Balance Testing Guide

Balance Routine
Testing for Reliable
Weighing Results

Routine Testing of Lab Balances

How to Do It Correctly
 Why is it Important to Routinely Test Lab Balances?
Balance Testing Guide

How much time do you spend thinking about the accuracy of your laboratory balance?
Probably not much! However, over time the performance of weighing equipment can
change due to environmental changes, wear and tear, or non-apparent damage.

Routine testing of lab balances or scales in-between scheduled calibrations helps to maintain accuracy by
ensuring early detection of non-conformance with weighing process requirements so that corrective action can
be taken in a timely manner.

If testing isn’t performed correctly or not done at all, it can lead to:
• Undetected inaccurate weighing results because the balance isn’t performing properly,
• Inferior results or product quality, process and audit issues,
• Repetition, product rework or recalls.

Routine testing by the user, along with periodically scheduled calibrations by a service technician, significantly
reduces the risk of inaccurate weighing results.

Figure 1: Routine balance testing ensures consistently accurate weighing results.

How to make sure you are not testing too often or too little?
A traditional approach with – often daily – routine testing at multiple points in the operating weighing range can
take a great deal of time and effort and therefore staff resources, and may not even provide any meaningful met-
rological information.

Discover what is really essential for testing your laboratory balances and how to put routine balance testing into
practice to ensure your weighing results are accurate each and every day.

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Calibration, Adjustment and Routine Testing –
What’s the Difference?

Calibration, adjustment and routine testing are all vital to maintain weighing accuracy. Weighing instruments un-
dergo a certain amount of wear and tear over time as a result of frequent usage. It’s essential therefore that any
balance or scale is calibrated on a regular basis, and that adjustments are made when necessary.

Calibration and Adjustment by a Service Technician

A calibration is performed by a qualified technician at
regular intervals using certified test weights. The fre-
quency should be based on a risk assessment. In most
cases calibration is performed once or twice a year.
A calibration assesses the balance’s performance under
operating conditions on site and must quantify mea-
surement uncertainty, which consists of assessing the
error of an indication, the influence of eccentricity and
the repeatability.

According to EURAMET cg-18, at least 4 weights evenly

distributed within the operating range should be used
for the error of indication plus an assessment of the zero
value.

While calibration states how a weighing device behaves, Figure 2: To ensure accurate and traceable weighing performance,
adjustment changes its behavior. Adjusting an instru- a correct balance testing regime should consist of calibration and
ment means modifying its indications in a way that al- preventative maintenance, routine testing and adjustment.

lows them to correspond – as much as possible – to the

quantity values of the measurement standards applied.

Internal Adjustment by the Balance

Automatic adjustment mechanisms built into weighing instruments consist of one or more reference weights and
a loading mechanism. Such a mechanism conveniently tests and adjusts the sensitivity of the weighing device
and is used to compensate for the impact of temperature changes on a measurement. However, although such
internal mechanisms allow a reduction in the frequency of tests with external reference weights, periodic perfor-
mance verification with external weights is still required.

Routine Testing by the User

Routine tests are measures undertaken by the instrument user to monitor performance and, if apparent, identify
potential problems between calibrations. They are conducted to verify a balance’s performance over time. The
frequency depends on a risk assessment of the weighing process. By uncovering malfunctions early, such tests
help to eliminate surprises at the next calibration service. Routine tests may include sensitivity, repeatability and
eccentricity tests using appropriate calibrated test weights. Tolerances or, in other words, warning and control
limits, depend on the accuracy requirements. Warning limits indicate when a device is nearing an out-of-specifi-
cation condition. Control limits alert the user when the device is no longer deemed fit for purpose.

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 The Four Pillars of Lab Balance Routine Testing
Balance Testing Guide

1. Testing Frequency

The recommended frequency of routine testing for any given balance will increase depending on the risk and
consequence of inaccurate results on the business and / or the health risk combined with the ability to trace back
errors.

The risk of inaccurate results can be assessed by answering the following questions:
• Business impact:
What is the impact of wrong or inaccurate weighing results on your business process? Consider loss of mate-
rial and time, out of specifications, rework, production stop, fines, product recall, unhappy customers, loss of
reputation, etc.
• Consumer impact:
What is the impact of wrong or inaccurate weighing results on people, animals or the environment?
• Probability of detection:
Is there a chance of detecting a wrong or inaccurate weighing result immediately and easily?

Unnecessary or incorrect balance routine tests can be avoided by investing in a GWP® Verification. This provides
a risk-based assessment of each balance, in order to recommend optimum calibration intervals and routine test-
ing based on risk and criticality, and gives answers to the following questions:
• How should I test my balance?
• How often should it be tested?
• Am I using the correct test weights?

GWP® Verification includes information about test methods, test intervals, test weights, test tolerances and pro-
vides standard operating procedures (SOPs) tailored to your specific processes.

Figure 3: GWP® Verification evaluates the accuracy of lab balances on site and provides information for regular calibration and routine testing.

www.mt.com/gwp-verification

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2. Test Methods and SOPs

To verify a balance’s weighing performance, tests should be conducted for sensitivity, repeatability and ec-
centricity. Sensitivity testing should be performed most often as it is a low-error, simple procedure, followed by
repeatability and eccentricity testing.

