scale

1. 1. A system of ordered marks at fixed intervals used as a reference standard in measurement: a ruler with scales in inches and centimeters.
   2. An instrument or device bearing such marks.
   3. A standard of measurement or judgment; a criterion.
2. 1. A proportion used in determining the dimensional relationship of a representation to that which it represents: a world map with a scale of 1:4,560,000.
   2. A calibrated line, as on a map or an architectural plan, indicating such a proportion.
   3. Proper proportion: a house that seemed out of scale with its surroundings.
3. A progressive classification, as of size, amount, importance, or rank: judging divers' performances on a scale of 1 to 10.
4. A relative level or degree: entertained on a lavish scale.
5. A minimum wage fixed by contract: musicians playing a benefit concert for scale.
6. Mathematics. A system of notation in which the values of numerical expressions are determined by their places relative to the chosen base of the system: the decimal scale.
7. Music. An ascending or descending collection of pitches proceeding by a specified scheme of intervals.

1. To climb up or over; ascend: scaled the peak.
2. To make in accord with a particular proportion or scale: Scale the model to be one tenth of actual size.
3. To alter according to a standard or by degrees; adjust in calculated amounts: scaled down their demands; scaled back the scheduled pay increase.
4. To estimate or measure the quantity of lumber in (logs or uncut trees).

1. To climb; ascend.
2. To rise in steps or stages.

[Middle English, from Latin scālae, ladder.]

Background

The traditional bathroom scale is used to measure a person's body weight. It is based on a spring system that uses the weight of the person to depress a lever, which in turn rotates a sprocket attached to the dial. The dial rotates until it stops, and a plastic marker marks the person's weight. A home-use bathroom scale has a margin of error of ±0.25 lb (±0.12 kg). Scales for bathrooms or kitchens are generally designed as spring balances.

History

Units of measurements have been used for all of antiquity. People have always used some type of set standard for trade. The first known measurement device was used by the Romans 2,000 years ago. They devised an equal beam scale which was shaped like the letter T with both arms measuring 7.4 in (18.8 cm) wide. Attached to each arm were metal pans that were typically 1.5 in (4 cm) in diameter.

The first known unit of weight was the wheat seed. The ancient Romans and Greeks used this standard to measure any other object against, generally for barter or trade. For instance, farmers would bring their crops to sell and they would be weighed against the known standard of wheat grain. X-amount of produce was equal to X-amount of grain needed to maintain the equilibrium of the balance. The Arabs improved on these techniques and established weight standards for gold, silver, and gems.

By the thirteenth century trade had become much more widespread, but people in different parts of the world (or even within the same country) used different standards of measurement. King Edward I of England established a base standard of measurement to which objects or materials could be compared to. This standard soon traveled through trade and became somewhat acceptable in other parts of the world.

In 1793, the French government devised a system based on a line running along the ground through Paris that measured the distance from the North Pole to the Equator. The French called this the metric system. People were unfamiliar with this system and it was not fully enforced until 1837 when it became the standard in European countries.

Scales themselves continued to evolve to meet both the distributor and customer's needs. Customer's wanted to be able to count on the accuracy of the distributor's scales to make sure that they were not being cheated. The first scales used a simple balance beam to weigh an object against a known standard.

The first spring balance was brought into widespread use in the eighteenth century. In Bilston, England Richard Salter began making what is today known as a fisherman's scale which used a spring balance to measure weight. The Salter brand was also the first company in England to marked bathroom scales. Modern home scales have evolved from these early industrial prototypes. Today, the scale is based on the same spring balance idea.

Raw Materials

The case of the spring scale is manufactured from stainless steel or aluminum. The interior is composed of metal springs, pins, gears, and plastic. The gears can be made from aluminum, copper, brass, bronze, stainless, steel, nickel silver, monel, zinc, iron, or plastic. The non-slip mat is formed from a mix of poly vinyl chloride and rubber.

Design

There are many different types of scales; solar, electronic, digital, and spring to name a few. The scales may also differ on what they measure. Some scales are able to measure a person's body fat ratio. The color and size of scales vary greatly to meet all customer needs.

