Weights & Measures Certification Flashcards
7 cards from real CST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Weights & Measures Certification flashcards as text
What is the maximum allowable error (MAE) for a Class III commercial scale used at a retail checkout with a capacity of 30 lb?
Answer: ±0.02 lb
NIST Handbook 44 specifies that Class III scales have an MAE of one scale division, and a 30 lb capacity Class III scale typically has 0.01 lb divisions making the MAE ±0.01 lb at the zero end, but ±0.02 lb across mid-range divisions — 0.02 lb is the standard mid-range MAE.
Under NIST Handbook 44, which test is used to evaluate a scale's ability to return to zero after loading and unloading?
Answer: Return-to-zero test
The return-to-zero test verifies that a scale's indication returns to zero (or the initial no-load reading) after a load is applied and removed.
A weights and measures inspector finds a scale with a 'Cardinal' brand name on the nameplate but no NTEP Certificate of Conformance number. What is the appropriate action?
Answer: Verify if the scale model appears on the NTEP Approved Products List
An inspector should check the NTEP (National Type Evaluation Program) database to confirm whether the specific model is type-approved, as the absence of a CC number on the plate does not automatically mean the device is non-compliant.
Which of the following statements about tare on a commercial scale is correct under Handbook 44?
Answer: Tare capability must not exceed the scale's capacity
Handbook 44 requires that the tare mechanism cannot set a tare value beyond the scale's maximum capacity, ensuring the net weight indication remains meaningful.
What does the term 'scale division value (d)' refer to in metrology?
Answer: The smallest unit of measurement the scale can display
The scale division value (d) is the value of the smallest increment displayed or printed by the indicating or recording element of a scale.
Which U.S. federal agency has primary oversight authority for weights and measures at the national level?
Answer: NIST
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides the technical standards and handbooks that underpin U.S. weights and measures regulation.
A retail grocery store scale displays net weight as 2.00 lb but the actual net weight using certified test weights is 1.96 lb. The scale division is 0.01 lb. Is this scale within tolerance?
Answer: No, the error of 0.04 lb exceeds the MAE for this scale
For a Class III retail scale with 0.01 lb divisions, the MAE is typically one division (0.01 lb), and 0.04 lb error is four times that value, placing the scale out of tolerance.