Explore the Analytical Balances
Highly precise laboratory balances for measuring mass, typically designed with an enclosed measuring pan to avoid the influences of dust and air currents; may include vibration resistance, data transfer, automation, and capacity range options.
Analytical Balances Benefits
Why Analytical Balance?
Analytical balances are the most used balances in a laboratory. They have a maximum weighing capacity between 60 g and 520 g, coming with a readability of 0.1 mg they are commonly used for weighing small samples. Sometimes lab balances with a readability of 0.01 mg or 10 µg are also called analytical balances. To meet the requirements of your specific application, specially designed weighing pans, sample holders, and software applications are available to simplify your weighing processes and lab workflows.
Analytical Balance vs Precision Balance
An analytical balance is more accurate than a precision balance. An analytical balance comes with a readability of 0.1 mg or 0.0001 g, whereas a precision balance typically has readability of ≥1 mg or ≥0.001 g. So an analytical balance has at least a 10-times higher readability compared to a precision balance.
Analytical Balance Services
The demands on compliant, reliable, and accurate laboratory data are steadily increasing in all industry segments. With our certified and accredited services, we support and service your laboratory weighing equipment through its entire life-cycle. We guarantee the longevity of your equipment, reduce downtime to limit production losses, and help to obtain faster and constantly reproducible results.
Cubis® II Analytical Balance 360° Viewer
Frequently Asked Questions for Analytical Balance
Analytical balances are sensitive lab instruments designed to accurately measure mass. Their readability is 0.1mg. Sometimes also semi-micro balances with readability of 0.01mg are included in this term. Normally Analytical balances are equipped with a draft shield to prevent that the weighing process is not affected by air currents.
It is critical that you monitor and calibrate your analytical balance regularly. You can use automatic internal calibration (isoCAL) but additionally to this, it is recommended to calibrate the balance with external certified weights as well. The frequency of external calibration depends on numerous factors, e.g.
- Frequency of usage: calibration should be done more often if the balance is used daily, as compared to the scales which are used on a weekly basis. If you use the balances daily, they should be calibrated at least once a day.
- Changing environmental conditions: if a balance is kept in changing environmental conditions or the scales are located in a place close to vibration source, AC system, in front of window, next to a door etc. we recommend to calibrate the balance more often.
- Importance of the accuracy of the weighing results:
- Manufacturer´s recommendation
- Relocation: your balance or scale must be calibrated after relocation. Why? Gravity is not the same everywhere on Earth, therefore every place in the world is positioned differently to “magnetic north” This results in slight gravitational differences, depending on a particular location’s altitude compared to sea level. As balances measure the force of gravity pulling the mass toward the center of the Earth, as soon as you relocate your balance (e.g. even to a different floor), the balance will display a different value, as the force will vary.
Analytical balances combine high measuring accuracy with a short measuring time of only a few seconds. They are predestined for routine use in a wide range of applications in many laboratories. They are used for example in back weighing procedures, totalizing, averaging, and dosing applications or generally in sample preparation for subsequent analytics.
An analytical balance comes with a readability of 0.1 mg, whereas a precision balance typically has readability of ≥1 mg. So an analytical balance has at least a 10-times higher readability compared to a precision balance.
Just determine the number of digits specified for your weighing instrument’s resolution, then check the graph below for the particular accuracy class that your weight must have. The nominal mass value of your weight should be more than 80% of the maximum capacity of your weighing instrument.
Example: Suppose your weighing instrument has a maximum capacity of 2,200 g and a readability of 0.01 g. This yields 220,000 digits, which correspond to a class E2 weight. Select 2,000 g as the nominal mass value.
Put the balance in stand-by mode, perform the necessary cleaning steps, careful not to leave residue on the pan. Complete the step with calibration of the balance and perform the daily check.
Sartorius’s lab balances are designed to follow US FDA data integrity principles that require data to be accurate, legible, contemporaneous, original, and attributable (ALCOA).
The Cubis® II balance, with pharma package, contains all the technical controls to support full compliance with common regulations.
Download the white paper: Cubis II Pharma Compliant by Design