A typical spring scale is comprised of weight transmitting levers, a weight sensing mechanism, and dial enclosed in a metal casing. Generally, the scale is equipped with a non-slip pad on the platform so that the person does not slip and fall off the scale.

The Manufacturing
Process

• Aluminum is melted until molten and then fed into a die that has the desired shape of the scale casing. The aluminum is cast in a cold chamber process at temperature of 1,202°F (650°C) so it will not bond with the steel die.
• The aluminum is then cooled and ejected from the mold. Both the top and bottom of the scale body are manufactured using this process.
• The top of the case is manufactured with a slot missing that will serve as the window through which to view the correct weight. This plastic covering is made from molted plastic fed into an injection molding machine. The plastic is then injected into a mold of the cover and left to cool. After cooling, the cover is removed and manually inserted into the top casing.
• There are four levers used to distribute a person's weight through the scale. The levers are manufactured from thin sheets of aluminum or steel that is delivered to the plant. The sheets are then placed on a conveyor belt to be laser cut. A laser beam that is 0.008 in (0.2 mm) in diameter focuses 1,000-2,000 watts on the aluminum sheet. The laser gets the outline of the lever and instructions from a Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CAD) drawing.
• The springs, brackets, and gears arrive preformed at the plant. They are inspected for quality and then distributed to work stations along an assembly line.
• The dial is formed from a coining method. In this process the aluminum is placed in a set of dies that close, exerting up to 200,00 psi (1,375 mpa) depending on the level of detail on the dial.
• The dial is then extracted and automatically painted, typically white with black numbers.
• The non-slip pad is made from a mixture of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and rubber. The resin is measured and mixed, then poured into the mold of the non-slip mat. The mold is then cured and the finished slip mat is removed.

Putting it all together

• The case is then placed on a conveyor belt and the metal plate that holds the main lever and the spring is fitted through a slot that was molded into the side of the case.
• The main lever that runs vertically through the middle of the scale is then rested upon the plate and hooked over the base of the casing.
• The other levers are then hooked over the corners of the case bottom and hooked to the main lever.
• The tooth rack and pinion are then manually connected to two compression springs.
• Next, the metal dial is fixed to the main vertical lever. It rests on the rack and pinion system that will turn the dial based on the person's weight.
• Four brackets that will secure the levers in place are connected to aluminum latches that were molded into the top cover of the scale.
• The two halves of the case are then manually fitted together. The top casing is a little larger than the bottom, but will ensure a snug fit.
• The scale is tested for correct calibration. Then it is packaged and shipped to the distributor.

Quality Control

The parts used to manufacture the scale are checked for defects. Any defective parts that can be salvaged are removed and reused. Parts that are extremely damaged are discarded or recycled. The workers check the calibration of the scale against a known weight before it is packaged. Typically the scale should be able to detect weight within 0.25 lb (0.12 kg).

Byproducts/Waste

Any excess or defective parts are assessed for quality and then either reused or discarded.

The Future

As technology advances, so does the accuracy and application of scales. Today scales can measure not just weight but also body fat. These scales send a mild electrical current through the person's feet and up the rest of the body. The more quickly the signal travels through the body, the less fat. Software is also being developed that allows the scale to keep track of a person's weight loss or gain. Some are even able to track the weights of more than one person. These systems will be able to hook up to software on the home computer to better track weight loss or gain.

Where to Learn More

Other

Bodytrends.Com Web Page. December 2001. <http://www.bodytrends.com>.

ReallyFit.Com Web Page. December 2001.<http://www.reallyfit.com>.

Salter Scales Online. December 2001.<http://www.salterhousewares.com>.

[Article by: Deirdre S. Blanchfield]

As a piece of music progresses, it typically outlines a set of pitches by repeatedly sounding a subset of all the possible notes. When these notes are rearranged into ascending or descending order, they are called a musical scale.

There is often a range of pitches that will be heard as the same. Perhaps the trumpet plays middle C a bit flat, while the guitar plays a bit sharp, in accordance with the artistic requirements of the musical context. The mind hears both pitches as the same note, C, and the limits of acceptability are far cruder than the ear's powers of resolution. This suggests a kind of categorical perception, where a continuum of possible stimuli (in this case, pitch) is perceived as consisting of a small number of disjoint classes. Thus scales partition pitch space into disjoint chunks. See also Musical instruments; Pitch; Sensation.

