system.
A belt weigher is normally mounted in a well supported straight section of belt, with no
vertical or sideways curvature, and as close to level as is practicable. The weighed
support must be aligned vertically and horizontally with the adjacent supports to avoid
tensile forces in the belt skewing the measurement.
In addition, some belt weigher controllers will offer features such as driving an output to
stop the belt when a predefined mass of material has been measured, or a range of
alarms to indicate nil flow, belt slippage and belt stoppage.
Uses include mineral and aggregate extraction, continuous mixing processes, control
of variable rate feeders, port handling and ship loading processes.
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Load cell
Tensile
Universal
Shear
Torque
Hollow
Bending beam
Parallel beam or Binocular Beam
Canister
Shear beam
Single column
Multi-column
Pancake
Load button
Single ended shear beam
Double ended shear beam
"S" type
Inline rod end
Digital ElectroMotive Force
Diaphragm/membrane
Torsion ring
Bending ring
Proving ring
Load Pin
Resistive
Piezoelectric
Capacitance
Analog
Digital
Wireless
Applications
Force measurement
Portable weigh scales
Platform scales
Electronic weighbridge or truck weighing
Electronic crane scales
Hopper/Tank/Silo weighing
Finding Center of gravity
Onboard weighing
Railcar weighing
Structural health monitoring
In-motion dynamic weighing check weigher
Batch weighing
Monitor inventory
Feedback control
Impact measurement
Force gauge
Electromechanical scales