A Glossary of Terms
A Glossary of Terms
European Union (EU) Trade Approval. According to EU regulation 90/384 EEC balances must be approved or verified officially if they are to be used as follows:
a) in commercial business if the price of a product is determined by weighing.
b) for the production of medicine in pharmacies as well as for analysing purposes in a medical and pharmaceutical laboratory
c) for official purposes such as determining fees, duties and penalties. Furthermore for expert reports for courts.
d) during the production of ready packages
Each balance is checked by the relevant Weights and Measures authority and issued with a verification stamp. With this the accuracy within the framework of the permissible tolerance is confirmed. The area of validity includes all member states of the EU.
IP Codes. IEC Standard 60529 classifies the protection provided by the enclosures of equipment. Full meanings of the classifications are contained in the key on this page.
Metrology. The theory of weights and measures, dimensional units and measuring systems.
OIML. Organisation Internationale de M?ologie L?le. This organisation regulates metrologic concerns in weighing standards (metrology). See the OIML weight standards.
Overload / Under load display. Seen in the display unit of a balance in cases of overloading or under loading.
Parts counting of individual parts: counts the number of parts being weighed by automatically forming the average weight of each part from a quantity of reference pieces. The higher the number of reference pieces used at the start, the greater the counting accuracy.
Percentage determination. Calculates weight as percentage of the reference weight. For example, the reference weight of a sample before drying is 50g = balance display 100%. After drying the weight is 40g = balance display 80% absolute (dry mass) or 20% relative (humidity).
Tare. Possibility of setting the weight display of a container standing on the weighing plate back to zero. Can be repeated as often as required on electronic balances. Tare is subtractable, i.e. the available weighing range is reduced by the tare weight. Example: Weighing range max. 6000g, tare (=container) 470g, available weighing range = 5530g.
Tare weight. Weight of the packaging of an item to be weighed or a transport container or a container in general.
Taring, automatic. When the tare pan is put in place the balance immediately displays zero.
Test weights. Weights used for testing, adjusting or calibrating weighing equipment from high resolution, high precision balances to mechanical platform scales. See OIML calibration weights
Tolerance ranges. Equipment with this facility allows the lower and upper tolerance limits to be programmed individually, with the tolerance check displaying the value over or under the limits.
IP Codes in accordance with IEC 60529
Specification for degrees of protection provided by enclosures
IEC standard 60529 describes a uniform system for classifying the degrees of protection provided by the enclosures of equipment with a rated voltage not exceeding 72.5 kV.
It gives definitions for degrees of protection of persons against access to hazardous parts inside the enclosure, and protection of equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects and water.
The degree of protection provided by an enclosure is indicated by the International Protection or IP Code and the standard defines the precise meaning of each characteristic letter/numeral, as summarised in the table overleaf.
There are several different uses of IP Codes, as described in IEC 60529. IP Codes can have the following arrangement:
1. First character only, such as IP 3X,
2. Second character only, such as IP X4, or
3. Both characters, such as IP 34.
The IP Codes used on the web site are:
IP Code Catalogue description used
IP 67 Dust-tight and water-proof to IP 67 rating - protected against temporary immersion
IP 65 Dust-tight and water-protected to IP 65 rating - protected against water jetting
IP 54 Dust-protected and splash-proof to IP 54 rating
IP 43 Protects against solid foreign objects and spraying water
to IP 43 rating
IP 40 Protects against solid foreign objects of 1.0mm diameter
and greater to IP 40 rating
IP Codes in accordance with IEC 60529
Full meanings for degrees of protection provided by enclosures
Element Code Meaning
letters
Code letters IP -
1st numeral Protection against ingress of foreign objects
0 Non-protected
1 Protects against solid foreign objects of
50 mm diameter and greater
2 Protects against solid foreign objects of
12.5 mm diameter and greater
3 Protects against solid foreign objects of
2.5 mm diameter and greater
4 Protects against solid foreign objects of
1.0 mm diameter and greater
5 Dust-protected
6 Dust-tight
2nd numeral Protection against ingress of water
0 Non-protected
1 Protects against vertically falling water drops
2 Protects against vertically falling water drops as
the enclosure is tilted 15 degrees
3 Protects against spraying water
4 Protects against splashing water
5 Protects against low pressure water jetting from any
direction - limited ingress permitted
6 Protects against powerful water jetting
7 Protects against temporary immersion in water between 15cm and 1m
8 Protects against continuous immersion in water
1st additional letter
A Protects against access with back of hand
B Protects against access with finger
C Protects against access with tool
D Protects against access with wire
Supplementary letter
H, M, Supplementary specific information
S, W