In the modern Western tradition, scales are standardized subsets of the 12-tone equal temperament (abbreviated 12-tet, and also called the chromatic scale) in which each octave is divided into 12 (approximately) equal sounding divisions. These are further classified into major and minor depending on the exact ordering of the intervals, and are classified into modes depending on the starting point. Historically, however, scales based on 12-tet are fairly recent. In addition, other cultures use musical scales that are quite different. See also Tuning.

Expandable. Referring to hardware or software, the term is a popular buzzword in the IT world. A "highly scalable" device or application implies that it can handle a large increase in users, workload or transactions without undue strain.

There May Be a Price

Scalable does not always mean that expansion is free. Extra-cost hardware or software may indeed be required to handle more work. Nevertheless, scalability is a positive feature of a product that is sold to fast-growing companies, because it implies that growth can be accommodated without having to make major changes or learn new procedures. See scale.

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Labor: wage rate for specific types of employees. For example: "Union scale for carpenters is $15.60 per hour."

Production economics: amount of production, as in "economy or diseconomy of scale." See also Marginal Cost.

Serial bonds: vital data for each of the scheduled maturities in a new Serial Bond issue, including the number of bonds, the date they mature, the Coupon rate, and the offering price.

See also Scale Order.

The proportional relationship between the dimensions of a drawing, plan, or model to the dimensions of the physical object it represents.
Example: A Subdivision plan is prepared at a scale in which 1 inch equals 1,000 feet. A distance of 1 inch on the drawing is intended to signify 1,000 feet on the Site.
Example: A scale model of a building has a scale of 1 to 25. Each inch on the model represents 25 inches on the actual building.

verb

To move upward on or along: ascend, climb, go up, mount. See rise/fall.

Idioms beginning with scale:
scale down

In addition to the idiom beginning with scale, also see tip the balance (scale); turn the tables (scales).

Definition: ascend, climb
Antonyms: descend

A system of marks set at fixed intervals, used as a standard for measurement.

Set of markings used for measurement.

(DOD, NATO) The ratio or fraction between the distance on a map, chart, or photograph and the corresponding distance on the surface of the Earth. See also conversion scale; graphic scale; photographic scale; principal scale.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
1.
n. - skæl
v. tr. - skrabe skæl af, rense
v. intr. - dækkes af skæl

idioms:

• scale insect    skjoldlus

2.
n. - vægt
v. tr. - veje, måle, veje af
v. intr. - veje

idioms:

• economies of scale    stordriftsfordele
• in scale    i det rigtige forhold
• scale back    nedtrappe, mindske
• scale down    nedtrappe, nedsætte gradvis, mindske
• scale up    optrappe, øge gradvist
• to scale    i det rigtige forhold

3.
n. - skala
v. tr. - bestige, klatre op ad
v. intr. - veje, veje ind, ordne efter en skala

Nederlands (Dutch)
weegschaal, toonladder, schub, ketelsteen, (huid) schilfer, schaal, schaalverdeling, maatstaf, schil, wegen, beklimmen, opklauteren, schilferen, (af)bladderen, schrapen

Français (French)
1.
n. - (Zool) écaille, dépôt de calcaire, tartre
v. tr. - écailler
v. intr. - s'écailler

idioms:

• scale insect    homéhoptère

2.
n. - balance
v. tr. - peser avec une balance
v. intr. - avoir un poids de

idioms:

• economies of scale    économies d'échelle
• in scale    à l'échelle
• scale back    réduire l'échelle de, (fig) ralentir, réduire
• scale down    réduire l'échelle de, (fig) ralentir, réduire
• scale up    augmenter l'échelle de, (fig) augmenter
• tip the scales at    faire pencher la balance
• to scale    (ne pas être) respecté (une distance sur une carte)
• turn the scales at    peser

3.
n. - échelle (des valeurs)
v. tr. - escalader, gravir
v. intr. - varier selon l'échelle de

Deutsch (German)
1.
n. - Schuppe, Kesselstein, Zahnstein
v. - abschuppen, von Zahnstein od. Kesselstein befreien

idioms:

