{"id":11494,"date":"2022-12-27T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-27T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.misumiusa.com\/?p=11494"},"modified":"2023-03-23T12:28:46","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T17:28:46","slug":"stable-measurement-tips-for-microbalances-with-ad-weighing-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.misumiusa.com\/stable-measurement-tips-for-microbalances-with-ad-weighing-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Stable Measurement Tips for Microbalances with A&D Weighing Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A&D Weighing<\/a> has shared their pro tips and solutions when dealing with microbalances. This will be a 3 part series, read on for tips 1 thru 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The micro balance is an extremely sensitive device. Its scale interval of 1\u03bcg (microgram) is equivalent to 1\/1,000,000 of the weight of a paper clip (about 1g). Its resolution can reach as high as 1\/22,000,000, as with the BM-20 microbalance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With such high sensitivity, it should be no surprise that even the slightest disturbances caused by the set-up environment or the way the user interacts with the microbalance can significantly affect measurement<\/a> stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
A&D Weighing Microanalytical Balance Phoenix Series<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Tip #1: Avoid or isolate all possible sources of vibrations even when you cannot actually feel them.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Why?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microbalances are highly susceptible to minute vibrations, which can be caused by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Strong winds that sway the building (or adjacent buildings)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 High tides or waves near a seashore<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Movement of people, handcarts or forklifts, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Trains or automobiles running close by<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Distant earthquakes, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Vibrations such as those above are often indiscernible to humans but strong enough to make a microbalance unstable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a list of what you can do to minimize the effects of vibrations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Install the microbalance in a corner of the room next to a wall, but not touching it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The center of a room has weaker construction, and the floor tends to shake more easily. On the other hand, there are usually structural supports in the corners of a room which make them less likely to shake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Find an area where people\u2019s passage can be kept to a minimum.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If possible, a dead-end area with low foot traffic should be selected. Also, avoid an area near a door, whose opening and closing can cause disturbances such as vibrations and air movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Set-up the microbalance on a heavy, rigid workbench, where no activity other than weighing is to be conducted. A dedicated weighing table is best.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bench should be separated by a few centimeters from the wall and other workbenches\/tables in order to prevent vibrations being transmitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Use a passive anti-vibration table recommended by the balance manufacturer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note that active anti-vibration tables employing costly air suspension actually become a source of vibration themselves and are not suitable for use with microbalances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Do not perform measurements after (not to mention during) earthquakes or while a low-pressure system such as a thunderstorm is passing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is presently no established method of stabilizing low-frequency vibrations caused by these phenomena. Further, if the building is constructed as a quake-absorbing structure, once an earthquake occurs it may take several days for the microbalance to achieve stability again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Lower the weighing speed of the microbalance.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most balances today enable you to adjust the response characteristics whereby you can trade-off speed against stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, it is desirable that the place is far away from routes with high traffic or heavy objects moving, and on as low a floor as possible of a rigid building built on a solid foundation, preferably the ground floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
A&D Weighing Microanalytical Balance \u2013 Ion BM Series<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Tip #2: Ensure that the ambient temperature is stable.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Why?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changes in ambient temperature affect not just the measurement accuracy but also the stability of the zero point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The movement of the zero point is not normally apparent on the display while the balance\u2019s zero tracking is activated. However, a zero point that is drifting or fluctuating rapidly will easily affect results by seriously worsening the repeatability of a microbalance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
A&D Weighing Microanalytical Balance \u2013 Apollo GX-AE Series<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a list of what you can do to minimize the effects of temperature variation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Maintain the room temperature within a certain range. Use an air conditioner as necessary.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daily temperature fluctuations of 4\u00b0C or less (within 10 to 30\u00b0C) and short-term fluctuations of 0.2\u00b0C\/30 minutes or less are recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. At the same time, keep the microbalance away from the air conditioner vent and cover it with an external breeze break (draft shield).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While air conditioning can keep the temperature in the room at a steady level, it also generates airflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further, the on\/off control of the air conditioner around the set temperature can cause repeated temperature changes of about 0.5\u00b0C. Such airflows combined with minute temperature fluctuation will have a particularly destabilizing effect on a microbalance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a countermeasure, the microbalance should be arranged so that it is not directly hit by airflows. In addition to keeping a distance from the air conditioner, the use of a large, external breeze break that covers the entire microbalance unit has proven to be highly effective and is therefore strongly recommended. It is also a good idea to have a partition between the air conditioner and the set-up area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Keep any heat generating devices (e.g. furnace, lamp, etc.) far away from the microbalance, or if possible, out of the room.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you cannot move those devices, do not perform measurement while they are in operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Avoid installing the microbalance in areas close to external air (near windows, doors, etc.) or subject to direct sunlight.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, walls that have outside air on the other side often go below or above room temperature. For this reason, it is best to install the microbalance near a wall that has another room on its opposite side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Set up the microbalance on a non-metal workbench of low thermal conductivity.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The workbench should be separated by a few centimeters from the wall in order to prevent heat being transmitted, not to mention vibrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Find a large room for installation and limit the number of people entering at the time of measurement.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Human body heat can easily increase the temperature of a small room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
A&D Weighing Microanalytical Balance \u2013 Apollo GF-A Series<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Tip #3: Ensure that the ambient humidity is stable<\/strong>.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Why?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zero-point drift is also caused by moisture slowly being accumulated on or released from the weight sensor due to a shift in humidity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Control changes in humidity, using an air conditioner as necessary. Daily humidity fluctuations of 10% or less is recommended. To check out the selection of A&D Weighing products, visit our page here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A&D Weighing has shared their pro tips and solutions when dealing with microbalances. This will be a 3 part series, read on for tips 1 thru 3. The micro balance is an extremely sensitive device. Its scale interval of 1\u03bcg (microgram) is equivalent to 1\/1,000,000 of the weight of a paper clip (about 1g). Its resolution can reach as high […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":11510,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,1136],"tags":[1245,1295,342,1297,960,1296],"class_list":["post-11494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-mechanical-design","tag-ad-weighing","tag-balance","tag-design","tag-measurement-tips","tag-measuring","tag-microbalance"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t