A&D EK-3000i 3000 g × 0.1 g Compact Precision Balance Guide
- pete8781
- Jul 31
- 4 min read
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The A&D EK-3000i compact precision balance provides 3000 g capacity with 0.1 g readability on a 170 × 133 mm SUS304 pan, with standard RS-232C, ACAI parts counting, percent weighing, comparator functions and external calibration. Its legal status can be stated exactly: EK-3000i is not one of A&D’s NTEP EK-i trade models. A&D’s 2025 U.S. laboratory catalog identifies trade-legal EK-i models under CoC 04-019A1 and explicitly marks EK-600i, EK-1200i, EK-6000i and EK-12Ki as NTEP; EK-3000i is listed as a standard 3000 g × 0.1 g external-calibration balance with no NTEP designation. Use it for internal production, parts, formulation and QC—not as the transaction scale when legal-for-trade approval is required.
Exact specifications
Capacity: 3000 g. Readability: 0.1 g. Repeatability: 0.1 g. Linearity: ±0.2 g. Pan: 170 × 133 mm. Approximate balance weight: 1.5 kg. Display update: 10 times per second. Operating range: -10 °C to 40 °C at less than 85% RH, non-condensing. Factory calibration mass: 3000 g. Counting maximum: 30,000 pieces with 0.1 g minimum unit weight under the normal factory counting setting. Percent mode minimum 100% weight: 10 g. These figures come from A&D’s EK/EW-i technical manual and the MNM product specification.
Why EK-3000i is non-NTEP even though the EK-i family has NTEP versions
A&D markets the EK-i family as having NTEP models available, which can cause a buyer to assume every EK-i is approved. The 2025 U.S. catalog resolves that ambiguity model by model. EK-600i is marked NTEP Class III, EK-1200i Class II, EK-6000i Class III and EK-12Ki Class II. EK-3000i, EK-2000i, EK-4100i and EK-6100i appear without NTEP markings. Therefore EK-3000i should be treated as a non-trade process balance. If a transaction requires legal-for-trade weighing, choose a model explicitly identified as certified for that capacity/readability and have it placed in service correctly.
30-minute warm-up and installation
A&D’s manual instructs users to level the balance, calibrate before use, allow the balance to reach equilibrium with ambient temperature and switch power on at least half an hour before weighing. Avoid excessive dust, breezes, vibration, direct sunlight, heaters, air conditioners, magnetic fields and unstable surfaces. Recalibrate after the balance is moved. These setup details matter because a 0.1 g display can respond to a flexible bench, airflow or temperature change even when the electronics are functioning normally.
External calibration and verification
The factory calibration mass is 3000 g. Use an appropriate known calibration weight on a level, warmed and stable balance, following A&D’s external CAL sequence. After calibration, verify with an independent known weight rather than assuming a completed CAL routine proves performance across the entire range. For a production SOP, check zero plus one or more meaningful working-range masses after relocation, impact, overload or a large temperature change. Calibration changes the instrument; verification checks whether it meets your tolerance.
ACAI parts counting
EK-3000i can count up to approximately 30,000 pieces when average unit weight and capacity allow. The normal minimum unit weight is 0.1 g, and sample sizes include 5, 10, 25, 50 or 100 pieces. ACAI—Automatic Counting Accuracy Improvement—refines the average unit weight as additional pieces are added. Use larger samples for small or variable parts, and verify a known manual count before trusting a very large inventory quantity. Piece variability can dominate the counting error even when the balance itself is stable.
Percent and comparator functions
Percent mode stores a reference mass and displays subsequent values as a percentage, useful for formulation, deviation and drying/process comparisons. The minimum 100% weight for EK-3000i is 10 g. The comparator provides HI/OK/LO decisions with optional buzzer/relay hardware, useful for packing and sorting. These are internal process functions; they do not make a non-NTEP EK-3000i a legal commercial transaction device.
Standard RS-232C and GLP output
RS-232C is standard and supports both data output and command control. A&D also supports GLP/GMP/GCP/ISO-style identifying and calibration output, plus external RS-232-to-Ethernet, Quick USB and Bluetooth converters. For reliable data capture, document baud/parity/data settings, unit, decimal position, stable/unstable behavior and station ID. A digital record is only useful when the receiving system interprets the same value and unit the operator saw.
Optional battery and the option conflict
EKW-09i adds rechargeable Ni-MH battery operation. The current A&D U.S. product page advertises approximately 250 hours for portable battery operation, while an older technical manual for the earlier OP-09 pack lists approximately 9 hours with backlight off—evidence that battery hardware/documentation changed over the product’s long life. For a current purchase, use the current A&D battery specification for the offered pack and confirm the actual option supplied. EKW-04i comparator relay and EKW-09i rechargeable battery cannot be installed at the same time.
No underhook on EK-3000i
Do not add an underhook to the EK-3000i specification. A&D lists EKW-07i underhook support only for EK-4100i, EK-6000i, EK-6100i, EK-12Ki and EW-12Ki. The manufacturer’s current EK-i page explicitly limits the underhook function to those 4000 g-or-larger supported models. For suspended or density weighing that requires an underhook, select a compatible EK model or another balance designed for that accessory.
Who should buy EK-3000i?
Strong uses include parts and hardware, internal batching, manufacturing samples, kitting, inventory, education, packaging checks and general laboratory/production weighing where 3 kg capacity and 0.1 g readability fit the tolerance. It is not the right choice for customer sales by weight, milligram-level laboratory work, suspended underhook weighing or large containers above 3 kg. Choose the model around the smallest meaningful increment, gross load, regulatory requirement and data workflow—not only the nominal capacity.
Frequently asked questions
Is EK-3000i NTEP? No. A&D’s 2025 U.S. catalog marks specific EK-i NTEP models but not EK-3000i. What are capacity and readability? 3000 g × 0.1 g. What are repeatability and linearity? 0.1 g and ±0.2 g. What calibration mass is factory-set? 3000 g. How long should it warm up? At least about 30 minutes. Does it have RS-232C? Yes, standard. Does it count parts? Yes, ACAI counting up to about 30,000 pieces when unit mass/capacity allow. Does EK-3000i support an underhook? No. Can the relay and battery options be installed together? No. What battery runtime should I use when buying now? Confirm the current offered EKW-09i specification; current A&D U.S. marketing cites approximately 250 hours, while older manuals describe an earlier pack with shorter runtime.
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