Companies purchase scales because the value of goods entering or exiting a facility is based on their weight. Without assured scale accuracy, a company can lose thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars annually.

Depending on the requirements and type of weighing device, annual maintenance costs for a truck scale run anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000. If one compares that to the potential cost of weighing errors, most users find that a good scale maintenance program more than pays for itself; oftentimes it also pays for the actual cost of the scale.

To be most effective, a scale maintenance program must have five key components: use of a state-licensed service provider; conducting calibration using state-certified test weights with written calibration and test report for proof of accuracy; a thorough testing process; visual inspection services and minor repairs; and thorough reporting.

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