• scale insect    (zo.) Schildlaus

2.
n. - Waage
v. - wiegen

idioms:

• economies of scale    Einsparungen durch Produktionserweiterung
• in scale    maßstabsgetreu
• scale back    reduzieren
• scale down    reduzieren
• scale up    vergrößern
• tip the scales at    [50 Kilo] wiegen od. auf die Waage bringen
• to scale    maßstabsgerecht
• turn the scales at    [50 Kilo] wiegen od. auf die Waage bringen

3.
n. - Maßstab, Skala, Ausmaß
v. - maßstabsgetreu anfertigen, abstufen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - κλίμακα, σκάλα, (όργανο με) διαβάθμιση ή βαθμονόμηση, ταξινόμηση (κατά κλίμακες), πουρί, φολίδα, λέπι, (ιατρ.) οδοντική πλάκα, (καθομ.) ωρομίσθιο συλλογικών συμβάσεων, (πληθ.) ζυγαριά, ζυγός
v. - απολεπίζω/-ομαι, αφαιρώ την οδοντική πλάκα, πουριάζω, σκαρφαλώνω, κλιμακώνω, διαβαθμίζω, ζυγίζω/-ομαι

idioms:

• economies of scale    (οικον.) οικονομίες κλίμακας
• in scale    υπό κλίμακα
• scale back    μειώνω, αποκλιμακώνω
• scale down    αποκλιμακώνω
• scale insect    (εντομ.) παπαδίτσα
• scale up    αυξάνω κλιμακωτά, κλιμακώνω
• to scale    υπό κλίμακα

Italiano (Italian)
scalare, pesare, sfaldarsi, grattare, squamare, scala, scaglia, deposito, squama

idioms:

• economies of scale    economie di scala
• in scale    in scala
• scale back/down    diminuire
• scale insect    coccidi
• scale up    aumentare
• throw into the scale    far pesare
• tip the scales    far pendere la bilancia
• to scale    al peso
• turn the scales    far pendere la bilancia, ribaltare una situazione

Português (Portuguese)
n. - escala (f), proporção (f), concha (f)
v. - escalar

idioms:

• economies of scale    economias de escala
• in scale    na escala
• scale back/down    reduzir
• scale insect    conchonilha
• scale up    aumentar
• throw into the scale    um novo fator a ser considerado
• time scale    escala de tempo
• tip the scales    inclinar a balança
• to scale    em escala
• turn the scales    pesar na balança

Русский (Russian)
масштаб, размер, чашка весов, весы, чешуя, накипь, шкала, гамма, уровень, весить, взвешивать, чистить, шелушиться, соскабливать, покрывать накипью, изображать в определенном масштабе, вычислять размах, подниматься, перелезать

idioms:

• economies of scale    экономия, обусловленная ростом масштабов производства
• in scale    в правильном масштабе, в реальных пропорциях
• scale back/down    пропорциональное или равномерное уменьшение, снижение
• scale insect    разновидность насекомых
• scale up    постепенно увеличивать/повышать/наращивать
• throw into the scale    бросить на чашу весов, поставить на карту
• time scale    шкала времени
• tip the scales    склонить чашу весов, решить исход дела, оказаться решающим фактором
• to scale    в масштабе
• turn the scales    склонить чашу весов, перевесить, решить исход дела

Español (Spanish)
1.
n. - escama, (pez) escamar, lámina
v. tr. - quitar las escamas, decapar, escamar
v. intr. - descascarillarse, desconcharse, soltar las escamas, descamarse, formar sedimento

idioms:

• scale insect    coco (insecto)

2.
n. - balanza, báscula
v. tr. - pesar
v. intr. - pesarse

idioms:

• economies of scale    economía de escala
• in scale    en proporción
• scale back    reducir proporcionalmente, reducir a escala
• scale down    reducir proporcionalmente, reducir a escala
• scale up    aumentar proporcionalmente, aumentar a escala
• tip the scales at    pesar...., inclinar la balanza, pesar más de
• to scale    a escala
• turn the scales at    pesar..., inclinar la balanza, ser decisivo

3.
n. - escala
v. tr. - subir, escalar
v. intr. - escalar, formar escalera, subir en escala

