Ensure weighing accuracy with certified calibration weights

Ensure measurement reliability with certified test weights

Test weights are defined mass artefacts used to verify, adjust and document the performance of scales across production, laboratory and quality assurance environments. They provide the objective reference needed to confirm accuracy, repeatability and process reliability where documented results matter.

How test weights work and where they matter

Test weights serve as traceable references with fixed nominal values — for example 1 g, 100 g, 1 kg or 20 kg — and are manufactured to specific accuracy classes so that permitted deviations are known and comparable. In practice they are used to check a scale’s reading at one or several points within its range, to distinguish between calibration (checking and documenting deviation) and adjustment (setting the scale to read correctly). Typical situations include routine production checks, audit-prepared quality control, laboratory validation and fault-finding when instability, vibration or environmental factors affect readings.

Immediate performance gains for production and quality assurance

• increase measurement confidence by using weights matched to the application and scale resolution
• reduce downtime and troubleshooting time through systematic multi-point checks (lower, mid, upper range)
• protect process validity by choosing the correct accuracy class: E1, E2, F1, F2, M1, M2, M3
• limit handling-related error: use tweezers for small weights and clean gloves for larger items
• extend usable lifetime through disciplined storage in protective cases and regular control or recalibration

Why KERN & Sohn is the premium choice and how Metav supports you

KERN & Sohn brings a long heritage in precision weighing and measuring technology, offering extensive product ranges and services such as DAkkS-accredited calibration. Metav supplies these solutions with a practical focus: democratising precision by making traceable measuring tools available to workshops and specialist buyers across Europe. With over 48,000 customers, more than 250,000 products and a logistics and quality filter based in Emmerich, Metav combines specialist selection with dependable supply for industry and trade.

Technical data at a glance

• nominal values: 1 g, 100 g, 1 kg, 20 kg
• accuracy classes: E1, E2, F1, F2, M1, M2, M3
• typical applications: quality assurance; production; laboratory
• handling: tweezers for small weights; clean gloves for larger weights
• storage: protective case; dust-free environment
• check routine: lower, middle, upper range
• purpose: calibration (check & document); adjustment (set scale)

FAQ

What exactly are test weights?
Test weights are defined mass artefacts with fixed nominal values that are used to check, adjust or document scale performance within quality assurance and calibration workflows.

Which accuracy classes are available and when should I use them?
Accuracy classes range from E1/E2 for the highest demands, through F1/F2 for precise everyday applications, to M1–M3 for robust industrial or platform scales. Select the class that matches the required measurement uncertainty and the operating environment.

How often should I check my scale with test weights?
Frequency depends on the criticality of the process: critical operations often require daily or per-shift checks, while less critical applications may use weekly or monthly intervals; always check after location changes or suspect readings.

Why must test weights not be touched with bare hands?
Skin oils and moisture alter surface mass and can introduce measurable errors, especially for small nominal values. Use tweezers or clean gloves to maintain traceability and reliability.

What is the practical difference between calibration and adjustment when using test weights?
Calibration documents how far a scale deviates from the nominal value; adjustment actively corrects the scale to bring it back into tolerance. Both processes make use of test weights but serve different quality objectives.

Metav and KERN & Sohn provide the products, documentation and calibration pathways to integrate test weights into routine quality assurance — ensuring your measurements remain verifiable, repeatable and audit-ready.