Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms for the Scale Industry

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T

TARE
The TARE feature, which is found on most digital scales, allows the user to remove the weight of an item placed on a scale. Here is an example of using the TARE feature:

Place a container on the scale which will hold your item(s) to be weighed, then push the Tare button. Your scale will reset to 0 by subtracting the weight of the container. Now place your item(s) into the container. Now the scale will ONLY display the actual weight of your item(s).

Temperature, Compensated
The range of temperature over which a transducer can operate up to full scale and still meet all specifications.

Temperature Compensation
The utilization of supplementary devices, materials, or components within the bridge to minimize sources of error caused by changing temperature.

Temperature Effect on Output
The change in output due to a change in ambient temperature. Note: usually expressed as the percentage change in output per °F change in ambient temperature as calculated from the change over a test interval.

Temperature Effect on Span
The change in rated output due to a change in ambient temperature. Usually expressed as +/- a percentage change in rated output per degree F change in ambient temperature over the compensated temperature range.

Temperature Effect on Zero
The change in zero balance due to a change in ambient temperature. Usually expressed as +/- a percentage change in rated output per degree F change in ambient temperature over the compensated temperature range.

Temperature Error
The maximum change in output, at any measurand value within the specified range, when the transducer temperature is changed from room temperature to specified temperature extremes.

Temperature, Operating
The range of temperature over which a transducer may be safely operated up to full scale without causing failure, but specifications may not be met.

Temperature Range
Range of temperatures over which transducer is compensated to maintain rated output and zero balance within specified limits.

Temperature range, Safe
The extremes of temperature within which the load cell will operate without permanent adverse change to any of its performance characteristics.

Terminal Resistance, Corner to Corner
The resistance of the load cell circuit measured at specific adjacent bridge terminals at standard temperature, with no-load applied, and with the excitation and output terminals open-circuited.

Terminal Resistance, Input
The resistance of the load cell circuit measured at the excitation terminals at standard temperature, with no load applied and with the output terminals open circuited.

Terminal Resistance Symmetry
The resistance uniformity of the load cell circuit measured from each excitation terminal to the output signal terminals connected together, at standard temperature with no-load applied and with the excitation terminals open-circuited.

Thermal Coefficient of Resistance
The change in resistance of a semiconductor per unit change in temperature over a specific range of temperature.

Thermal Expansion
An increase in size due to an increase in temperature expressed in units of an increase in length or increase in size per degree, i.e. inches/inch/degree C.

Thermal Gradient
The distribution of a differential temperature through a body or across a surface.

Thermal Sensitivity Shift
The sensitivity shift due to changes of the ambient temperature from room temperature to the specified limits of the compensated temperature range.

Totalization
In weigh-equipment, calculation and display of material throughput.

Tuning
Adjustment of control constants in algorithms or analog controllers to produce desired control effect.

U

UL
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. An independent laboratory that establishes standards for commercial and industrial products.

Unbalance
That condition which exists in a rotor when vibratory force or motion is imparted to its bearings as a result of centrifugal forces.

Unbalance Tolerance
The unbalance tolerance with respect to a radial plane (measuring plane or correction plane) is that amount of unbalance which is specified as the maximum below which the state of unbalance is considered acceptable.

V

V - min (Minimum Verification Scale Division/Load Cell)
A parameter used to select load cells for NTEP approved application; foe single cell applications V-min must be less than or equal to the scale division size; for mechanical scale using more than one load, V-min must be less than or equal to the scale division divided by the square root of the number of cells.

Volt
The (electrical) potential difference between two points in a circuit. The fundamental unit is derived as work per unit charge-(V = W/Q). One volt is the potential difference required to move one coulomb of charge between two points in a circuit while using one joule of energy.

Voltage
An electrical potential which can be measured in volts.

Weight
Force or amounts of gravitational pull by which object or body is attracted toward center of earth.

Wheatstone Bridge
1) A network of four resistances, an emf source, and a galvanometer connected such that when the four resistances are matched, the galvanometer will show a zero deflection or "null" reading. 2) An electrical circuit used to detect small resistance changes in strain gages.

W

X

Y

Z

Zero
Set to zero value of word or other unit of memory.

Zero Balance
The output signal of the transducer with rated excitation and with no-load applied, usually expressed as a percent of rated output.

Zero Error
Error of device operating under specified conditions of use when input is at lower range value.

Zeroing
Process or method to adjust output of weigh equipment to zero when no load is applied.

Zero Return
The difference in zero balance measured immediately before rated load application of specified duration and measured after removal of the load, and when the output has stabilized.

Zero Stability
The degree to which the load cell maintains its zero balance over a specified period of time with all environmental conditions and other variables remaining constant.

Zero Suppression
The span of an indicator or chart recorder may be offset from zero (zero suppressed) such that neither limit of the span will be zero. For example, a temperature recorder which records a 100° span from 400° to 500° is said to have 400° zero suppression.