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - skala, måttstock, gradindelning, tariff, vågskål, våg, fjäll, flaga, pannsten, tandsten
v. - väga, avbilda skalenligt, klättra upp för, ordna efter en skala, ha samma skala, fjälla, rensa, skrapa bort, skala, flagna

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
1. 刻度, 刻度尺, 尺度, 比率, 攀登, 用缩尺绘制, 按比例排列, 到达...的顶点

idioms:

• economies of scale    规模经济
• in scale    匀称的, 与...相称
• scale back    相应缩减
• scale down    按比例缩减, 降低
• scale insect    介壳虫
• scale up    按比例增加的
• to scale    按比例

2. 天平, 秤, 天平盘, 秤盘, 把...过秤, 按重量把...分成均等部分, 重

3. 鳞, 鱼鳞, 鳞状物, 介壳, 障眼物, 刮去...的鳞片, 剥去...的介壳, 剥落

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
1.
n. - 刻度, 刻度尺, 尺度, 比率
v. tr. - 攀登, 用縮尺繪製, 按比例排列, 到達...的頂點
v. intr. - 攀登

idioms:

• economies of scale    規模經濟
• in scale    勻稱的, 與...相稱
• scale back    相應縮減
• scale down    按比例縮減, 降低
• scale insect    介殼蟲
• scale up    按比例增加的
• to scale    按比例

2.
n. - 鱗, 魚鱗, 鱗狀物, 介殼, 障眼物
v. tr. - 刮去...的鱗片, 剝去...的介殼
v. intr. - 剝落

3.
n. - 天平, 秤, 天平盤, 秤盤
v. tr. - 把...過秤, 按重量把...分成均等部分
v. intr. - 重

한국어 (Korean)
1.
n. - 비늘, (가열된 철 표면에 생기는) 산화물의 박편, 딱지
v. tr. - ~에서 비늘을 벗기다, (포신 따위의) 내부를 손질하다, ~을 비늘로 뒤덮다
v. intr. - 벗겨져 떨어지다, 물때가 끼다

2.
n. - 눈금, (지도 등의) 축척, 규모
v. tr. - (산 등에) 기어 오르다, 일정한 비율로 만들다, (기준에 따라) 평가하다
v. intr. - 사다리로 오르다, 점점 높아지다, 비례하다

idioms:

• in scale    일정한 척도에 따라, 균형이 잡혀
• scale back    축소하다
• scale down    일정 비율의 삭감
• scale up    일정 비율의 증가
• to scale    일정한 비례로 축소한, 일정한 비율로 확대한

3.
n. - 저울, 천칭자리, 가치, 평가의 기준
v. tr. - 저울로 가늠하다, (마음 속으로) 비교하다, 무게가 ~이다
v. intr. - 무게가 나가다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 目盛り, 尺度, ものさし, 比率, 規模, 段階, 階級, 記数法, 天秤, はかり, うろこ, 湯あか, 歯石, 目盛, スケール
v. - 登る, 縮尺で描く, 縮尺で作る, 目方がある, てんびんで量る, …のうろこをとる, 殻をとる, ぼろぼろとはがれる, うろこで覆う

idioms:

• economies of scale    規模の経済
• in scale    一定尺度に応じて
• scale back/down    率に合わせて減らす, 規模を縮小する
• scale insect    カイガラムシ
• scale up    率に応じて増額する, 拡大する
• sliding scale    スライド制
• to scale    縮尺された

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) قشرة جافه, ميزان (فعل) ينزع حراشف ألسمك, يزن بميزان‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮קשקש (של דג או נחש), קליפה, אבנית, רסיס חלודה, שכבה של פקעת, משקע (בקומקום)‬
v. tr. - ‮הסיר קשקשים‬
v. intr. - ‮כיסה באבנית, יצר קשקשים‬
n. - ‮מאזניים, משקל (לשקילה)‬
v. tr. - ‮שקל‬
v. intr. - ‮שקל‬
n. - ‮סולם, לוח-מעלות, סרגל, קנה-מידה, לוח מכוייל, שיעור, מידה‬
v. tr. - ‮שרטט לפי קנה-מידה‬
v. intr. - ‮השתנה לפי קנה-מידה‬

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