Sensitivity Test
Sensitivity tests are an integral part of the functional control of a measurement device. The sensitivity of the bal-
ance defines the degree of responsiveness to a change of load. In other words, the sensitivity defines the mini-
mal variation in mass the balance can detect. Measuring sensitivity is quick and simple, and is performed using
a calibrated test weight close to 100% of the balance capacity. For balances with an activated built-in automatic
adjustment mechanism, sensitivity tests with external weights can be carried out less frequently.

Repeatability Test
Repeatability tests are carried out less frequently than sensitivity tests, however they are important when weigh-
ing small samples because in low weighing ranges, repeatability is the largest contributor to measurement
uncertainty.

Repeatability is a measure of the ability of a balance to supply the same result in repetitive weighings with one
and the same load under the same measurement conditions. Balance repeatability is usually measured by per-
forming 6 to 10 replicate weighings using a test weight close to 5% of the balance capacity.

Note: Repeatability is highly affected by the ambient conditions (drafts, temperature fluctuations and vibrations)
and also by the skill of the person performing the weighing. Therefore, the series of measurements must be car-
ried out by the same operator, in the same location, under constant ambient conditions and without interruption.

Eccentricity Test
Eccentricity tests are recommended only when performing weighing processes of higher risk and very tight
weighing tolerances. The purpose of the eccentricity test is to ensure that every eccentric load deviation (corner-
load deviation) is within the weighing tolerances described in the relevant SOP. The eccentricity test assesses
the deviation of the measurement value through off-center (eccentric) loading. Eccentricity tests are carried out
with a test weight close to 100% of the balance capacity. Eccentricity errors can be minimized by handling the
sample correctly, e.g. placing it in the center of the weighing pan and by using balance accessories, such as
ErgoClips.

Standard Operating Procedures for Routine Balance Testing

SOPs for sensitivity, repeatability and eccentricity testing are available to download free of charge, and help to
ensure tests are performed correctly with few errors and in less time.

Figure 4: Download our freely available SOP recommendations for sensitivity, repeatability and eccentricity tests at:

www.mt.com/gwp-testing-SOP

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 3. Test Weights
Balance Testing Guide

GWP® states that testing at approximately 5% balance capacity for repeatability and at 100% balance capacity
for sensitivity and eccentricity is sufficient. Thus routine balance testing can be done with just two weights,
rather than a full weight set.

Specially designed weight sets like the CarePacs® only contain two test weights, which can be selected to match
your balance. Testing with just two weights saves a considerable amount of time. In addition, purchasing and
recalibration costs are significantly reduced.

Figure 5: Thanks to CarePacs®, you can test your balance with just two weights, rather than a full weight set, and still ensure consistently
accurate weighing results.

www.mt.com/carepacs

4. User Training

Today’s laboratory manager is not only responsible for ensuring accurate results and that measuring equipment
is regularly calibrated and properly maintained, they are also responsible for ensuring staff are properly trained.

Our standard and customized training packages for equipment operation and maintenance provide lab staff with
the necessary skills to conduct routine testing of equipment and maintain compliance.

Check out our free eLearning course “Balance Routine Testing”. This online training course provides practical in-
formation and tips on how to test a lab balance correctly, including how to assess the frequency of routine tests,
which test weights to use, how to perform each test step-by-step and how to interpret test results – all for free and
with a certificate of attendance for proof of competence.
www.mt.com/lab-elearning
 

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Automation and Digitalization: Schedule and Document
Routine Tests

As devices become “smarter”, procedures like routine balance tests are becoming more automated and docu-
mented. METTLER TOLEDO’s Excellence Level Balances, for example, are equipped with the GWP Approved qual-
ity assurance function. This function actively monitors the balance status regarding tests, adjustments, settings
and levelling. Whenever routine balance testing is due, it alerts users and guides them through the test proce-
dures step-by-step.

Figure 6: Excellence Level Balances go beyond weighing by supporting users with data management, traceability and regulatory
compliance.

All relevant data, including test results, is subsequently documented, and printed records are generated docu-
menting the scale’s weighing performance for full traceability.

Summary

Balances play a critical role in research, development, quality assurance and production. Errors in weight mea-
surements cost time and money, and violations of legal requirements may even cause damage to health and/or
the environment.

In order to build quality into laboratory results and comply with standards and regulations, the performance of
balances and scales needs to be verified at regular intervals. Periodic calibration by a service engineer com-
bined with regular, scheduled testing by the user according to defined SOPs are the best way of maintaining
accuracy, ensuring that balances and scales always perform within defined process tolerances. More and more
laboratories are realizing that it’s both less expensive and more efficient to build quality into laboratory results
from the start, rather than discovering problems later on.

This guide explains in detail the four pillars of balance routine testing: 1st test frequency, 2nd test procedures and
SOPs, 3rd test weights, 4th competent and trained personnel. Where relevant, links to helpful tools or further infor-
mation are given.

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Laboratory Weighing
Local contact: www.mt.com/contacts

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