History of Weighing Scales

Weighing scales were invented during the historical times. It is believed that the first weighing balance was used in the Mesopotamia Civilization in 4000 BC A weighing scale was the very basic need of any barter system in recent times. Few simple techniques evolved as units of measurement became popular. A weighing scale served the basic function of compare the masses of two objects or two different goods during the old ages. The first weighing scale was made of wood and it was actually a weighing balance. It consisted of two wooden containers to keep the goods in them and both these containers were connected to each other through a wire or iron rod. Now the goods were put in the containers and the balanced weight was achieved when both the containers rested at the same level.

With the beginning of the trade era, need of an accurate weighing balance became very vital. The first- ever weighing balance of the modern times was built and designed by the great artist Leonardo Da Vinci in the late 15th century. People started making certain innovations and in 1770, Richard Salter, a British citizen designed his first spring balance to measure small and medium objects. 68 years later, after numerous modifications and improvements, he patented his spring balance in 1838.

After that, the new generation of the spring scales came into picture. It was known as strain balances, which consisted of a strain gauge and measured the electrical resistance caused by the object to be weighed. These spring balances were far better than their predecessors were and they had more accuracy and less scope of error. In 1897, first indicating scale of the history was built.

The indicating scales appeared in 1940 and since then, the electronically designed weighing balances are ruling the market. Be it on the industrial scale or the domestic level, electronic scales have grabbed the market from tip to toe. The most interesting thing of the history of the weighing balances is that we still have to weigh the mass against a standard and there is no fixed rule to set the weight of that 'standard object'. Assumptions govern the weighing balances and accuracy is just a belief. However, modern electronic weighing balances are capable of confirming this belief to a great extent, as they have very less scope of error and can give precise results up to five decimal places.

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