Choosing the Best Washdown Scale for Your Needs

16/04/2020

Digital washdown scales are becoming increasingly popular, because they mean you can weigh accurately and keep your scales hygienic with ease.

Their robust stainless steel casing enables them to be thoroughly washed down after use, hence the name, without worry of liquid or other particles entering and damaging the internal components. They make it easier for the food industry, for example, to comply with food and hygiene standards, and have a professional appearance.

What Is a Washdown Scale?

It’s important to note that not all washdown scales are protected to the same level. IP68 scales, for example, have a much higher protection than IP65 scales. This relates to their capability of preventing ingress from liquids and particles.

At Marsden, we’ve tried to simplify the IP rating scale for our customers: we refer to IP65 scales as ‘wipedown’ because while they have protections against water ingress, they’re not as well protected as higher IP ratings, such as the IP67. We refer to these as splashproof, as they can endure more water than the IP65 scale. The IP68 scale is completely waterproof and is therefore ideal for a number of applications.

View our in depth guide to IP Ratings here.

Types of Washdown Scale

Bench Scales

Thanks to their compact size and increased portability, bench scales are ideal for a wide range of tasks. These scales are incredibly accurate; our Marsden B-450 Bench Scale is actually accurate to the nearest 0.1g. They can still boast a high capacity though, with many of our bench scales offering up to 30kg or even 150kg.

A number of our bench scales are washdown scales, and our Marden B-100 is rated IP68 - waterproof. This means it can be fully submerged in water during cleaning without breaking, which is something that we’ve actually tested with our customers J.H. Mann. Watch the video below to see it in action.

Floor Scales

Floor scales can handle larger loads than bench scales, going up to 300kg in capacity. They also tend to be sturdier and have greater longevity. Depending on the scale chosen, they can also offer parts counting, printing, data collection and process automation as additional features.

Retail Scales

IP ratings are perhaps the most important when it comes to retail scales to avoid cross contamination when selling products to customers. When weighing meat, fish and even vegetables, liquids and particles can contaminate the surface of your scales. That’s why a scale that can be thoroughly washed down after every use is vital for these scenarios.

The Marsden Digi DS-781SS is perfect for this situation. It’s IP68 rated, meaning that it’s fully waterproof, and it can store 99 PLUs for faster transactions. It’s ideal for weighing products that may be wet, or contain moisture, plus its IP68 rating increases its lifespan and its stainless steel construct makes it more resistant to corrosion. It’s also battery powered, so it's perfect for use on market stalls.

Platform Scales

When it comes to despatch and weighing goods as they leave your factory, warehouse or shop, IP rated scales could be key to keeping things clean and hygienic. Weighing larger loads can sometimes leave a mess behind on the scale, so it's necessary to have a scale that’s IP rated to ensure that they can be thoroughly cleaned down after weighing. Platform scales have a minimum capacity of 600kg, but can be ordered with as much as a 3 tonne capacity!

Our stainless steel platform scale is a large, robust and ideal for heavy duty weighing. It can be used in harsh environments and can be loaded via fork truck or pallet truck with its optional ramps.