Weight Scale Accuracies / Tolerances

[GIJoe007]

I'm having trouble truly understanding how to apply calibration tolerances to various makes and models of load cell/strain gauge based weight scales.

I found and downloaded the NIST Handbook 44 - Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices but really that thing is so full of superfluous information I've not been able to really extract what I need out of it.

For example, a Mettler-Toledo Wildcat WS60LVR Floor Scale. . . 60kg span, 0. 02kg resolution. . . but what the heck's the accuracy?  Is it percentage of fs/iv based?  Is it a simple +/-kg value?

I don't know, but I'm really trying to do this "right," instead of just going "Eh. . . I'll calibrate it to a tolerance of +/-0. 04kg and call it a day. "

Any help would be appreciated. . .  :-D

[MIRCS]

Does it have a class number, like III, IIIL...etc?

[step30044]

That one is Class III

[MC Devastator]

I worked with Mettler Toledo for years and had many of the same hang ups you had.   What I used to do was gnats azz every calibration.   Then, I knew it was good.   Most scales take little or no time to cal, but you alreqady know that.

I got with one of our engineers and he summed it up like this, the indicator and the cells will have a cumulative error percentage.   Depending on the class of scale (Regrettably Hand book 44 is the bible on this. . . . . . . . <shaking head and weeping silently>)

I learned early on with scales that the best thing to do is to do a complete cal, snug in the load cells and get the cal as tight as possible.   Then there is no real argument.   Not much of an answer I am afraid.   But take the listed error for the cells, and the error for the meter.   That will ball park you.