How To Calibrate A Digital Scale

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The simple fact is that scales need to be calibrated often. This not only applies to traditional scales, but to digital scales as well. Depending on how much you use your scale you may want to calibrate it every day or once a week. Since we are looking at shipping scales, we recommend the scale is calibrated before the start of each day. The process is simple but it’s important to do it properly. Let’s look at how to calibrate a digital scale.

2 things to keep in mind: 1. Your particular scale will come with instructions on how to calibrate it. So please use our references as a guide only. 2. The test weight and the calibration need to be using the same units. It won’t calibrate to the correct weight if you are measuring in KG and the test weight is in LB.

Digital Scales

Before you begin you should have proper cleaning tools and the test weights that came with your scale. If you happen to lose the test weight, you can order them online or from the manufacturer. But it is important to use the proper test weight for your digital scale.

1.    Before turning on your scale, make sure that has been cleaned. Dirt and build up can happen underneath the weighing platform. To clean this, remove the platform and have a look. If everything is clean, put it back together and turn on the scale. It is good to wait a minute or two so that the scale is warmed up and operating at its full potential. Even digital scales can suffer from the cold!

2.    On your scale you should see a button that refers to “CAL” or “Mode.” Press this down until a message is displayed on the screen. You should see 0’s or CAL should appear. Your scale should be ready to be calibrated. Some scales require you to press and hold two buttons. So again, refer to your manual.

3.    Place the test weight on top of the scale gently. Wait a few seconds for the scale to adjust and then press and hold the calibration button again until you see a message that confirms the calibration is finished. Most cases it will show “end” or “o.”

Imagine if your scale was off by 20grams over the course of a month. If you were to ship 100 packages, you would be paying an extra 2kg worth of shipping. But imagine if it was off by 1kg or an extra 100kg worth of shipping! Regardless of how small or how big your scale is off, it is important to get an accurate measure. Not doing so could cost you hundreds and even thousands of dollars in extra postage.