Viscometer Price and Types: How to Choose an A&D SV Tuning-Fork Viscometer

Viscometer price at MNM Scales starts at $1,998.00 (in stock) for the A&D SV-100 tuning-fork viscometer (1,000 to 100,000 cP), and the SV-10 covers thin to medium liquids from 0.3 to 10,000 cP.

Reviewed by MNM Scales technicians · Updated November 1, 2026 · Prices checked November 1, 2026

Paint and coatings labs, food plants, cosmetics makers and oil and lubricant labs all check viscosity for quality control. This guide explains the three viscometer types you will see quoted, the cP range each A&D SV model covers, how much sample each needs, and what each model costs at MNM Scales, so you can match the instrument to the job. MNM Scales has sold, calibrated and repaired scales and balances for over 30 years from our shop in Cypress, Texas.

Viscometer types: tuning-fork, rotational and cup

Type	How it measures	Where it fits
Tuning-fork (vibro)	Two thin sensor plates vibrate at 30 Hz in the sample; the drive current needed to hold a constant amplitude gives the viscosity	Fast QC readings, very low viscosities, foams and flowing or stirred samples, with temperature read at the same time
Rotational	A spindle or rotor turns in the sample at a set speed and the instrument reads the torque	Methods written around a spindle and speed; a set of rotors covers the range
Cup (flow or efflux cup)	You time how long a set volume of liquid takes to drain through the cup’s orifice	Quick checks of thin, free-flowing liquids such as paints and inks at the line

A&D notes that a rotational viscometer uses several rotors to cover a wide range, while its SV and SV-A tuning-fork models measure continuously from very low to high viscosity on the same fixed sensor plates. The plates move less than 1 mm, so they add very little heat or shear to the sample, which lets you follow a liquid as it changes, for example from sol to gel. See A&D’s SV Series page and the SV-A brochure (PDF).

cP, mPa·s and Pa·s

One centipoise (cP) equals one millipascal-second (mPa·s), and 1,000 cP equals 1 Pa·s. Water at room temperature is about 1 cP. The SV-10 and SV-10A read down to 0.3 cP, about one third of the viscosity of water, and the SV-100 and SV-100A read thick fluids up to 100,000 cP (100 Pa·s).

Viscometer price: A&D SV models in stock at MNM Scales

Model	Range	Minimum sample	Included with the viscometer	Price
A&D SV-10	0.3 to 10,000 cP (mPa·s)	35 mL	AC adapter, WinCT-Viscosity software, 4 sample cups, RS-232C cable, 1.5 m connection cable	$2,998
A&D SV-100	1,000 to 100,000 cP (1 to 100 Pa·s)	35 mL	AC adapter, WinCT-Viscosity software, 4 sample cups, RS-232C cable, 1.5 m connection cable	$1,998
A&D SV-10A	0.3 to 10,000 cP (mPa·s)	10 mL	Stand, X-Y-Z stage, cup set, software with serial-USB converter, AC adapter, 1.5 m cable, carrying case	$5,459
A&D SV-100A	1,000 to 100,000 cP (1 to 100 Pa·s)	10 mL	Stand, X-Y-Z stage, cup set, software with serial-USB converter, AC adapter, 1.5 m cable, carrying case	$4,688

All four share the A&D tuning-fork method at 30 Hz, a repeatability of 1 percent of the reading, temperature readout from 0 to 160 °C in 0.1 °C steps, a vacuum fluorescent display and an RS-232C output. Accuracy after calibration with a standard fluid is plus or minus 3 percent from 1 to 1,000 mPa·s on the SV-10 and SV-10A, and plus or minus 5 percent from 1 to 10 Pa·s on the SV-100 and SV-100A.

Accessories and spare cups

• A&D AX-SV-54 cup set for SV-10A and SV-100A ($349): 45 mL and 10 mL polycarbonate cups, 13 mL glass cups, a stainless glass-cup holder and a water jacket. One set comes with the SV-10A and SV-100A; order this one as a spare or replacement set.
• A&D AX-SV-33 45 mL polycarbonate sample cups, 10 pack ($79): spare cups for the SV and SV-A models, sold separately (not included).
• Standard viscosity liquids for calibration and the 5 m sensor extension cable are sold separately (not included); ask us for a quote.

