FLB FORELIBRA Analytical Balance High Precision 0.001g,1mg Accuracy Digital Electronic Lab Scale with Calibration,300gx0.001g

My office is across the hall from an analytical laboratory. I brought this balance in and did a side-by-side comparison against a Swiss made balance that retails for ~20x the cost of this balance. The comparison was done on a granite slab weighing bench to reduce vibrations. A polonium anti-static chip was also placed within the wind shield of the FLB balance.This first test was to check the calibration weight delivered with the balance. Using a high precision balance available in the lab, the FLB supplied 200 gram weight came out at 199.9958 g. A milligram balance, at a minimum, requires an ASTM class 2, 200 mg weight (200 +/- .001 g). After a small adjustment was made to the supplied weight it read 199.9998 g. This weight was then used to calibrate the FLB balance for the remainder of the test.The lab’s reference weights (200 g, 100 g, 50 g, 10 g, 5 g, 2 g, 200 mg, 100 mg, 50 mg, 20 mg, 5 mg) were read on both the FLB milligram balance and a Swiss made milligram balance. With the exception of the 5 mg weight, which the FLB could not detect, all weights were within 2 mg of the standard and within 2 mg of the reading from the Swiss made balance.Both balances were tested for eccentricity (weight placed at extreme edges of the weigh pan) using the lab’s 200 g reference weight. The FLB balance had one of the four readings over by 1 mg, with the remaining 3 at target. The Swiss made balance did not perform as well; however, it was noted after this test that the balance was not level (for all of the testing).In practical use the FLB balance is susceptible to static electrical charges, especially when weighing powders. This is why the anti-static chip was added for this test. I suspect that the lab’s balances are also susceptible as anti-static tools were readily available in the balance room. An anti-static chip was not used on the Swiss made balance as I expect additional technology in the balance is used to control the majority of static effects.This is incredible performance for a budget balance. The only drawback, which cost one star, is the out of tolerance condition of the 200 g calibration weight. In all, an impressive performance.**** UPDATE ****This balance appears to be designed to pass calibration and repeatability checks.I tested actual samples from a process with known variance of approximately 65 mg. Twenty one samples (21) were tested, all returning identical weight values (no variability). The value reported was identical to the first sample weighed. With each new sample the balance would drift until it hit the target value and then stop. Removing the sample resulted in a need to re-zero the balance.I tared each sample and recorded the negative value after removing the sample, however this did not give repeatable results.I was able to “trick” the balance by weighing the encased calibration weight between samples and saw expected variability with the test samples (target 10.238 g). Repeatability was +/- 5 mg. I attempted to weigh a new sample set (target 10.303 g) using this same technique but again found the balance drifting to an arbitrary target.

The glass enclosure is just a gimmick. The balance is nowhere near so sensitive as to need that kind of protection. Weirdly, there is no mg among the available units - you only get to weigh in grams. Annoying. Otherwise, however, it works ok.

When I try to weigh something with this it will always try to round the weight up or down to the nearest gram. I tried it with the cap for the calibration weight container and it will start out reading 7.964g and then it will slowly increase until it reads exactly 8.000g. When I remove the cap from the scale it doesn't go to 0.000g, it instead will go to 0.027g. It seems like this scale constantly thinks that it is calibrating and will not stop doing this, it just keeps rounding the weights that it is measuring and never gives and accurate reading. Honestly this balance is pretty much completely worthless, you can get better accuracy from a cheap $10 scale than you can from this.

The media could not be loaded.  This is the replacement scale. The first one ordered did the same thing. Followed instructions and let scale warm up for at least 30 minutes. Pressed Cal and placed 200g weight on and it showed 200g. Changed Unit to grain (gn), placed cup on scale and pressed Zero which scale reset to zero. As video shows, first weighed powder on AWS scale, than RCBS Load Master scale, back to AWS, than to FLB. But watch when I trickle powder into cup. FLB will not register one grain at a time, whereas my AWS will. Each grain of powder is approx 0.02 gn. The FLB jumps up when several grains are added. But it will not consistently hold the weight, even dropping back down to the original weight put on the scale. When the cup is removed, emptied and put back on the scale, it will not return to zero.Will be returning this scale as well.

You may not know a lot about digital scales, but what means the most is known as "resolution". How fine a scale's resolution is determines how precise it is. The most basic scales have a resolution of 1 gram. Still at the cheap end of scales you have models accurate to one tenth (.1) of a gram. Scales with even more resolution will be accurate to the hundredth of a gram (.01), and the most accurate scales which are available to the general public (generally) are accurate to the thousandth (.001) of a gram.This delightful gem is accurate to .001 gram, which puts it in the top tier of scales on the average consumer market. It has a fully glass enclosure to protect what's being weighed from breezes and air currents. Believe me, at .001 resolution, the slightest breeze will send your numbers bounding around. It has adjustable legs and a bubble level to get the scale itself as level as possible (very recommended). This is the most accurate scale I own, and it has a place in any environment that requires precise weight and mass measurements.