Food Processing Scales: A Station-by-Station Plant Guide

By MNM Scales · Last updated October 31, 2026

Reviewed by MNM Scales technicians · Updated October 31, 2026 · Prices checked October 31, 2026

A food plant weighs product at almost every step, from the dock to the shipping label, and each step asks something different of the scale. MNM Scales has supplied, calibrated and repaired scales for over 30 years. From our Cypress, Texas shop we work with food manufacturers and distributors, seafood businesses and pecan companies across Houston and Texas. This guide walks through a plant station by station: receiving, batching, portioning, packaging and the calibration records your food safety plan depends on. For what IP65, IP68 and IP69K mean, see our washdown scales guide; this page focuses on which scale goes where.

Food processing scales by station

Station	What the scale does	What to look for	Our pick
Receiving and raw materials	Checks incoming weights against the bill of lading	Stainless washdown floor scale, NTEP when weights settle payment	4 x 4 ft washdown floor scale
Batching and formulation	Weighs ingredients to the recipe, from spices to bulk	Fine readability for minors, sealed bench scales for bulk	GX-6002AWP, HV-60KCWP, SC-150KAM
Portioning and trimming	Hits a target portion weight, line after line	IP68 or IP69K, comparator lights, NTEP if sold by weight	SW-15KMF, SW-15KSF, SE-60KAM, C3236
Packaging and net content	Confirms each pack meets its label weight	Checkweighing lights, tare memory, NTEP for packs sold by weight	FS-15Ki, SW-15KMF
Shipping	Weighs finished cases and pallets	Floor or bench scale with an output to your system	Washdown floor scale, HV-60KCWP

Receiving: washdown floor scales

Our stainless steel washdown floor scale ($4,899) is a 4 x 4 ft, 5,000 lb platform, NTEP Class III, with a top that lifts up for cleaning underneath. It comes with the Detecto Storm 190 indicator, rated IP69K, with a 1 in backlit LCD, RS-232 output and color-coded checkweighing. Use it to check pallets, combos and totes against the paperwork before product enters the plant. See more in floor scales, NTEP stainless steel floor scales and our floor scale buying guide.

Batching and formulation

• A&D GX-6002AWP ($2,403): 6200 g x 0.01 g with internal calibration, an IP65 housing and a 165 mm stainless pan. RS-232C and USB send weights to batch records. Good for spices, cures, colors and other minor ingredients.
• A&D HV-60KCWP ($965): triple range, 30 lb x 0.01 lb, 60 lb x 0.02 lb and 150 lb x 0.05 lb, NTEP Class III, IP65, 13 x 16.7 in stainless pan and a 5-step LED comparator for filling to a target. AC adapter included.
• A&D SC-150KAM ($879): 330 lb x 0.05 lb, NTEP and Measurement Canada approved, IP68 with an all-stainless base, column and pan, and about 4,500 hours on six D batteries (not included). Good for bags and tubs of bulk ingredients.

When a weight controls a food safety step, such as measuring curing salts or acidulants, that scale is part of your HACCP monitoring, so give it a daily check and a calibration schedule.

Portioning and trimming

• A&D SW-15KMF ($1,498) and SW-15KSF ($1,398): 33 lb x 0.005 lb, NTEP Class III and Measurement Canada approved, IP69K for high-pressure, high-temperature cleaning (1450 psi, 175 °F). The frame, load cell and pan are all stainless. The 5-color comparator lights help portioners hit the target. The KMF has an 11.8 x 15.0 in platform and the KSF a 9.8 x 9.8 in platform.
• A&D SE-60KAM ($739): 130 lb x 0.02 lb, NTEP Class III, IP68 with an 11.8 x 15 in stainless pan, running about 500 hours on six D batteries (not included). Good for larger portions, trim and lugs.
• Brecknell C3236 ($198): 30 lb x 0.002 lb, IP68 304 stainless, low, OK and high lights with a buzzer, and an AC adapter included. It is a general-purpose checkweigher for in-plant checks, not NTEP approved; for portions sold by weight, choose the SW-15KMF or SE-60KAM.

For IP ratings and cleaning, see our washdown scales guide, or browse every model in washdown food scales and food scales.

Packaging and net content

Packaged food has to contain at least the net quantity on its label, on average across a lot, and inspectors check packages using NIST Handbook 133. A packing-line scale weighs each pack, subtracts the tare of the container and film, and shows whether the pack is under, OK or over. The A&D FS-15Ki ($929) is an NSF-listed, IP65 checkweigher with 35 lb x 0.002 lb readability, a 9.8 x 9.8 in pan, LO, OK and HI lights with a buzzer, and 100 memories for product targets. It runs on AC power; the battery and RS-232C or relay output are sold separately (not included). For packs sold by weight, use an NTEP model such as the SW-15KMF. Our checkweigher scale guide covers set-up, and more models are in checkweighing scales.

