The Measuring Instruments (Non-Prescribed Instruments) Regulations 2006

Automatic Catchweighers

46.—(1) In addition to the requirements set out in paragraphs 44 and 45, the following specific requirements shall apply in relation to automatic catchweighers.

(2) Definitions—

“weight labeller” means an automatic catchweigher that labels individual articles with the weight value;

“weight/price labeller” means an automatic catchweigher that labels individual articles with the weight value, and price information.

(3) Accuracy Classes

(a) Instruments are divided into primary categories designated by X or Y as specified by the manufacturer.

(b) These categories are divided into four accuracy classes—

(i) XI, XII, XIII and XIV and

(ii) Y(I), Y(II), Y(a) and Y(b)

which shall be specified by the manufacturer.

(c) Category X applies to instruments used to check pre-packages made up in accordance with the requirements of Council Directive 75/106/EEC of 19 December 1974 on the approximation of the laws of the member States relating to the making-up by volume of certain pre-packaged liquids(1) and of Council Directive 76/211/EEC of 20th January 1976 on the approximation of the laws of the member States relating to the making-up by weight or by volume of certain pre-packaged products(2) applicable to pre-packages.

(d) The accuracy classes are supplemented by a factor (x) that qualifies the maximum permissible standard deviation as specified in sub-paragraph (3)(b).

(e) The manufacturer shall specify the factor (x), where (x) shall be ≤ 2 and in the form 1 × 10^k, 2 × 10^k or 5 × 10^k, where k is a negative whole number or zero.

(f) Category Y applies to all other automatic catchweighers.

(4) MPE

(a) Mean error Category X and MPE Category Y Instruments

Table 7

Net Load (m) in verification scale intervals (c)								Maximum permissible mean error	Maximum permissible error
XI	Y(1)	XII	Y(II)	XIII	Y(a)	XIV	Y(b)	X	Y
0 < m ≤ 50 000		0 < m ≤ 5 000		0 < m ≤ 500		0 < m ≤ 50		± 0.5 e	±1 e
50 000 < m ≤ 200 000		5 000 < m ≤ 20 000		500 < m ≤ 2 000		50 < m ≤ 200		± 1.0 e	±1.5 e
200 000 < m		20 000 < m ≤ 100 000		2 000 < m ≤ 10 000		200 < m ≤ 1 000		± 1.5 e	± 2 e

(b) Standard deviation—

Maximum permissible value for the standard deviation of a class X (x) instrument is the result of the multiplication of the factor (x) by the value in Table 8 below.

Table 8

Net Load (m)	Maximum permissible standard deviation for class X(1)
m ≤ 50g	0.48%
50 g < m ≤ 100 g	0.24 g
100 g < m ≤ 200 g	0.24 %
200 g < m ≤ 300 g	0.48 g
300 g < m ≤ 500 g	0.16 %
500g < m ≤ 1 000 g	0.8 g
1 000 g < m ≤ 10 000 g	0.08 %
10 000 g < m ≤ 15 000 g	8 g
15 000 g < m	0.053 %
For class XI and XII (x) shall be less than 1. For class XIII (x) shall be not greater than 1. For class XIV (x) shall be greater than 1.

(c) Verification scale interval – single interval instruments

Table 9

Accuracy classes		Verification scale interval	Number of verification scale intervals n= Max/e
			Minimum	Maximum
XI	Y(I)	0.001 g ≤ e	50 000	–
XII	Y(II)	0.001 g ≤ e ≤ 0.05 g	100	100 000
		0.1 g ≤ e	5 000	100 000
XIII	Y(a)	0.1 g ≤ e ≤ 2 g	100	10 000
		5 g ≤ e	500	10 000
XIV	Y(b)	5 g ≤ e	100	1 000

(d) Verification scale interval – multi-interval instruments

Table 10

Accuracy classes		Verification scale interval	Number of verification scale intervals n=Max/e
			Minimum value(1) n = Maxi/e (i+1)	Maximum n=Maxi/ei
(1) For i = r the corresponding column of Table 9 applies with e replaced by er.
XI	Y(I)	0.001 g ≤ ei	50 000	–
XII	Y(II)	0.001 g ≤ ei 0.05 g	5 000	100 000
		0.1 g ≤ ei	5 000	100 000
XIII	Y(a)	0.1 g ≤ ei	500	10 000
XIV	Y(b)	5 g ≤ ei	50	1 000

Where:

(i) i= 1, 2, …r

(ii) i = partial weighing range

(iii) r = total number of partial ranges

(5) Measurement Range

In specifying the measurement range for class Y instruments the manufacturer shall take account that the minimum capacity shall not be less than:

(a) class Y(I): 100 e

(b) class Y(II): 20 e for 0.001 g ≤ e ≤ 0.05 g, and 50 e for 0.1 g ≤ e

(c) class Y(a): 20 e

(d) class Y(b): 10 e

(e) Scales used for grading, e.g. postal scales and garbage weighers: 5 e

(6) Dynamic setting

(a) The dynamic setting facility shall operate within a load range specified by the manufacturer.

(b) When fitted, a dynamic setting facility that compensates for the dynamic effects of the load in motion shall be inhibited from operating outside the load range, and shall be capable of being secured.

(7) Performance under influence factors and electromagnetic disturbances

(a) The MPEs due to influence factors are—

(i) For category X instruments—

(aa) for automatic operation, as specified in Tables 7 and 8;

(bb) for static weighing in non-automatic operation, as specified in Table 7.

(ii) For category Y instruments—

(aa) for each load in automatic operation, as specified in Table 7;

(bb) for static weighing in non-automatic operation, as specified in category X in Table 7.

(b) The critical change value due to a disturbance is one verification scale interval.

(c) Temperature range

(i) For class XI and Y(I) the minimum range is 5° C.

(ii) For class XII and Y(II) the minimum range is 15° C.

(1)

OJ L 42, 15.2.75, p.1. Directive as last amended by Directive 89/676/EEC (O) L 398, 30.12.89, p. 18).

(2)

OJ L 46, 21.2.76, p.1. Directive as last amended by the EEA Agreement.