Ntep Scales - The Legal For Trade Certified Scales

By Author: Alfred Ferrell
Total Articles: 39
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Legal for Trade scales are generally considered those scales which are intended by the manufacturer for use in commercial applications where product is sold by weight. Legal for Trade is also known as NTEP Approved or complies with Handbook 44. Legal for trade scales are approved weighing machines to be used primarily in businesses that sell products by weight. It makes better and fair business sense to use legal for trade weighing and measuring machines for commercial as well as non-commercial activities. Using approved weighing and measuring equipment ensures uniformity so a certain product weighs the same everywhere and on any type of weighing machine. This helps avoid price related ambiguity.

The National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) managed by the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) is responsible for defining legal for trade scales. It evaluates and certifies all new weighing products to be introduced in the market. Many States require NTEP certification prior to installation of a measuring device.

The fact that a weighing machine is a legal for trade scale indicates that it has passed certain ...
... quality tests and adheres to protocols designed specifically for measuring objects. Before certifying a balance as legal for trade, it is tested for accuracy more than 100,000 times with a load of half its capacity. Other tests carried out are effects of temperature and a specific voltage range.

Legal for Trade scales are intended for use in commercial applications where a product is sold by weight. Commercial applications will generally come under the definition of the various weights and measures jurisdictions, NIST Handbook 44 and NIST Handbook 130. Each State's weights and measures jurisdiction have adopted Handbook 44, except in instances where an individual State has adopted a more specific language to define "commercial". Such scales are designed to be used in commercial applications and they meet all requirements of NIST Handbook 44 and applicable State and Local Weights and Measures requirements. Before buying expensive merchandise like gems, consumers must check the scale and make sure they are Legal for Trade. You may not get what you pay for if you buy merchandise weighed by any other device. You can learn more at http://denisson01.bravejournal.com/entry/102491