As part of our Lab Products Survey series, Lab Manager Magazine has compiled the responses of 460 lab professionals regarding the use of laboratory balances in the lab.Today’s analytical lab balance is a product of over 60 years of continuous innovation from a handful of equipment manufacturers around the globe. Each improvement has aimed to increase the analytical lab balance’s precision, accuracy or reliability for researchers. The origins of the modern analytical lab balance date back to the short-beam analytical assay balance produced by Sartorius in the early 1900s.
Balances and scales used in laboratories today come in various shapes and sizes. Although often used interchangeably, scales and balances have different uses. A balance compares the mass of two sets of objects, while a scale determines the mass of an object or set of objects. The most common types in use today are beam balances, spring balances, top-loading balances, analytical balances, precision scales, and moisture analyzers.
In purchasing a new lab balance, respondents identified accuracy, versatility of use, and the need for precision as the most important factors that influence the decision-making process.
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If you would like to participate in our laboratory equipment purchasing surveys, please visit www.labmanager. com/surveys
