standards

• Choosing the Correct Rocker Column Load Cell Cups

  September 3, 2019

    Load cells used in truck scales or rail scales are exposed to temperature-induced expansion and contraction. Canister load cell technology couldn’t account for the temperature-induced errors, so rocker column load cells were developed to replace them. Rocker column load cells have rounded upper and lower loading surfaces that are spaced out from the strain […]

• How to Increase Quality of Food Production and Avoid Potential Recalls

  August 12, 2019

    According to the USDA, 1.5 million pounds of meat & poultry were recalled in 2018 due to extraneous material (plastic fragments, metal shavings, latex pieces, or other foreign materials). “The average cost of a recall for a food company is $10M in direct costs” according to a joint study by the Food Marketing Institute […]

• How to Properly Store and Handle Test Weights

  October 3, 2018

  Test weights are used to perform calibrations. It is very important to maintain their accuracy, and to do so there needs to be proper handling and storage of the test weights. If their accuracy is compromised, then calibrations will be off and product will be out of spec.   Class 1-7 test weights are held […]

• 6 Reasons the Food & Beverage Industry Should Utilize Digital Data Recording

  September 5, 2018

    1.Better Planned Maintenance Digital data recording quantifies the performance of equipment or the production line by monitoring the amount of energy used in a batch. If energy use increases month to month, there could be a problem with the process. Being able to compare data will allow maintenance personnel to recognize when equipment is […]

• USP Standards and How We Can Help

  July 18, 2018

  If you are in an industry that is heavily regulated and relies on accurate weighing, then you have heard of the Food Drug Administration (FDA) and United States Pharmacopeia (USP). The FDA is a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that oversees the USP. The USP is a scientific, […]

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  The Kilogram will be Redefined in 2018: Here’s What You Need to Know

  August 2, 2017

  THIS IS MASSIVE “It’s not obvious that it’s a big deal, but it’s a big deal,” Chief of Quantum Measurement at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Jon Pratt, said. His comment regarding a platinum and iridium cylinder that sits under lock and key in Serves, France. This cylinder is no ordinary mass, […]

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  The Difference Between A2LA and NIST

  August 17, 2016

  As you know, Grand Rapids Metrology is A2LA accredited to ISO 17025 standards in numerous measurement calibrations such as temperature, humidity, mechanical metrology, dimensional metrology, and much more. In previous blog posts, we have discussed the basics of A2LA and why it is so important to us and to our customers. Likewise, we have discussed […]

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  What is A2LA and Why is it Important

  June 15, 2016

  If people were asked to guess what A2LA was an acronym for, most of them probably wouldn’t guess American Association for Laboratory Accreditations (well, at least not on their first try). Here at Grand Rapids Metrology, we not only know the acronym but we know who they are, why they are important, and how to obtain their […]