“Washdown” scales and balances are types of weighing equipment that feature a specific IP rating as part of their design.
“IP” stands for Ingress Protection. This rating measures the level to which scales of this kind are capable of keeping foreign solids or liquids out of their inner workings, preventing damage.
Washdown scales are usually IP65 or IP66 rated, which means they are protected against dust and water ingress. IP66 scales in particular are designed to be resistant against water jets, rendering them durable and very easy to clean and sanitise.
To this end, washdown scales are extremely popular within a number of different industries. In this article, the experts at Sweigh explore the application of these kinds of instruments in a range of fields.
Food Processing Industry
Effective sanitisation is, of course, vital within the food industry. It helps any organisation that employs a washdown scale to meet industry hygiene standards and prevents issues such as cross-contamination, keeping bacteria from spreading between the items being weighed.
Much equipment of this kind features food grade fabrication materials, with washdown stainless steel scales highly popular.
Retail Industry
Careful measures have long been in place within retail in order to protect consumers, but pressure has increased in this area since the COVID-19 pandemic.
To this end, washdown scales are extremely useful in retail, as great care must be taken to prevent the contamination of stock of any kind, along with items being prepared for shipping.
Many scales include a part counting function, which enables users to take stock of the number of items present while they are being weighed - saving time and effort. Washdown scales that include this function are therefore doubly convenient.
Construction Industry
Scales are often used within the construction industry - particularly where close attention must be paid to the mass of every component used in fabrication. High accuracy measuring equipment is therefore vital.
However, with dust, sawdust, dirt and other contaminants common within day to day operations in this field, it is vital that any equipment used is highly durable, protected against foreign contaminant ingress and very easy to clean.
For that reason, IP65 rated washdown scales, which are resistant to high pressure water jets, are often ideal for use within this sector.
Pharmaceutical Industry
It is extremely important that precise trade approved scales are employed within the pharmaceutical industry, where many materials - such as medication - are carefully weighed, sometimes in fractions of milligrams.
Failure to weigh out drugs with absolute accuracy can have very serious repercussions, as those using them often require highly specific doses. Weighing out too great or too little an amount may have a major impact on the consumer’s health in the long run.
Of course, contamination and cross-contamination represent other ways in which health may be affected by the equipment used to weigh drugs and medication.
Any equipment that may be contaminated - either with other drugs, chemicals or other materials - must be thoroughly cleaned to prevent mixing medications, spreading illnesses or triggering adverse medical reactions such as allergies, which is why washdown scales are the perfect answer here.
Chemical Industry
The accidental mixing or contamination of chemicals can be extremely dangerous and may cause volatile reactions. In addition, when supplying chemicals to clients, it is vital for their purity and quality to be assured in order to ensure the highest possible efficacy and to optimise client satisfaction.
For this reason, any scales used by operatives within this field should not only be easy to clean and protected against water ingress, but their housing and inner workings should also be shielded against damage caused by the chemicals processed on the premises.
Agriculture and Horticulture
Agricultural and horticultural sites and premises feature numerous contamination risks. Chemicals such as pesticides and livestock medications are regularly used, while the presence of animals presents the risk of the spread of conditions like bird flu, swine flu and foot and mouth disease.
For this reason, once again, operatives within this industry must take steps to prevent contamination by using equipment and instrumentation that can be easily cleaned and sanitised.
This is why washdown scales are an excellent investment for businesses focusing on agriculture and horticulture.
Where to Find the Right Washdown Scales for Your Business
If you are looking for precise weighing instrumentation that offers features to best support your operations, you’ll find a huge range of high quality options within Sweigh’s stock. We’ve been operating within the measures and instrumentation industry for many years.
Our scales, manufactured by leading producers Adam and Ohaus, are top of the range - and many have IP ratings of 65 and 66 as well as sealed keypads and stainless steel weighing plates, making them well-equipped to resist ingress and very easy to clean.
For further information about our range, to discuss your specific requirements or to ask any further questions you may have, simply get in touch with our team of specialists today.