The Scale Standard of Paper Industry

It is puzzling that the weight of paper can refer to both the weight of all the paper in the package (for example, checking transportation costs) and the weight of the paper itself, in pounds (in the United States) and grams per square meter (in most other places). Knowing the weight of the paper is a great help in choosing the correct printer. Because many printers will require the weight of the printed paper.

How to Calculate the Paper?

In pounds, you can determine the weight of the paper by weighing 500 sheets of paper (called a ream of paper) on the scale or weighing machine. Most printers use a specific size as the basis for this weight, because, as you might guess, a ream of postcards and a ream of letter-size paper give you a different weight.

Confused? That's why people like to use gram. To measure the weight of paper in grams, you only need the weight of one square meter of paper in grams. If you can't, you can divide the mass of the paper (g of course) by the area (length × width).

Why gram method is preferred? As you can see, the pounding method can lead to inaccuracy or differences based on paper size, while the gram method can lead to the same paperweight, no matter what size it is cut into. Besides, you’d better not use old-fashioned weighing scales and hanging scales, because they may not measure the paper accurately. It is particularly useful for large-scale industrial processes where the paper is usually processed into many different sizes of paper of the same gram weight.

The Manufacture of Pulp

Essentially, the paper is made by separating cellulose fibers from various sources. These fibers are then converted into pulp. Logs, sawdust, fiber or paper will be recycled, graded and sorted, and then measured by weight or volume, depending on the factory standard. Waste paper mills can recycle paper and fibers, which are then sold in weight packages for pulp production. In paper mills, we often use waterproof scales.

Pulp usually sold in dry bales of fixed weight or volume, so a platform or pallet truck scale with inspection and weighing function is used when packaging and shipping. The weight standard of pulpwood sold varies from state to state and country to country. Some states have established standards by law, so manufacturers, buyers, and sellers must measure them with heavy platform scales to ensure compliance with the law.

Decide Applications of the Paper

Heavier paper is more suitable for postcards, packaging, business cards or watercolor, while lighter paper is suitable for books, magazines or flyers. We often use the most accurate digital scale to measure. The weight of paper can also determine the classification of recycled paper, as well as its cost or selling price. If the paper is not rigorously weighed during the recycling process, it will cause problems in the sorting process. To make matters worse, some high-quality paper materials may be processed into poor-quality pulp. The weight of the paper can also determine the transportation cost. The cost of letters and promotional mail may vary depending on the quality of the paper.

Our company specializes in R & D and production of digital weighing scale, electronic scale, body weight scale, smart weight scale, scale plate and a series of accessories. Our company has strong and advanced technology. With good reputation and warm service, we sincerely welcome customers at home and abroad.