Compare food processing scales in stock

Scale	Capacity x readability	Key rating	Best for	Price
Washdown stainless floor scale, 4 x 4 ft	5,000 lb	NTEP Class III; IP69K indicator; lift-up top	Receiving and shipping	$4,899
A&D SC-150KAM	330 lb x 0.05 lb	NTEP, IP68, all stainless	Bulk ingredients	$879
A&D HV-60KCWP	150 lb x 0.05 lb (triple range)	NTEP Class III, IP65	Batching to a target	$965
A&D GX-6002AWP	6200 g x 0.01 g	IP65, internal calibration	Minor ingredients	$2,403
A&D SW-15KMF	33 lb x 0.005 lb	NTEP Class III, IP69K	Portioning on wet lines	$1,498
A&D SW-15KSF	33 lb x 0.005 lb	NTEP Class III, IP69K	Compact portioning	$1,398
A&D SE-60KAM	130 lb x 0.02 lb	NTEP Class III, IP68	Trim and lugs	$739
Brecknell C3236	30 lb x 0.002 lb	IP68, check lights	In-plant checks	$198
A&D FS-15Ki	35 lb x 0.002 lb	NSF listed, IP65, check lights	Packing lines	$929

Rules: when a food scale must be legal for trade

Weighing for your own recipes, yields and inventory is process weighing. Once a price, invoice or package label depends on the weight, the scale is used in trade and must meet NIST Handbook 44. 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).

• For receiving by weight, sold-by-weight portions and package labels, choose an NTEP model such as the floor scale, SW-15KMF, SE-60KAM or SC-150KAM, or browse NTEP bench scales. Learn more in what NTEP legal for trade means.
• In Texas, our TDA-registered technicians can calibrate and place a commercial scale in service. See legal-for-trade calibration in Texas and our TDA scale certification guide.
• Check a scale with the free Texas legal-for-trade scale checker, or see how far a reading may drift with the scale tolerance calculator.

HACCP and SQF calibration records for food processing scales

Food safety audits such as SQF and other GFSI schemes ask you to calibrate measuring equipment on a schedule, check it between calibrations and keep the records. A simple program covers every scale in the plant:

• A scale list: each scale’s ID, location, capacity, readability and the tolerance you accept.
• Daily or per-shift checks with a known check weight, logged with the reading, the date and who checked it.
• Scheduled calibration with a certificate showing as-found and as-left readings, the test weights used and the next due date.
• Corrective action when a check fails: tag the scale, hold product weighed since the last good check, and recalibrate or repair.

See how often to calibrate, what scale calibration costs and NIST certificate vs in-house. Every scale above can ship calibrated; the tier depends on maximum capacity.

Capacity	Models	In-house + certificate	NIST + certificate
Up to 2.2 kg	Small portion and lab scales	$95	$395
2.2 to 6.2 kg	GX-6002AWP	$195	$495
6.2 to 35 kg	SW-15KMF, SW-15KSF, C3236, FS-15Ki	$250	$595
35 to 150 kg	HV-60KCWP, SE-60KAM, SC-150KAM	$350	$750
Over 150 kg	Washdown floor scale	$495	$995

• On-site service: $295 + $2 per mile per visit across the Houston area, with calibration charged per scale, so one visit can cover every scale on your list. Our technicians bring their own test weights for floor scales. On-site calibration details.
• Plant scales: see industrial scale calibration in Houston.
• Mail-in calibration: ship bench scales to us from anywhere. How mail-in calibration works.
• Check weights: keep one at each station; see calibration weights (not included with scales).
• Repairs: we repair the brands we sell.

Scale rentals

Need extra scales for a seasonal run, a new line trial or while yours is being serviced? MNM rents all types of scales. Call (832) 290-3120 or request a quote.

Frequently asked questions

What scales does a food processing plant need?

Most plants use a washdown floor scale at receiving, bench scales and a fine-reading balance for batching, IP68 or IP69K scales for portioning, checkweighing scales on packing lines and a floor or bench scale at shipping. Match each station, then pick capacity and readability.

Which scale is best for portioning meat, poultry or seafood?

For wet lines with high-pressure cleaning, the A&D SW-15KMF ($1,498) is IP69K and NTEP Class III with 33 lb x 0.005 lb readability and comparator lights. For larger portions, the IP68 SE-60KAM ($739) weighs 130 lb x 0.02 lb.

Do food processing scales need to be NTEP approved?

It depends on use. Scales for your own recipes and yields are process scales, while scales used to buy, sell or label by weight must meet NIST Handbook 44. 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.

How do scales fit into a HACCP plan?

When a weight controls a food safety step, such as measuring curing salts or acidulants, the scale is part of monitoring. Keep a scale list, log daily checks with a known weight, calibrate on a schedule with certificates and record corrective actions.

What calibration records do SQF audits look for?

Auditors look for a calibration schedule, certificates showing as-found and as-left readings and the test weights used, logs of routine checks and what you did when a scale was out of tolerance.

How do I check net contents on packaged food?

Weigh each pack on a checkweighing scale with the container and film tared off, so it shows under, OK or over against the label weight. Inspectors use NIST Handbook 133 to check packages, and packs sold by weight should be weighed on an NTEP scale.

Can MNM Scales calibrate all the scales in our plant?

Yes. On-site service is $295 + $2 per mile per visit across the Houston area, with calibration charged per scale and certificates for your records. We also offer in-house and mail-in calibration, and MNM rents all types of scales.