Which A&D SV viscometer fits your job

• Paint, coatings, inks and adhesives: for liquids up to 10,000 cP, choose the SV-10 or SV-10A. A&D lists coating materials, inks and adhesives among the SV-A applications.
• Food and beverages: the SV-10 and SV-10A read thin drinks and egg white, and A&D notes the thin plates measure foaming samples without breaking the fine foam. For products above 10,000 cP, step up to the SV-100 or SV-100A.
• Cosmetics and personal care: measure a known batch first: products up to 10,000 cP fit the SV-10 or SV-10A, and thicker creams and gels up to 100,000 cP fit the SV-100 or SV-100A.
• Petrochemical, lubricants and engine oil: A&D lists the temperature dependence of lubricants and engine oil as an SV-A application. Because the SV reads temperature at the plates, you can log viscosity against temperature in WinCT-Viscosity.
• Small or costly samples: the SV-10A and SV-100A work from 10 mL, compared with 35 mL for the SV-10 and SV-100.

SV-10 and SV-100 or SV-10A and SV-100A?

All four use the same sine-wave vibro method. The SV-A versions add a stand for the sensor unit, an X-Y-Z stage that positions small cups precisely, a full cup set with a water jacket, a serial-USB converter and a carrying case, and they measure from 10 mL. The SV-10 and SV-100 cost less at MNM Scales today, so they suit labs that measure in 45 mL cups or straight in a beaker. Both versions read viscosity and temperature together and send data to a PC over RS-232C (see how to connect a scale or balance to a computer).

Temperature control

Viscosity changes with temperature, by roughly 2 to 10 percent per °C according to A&D, so record the temperature with every reading. The water jacket in the AX-SV-54 cup set connects to a constant-temperature water bath (sold separately, not included) to hold the sample between 0 and 100 °C.

Viscometer calibration, records and rentals

An A&D SV viscometer takes a one-point or two-point calibration with standard viscosity liquids or a sample of known viscosity, and the SV-10 and SV-10A add a one-key simplified calibration with purified water near 1 mPa·s. Keep the calibration date and standard lot with your QC records, and recheck during long runs as the SV-10/SV-100 manual (PDF) recommends.

• Lab balance calibration: the balance you use to weigh samples and mix standards can ship or come in for in-house calibration with a certificate ($95) or NIST calibration with a NIST-traceable certificate ($395) for balances up to 2.2 kg. See balance calibration in Houston and NIST vs in-house certificates.
• On-site service: $295 + $2 per mile per visit across the Houston area, with calibration priced per scale; see on-site calibration in Houston.
• Mail-in: ship balances and scales to our Cypress shop from anywhere; see mail-in calibration.
• Rentals and repair: we rent all types of scales for short projects and repair the brands we sell.
• Intervals: see how often to calibrate for balances and scales used in QC.

Rules for the scales in the same lab

A viscometer is a QC instrument. If your plant also sells product by weight, the scale at that counter or packing line is a commercial device in Texas. TDA does not require an NTEP certificate for every device, but the scale must meet NIST Handbook 44 and suit its use; some scales do need one, so we recommend NTEP models and can check yours. TDA explains this in Legal for Trade Scales in the State of Texas (PDF); see our NTEP guide, TDA scale certification guide and legal-for-trade scale calibration in Texas.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a viscometer cost?

At MNM Scales today, A&D tuning-fork viscometers cost $1,998 for the SV-100, $2,998 for the SV-10, $4,688 for the SV-100A and $5,459 for the SV-10A. Prices change, so the product page shows the current price.

What are the main viscometer types?

Tuning-fork (vibro) viscometers measure the drive current of two vibrating plates, rotational viscometers measure the torque on a turning spindle, and cup viscometers time how long a liquid takes to drain from a cup.

What is the difference between the SV-10 and SV-100?

The SV-10 measures 0.3 to 10,000 cP for thin to medium liquids. The SV-100 measures 1,000 to 100,000 cP (1 to 100 Pa·s) for thick fluids. Both use the A&D tuning-fork method and need a 35 mL sample.

What do the SV-10A and SV-100A add?

The SV-A versions measure from a 10 mL sample and come with a stand, an X-Y-Z stage, a cup set with a water jacket, a serial-USB converter and a carrying case. Ranges match the SV-10 and SV-100.

Does an A&D SV viscometer measure temperature?

Yes. A temperature sensor sits between the sensor plates and reads 0 to 160 °C in 0.1 °C steps at the same time as viscosity.

How is an A&D SV viscometer calibrated?

With a one-point or two-point calibration using standard viscosity liquids or a sample of known viscosity. The SV-10 and SV-10A also offer a simplified calibration with purified water.

Is MNM Scales an A&D dealer?

Yes. MNM Scales is an authorized A&D Weighing dealer and stocks the SV-10, SV-100, SV-10A and SV-100A with cups and cup sets.