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Counting Scales Diet Scales Jewelry Scales Kitchen Scales Legal for Trade Scales Multi-Purpose Scales Nutritional Scales Pet Scales Postage Scales Precision Scales Used Scales Local Scale Dealers Scale Manufacturers Glossary of Terms	Glossary of Terms Glossary of Terms for the Scale Industry Click here to return to the Glossary of Terms search section. T TARE The TARE feature, which is found on most digital scales, allows the user to remove the weight of an item placed on a scale. Here is an example of using the TARE feature: Place a container on the scale which will hold your item(s) to be weighed, then push the Tare button. Your scale will reset to 0 by subtracting the weight of the container. Now place your item(s) into the container. Now the scale will ONLY display the actual weight of your item(s). Temperature, Compensated The range of temperature over which a transducer can operate up to full scale and still meet all specifications. Temperature Compensation The utilization of supplementary devices, materials, or components within the bridge to minimize sources of error caused by changing temperature. Temperature Effect on Output The change in output due to a change in ambient temperature. Note: usually expressed as the percentage change in output per °F change in ambient temperature as calculated from the change over a test interval. Temperature Effect on Span The change in rated output due to a change in ambient temperature. Usually expressed as +/- a percentage change in rated output per degree F change in ambient temperature over the compensated temperature range. Temperature Effect on Zero The change in zero balance due to a change in ambient temperature. Usually expressed as +/- a percentage change in rated output per degree F change in ambient temperature over the compensated temperature range. Temperature Error The maximum change in output, at any measurand value within the specified range, when the transducer temperature is changed from room temperature to specified temperature extremes. Temperature, Operating The range of temperature over which a transducer may be safely operated up to full scale without causing failure, but specifications may not be met. Temperature Range Range of temperatures over which transducer is compensated to maintain rated output and zero balance within specified limits. Temperature range, Safe The extremes of temperature within which the load cell will operate without permanent adverse change to any of its performance characteristics. Terminal Resistance, Corner to Corner The resistance of the load cell circuit measured at specific adjacent bridge terminals at standard temperature, with no-load applied, and with the excitation and output terminals open-circuited. Terminal Resistance, Input The resistance of the load cell circuit measured at the excitation terminals at standard temperature, with no load applied and with the output terminals open circuited. Terminal Resistance Symmetry The resistance uniformity of the load cell circuit measured from each excitation terminal to the output signal terminals connected together, at standard temperature with no-load applied and with the excitation terminals open-circuited. Thermal Coefficient of Resistance The change in resistance of a semiconductor per unit change in temperature over a specific range of temperature. Thermal Expansion An increase in size due to an increase in temperature expressed in units of an increase in length or increase in size per degree, i.e. inches/inch/degree C. Thermal Gradient The distribution of a differential temperature through a body or across a surface. Thermal Sensitivity Shift The sensitivity shift due to changes of the ambient temperature from room temperature to the specified limits of the compensated temperature range. Totalization In weigh-equipment, calculation and display of material throughput. Tuning Adjustment of control constants in algorithms or analog controllers to produce desired control effect. U UL Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. An independent laboratory that establishes standards for commercial and industrial products. Unbalance That condition which exists in a rotor when vibratory force or motion is imparted to its bearings as a result of centrifugal forces. Unbalance Tolerance The unbalance tolerance with respect to a radial plane (measuring plane or correction plane) is that amount of unbalance which is specified as the maximum below which the state of unbalance is considered acceptable. V V - min (Minimum Verification Scale Division/Load Cell) A parameter used to select load cells for NTEP approved application; foe single cell applications V-min must be less than or equal to the scale division size; for mechanical scale using more than one load, V-min must be less than or equal to the scale division divided by the square root of the number of cells. Volt The (electrical) potential difference between two points in a circuit. The fundamental unit is derived as work per unit charge-(V = W/Q). One volt is the potential difference required to move one coulomb of charge between two points in a circuit while using one joule of energy. Voltage An electrical potential which can be measured in volts. Weight Force or amounts of gravitational pull by which object or body is attracted toward center of earth. Wheatstone Bridge 1) A network of four resistances, an emf source, and a galvanometer connected such that when the four resistances are matched, the galvanometer will show a zero deflection or "null" reading. 2) An electrical circuit used to detect small resistance changes in strain gages. W X Y Z Zero Set to zero value of word or other unit of memory. Zero Balance The output signal of the transducer with rated excitation and with no-load applied, usually expressed as a percent of rated output. Zero Error Error of device operating under specified conditions of use when input is at lower range value. Zeroing Process or method to adjust output of weigh equipment to zero when no load is applied. Zero Return The difference in zero balance measured immediately before rated load application of specified duration and measured after removal of the load, and when the output has stabilized. Zero Stability The degree to which the load cell maintains its zero balance over a specified period of time with all environmental conditions and other variables remaining constant. Zero Suppression The span of an indicator or chart recorder may be offset from zero (zero suppressed) such that neither limit of the span will be zero. For example, a temperature recorder which records a 100° span from 400° to 500° is said to have 400° zero suppression. Click here to return to the Glossary of Terms search section.	Website Sponsors
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