A&D FC-20Ki 50 lb / 20 kg Industrial Counting Scale Guide
- pete8781
- Jul 31
- 3 min read
Need more details or help choosing the correct item? Call MNM Scales at (832) 290-3120 or email mnmscales@yahoo.com.
A&D FC-20Ki counting scale buyers usually need more than a capacity number: they need to know whether the scale can reliably count their smallest parts, store enough item records, connect to their inventory workflow, and survive daily warehouse use. The FC-20Ki is a 20 kg / 50 lb industrial counting scale with 2 g readability, a large 300 × 280 mm stainless platform, one-million-count internal counting architecture, and A&D’s Automatic Counting Accuracy Improvement (ACAI) system.
What the FC-20Ki is designed to do
The FC-20Ki is best understood as a production and inventory counting instrument rather than a general-purpose shipping scale. Its main strength is estimating piece quantity from average unit weight while continuously improving that estimate as additional pieces are added. The current A&D FC-i specification lists 20 kg capacity and 2 g direct weighing readability. For counting, A&D specifies a 0.4 g minimum unit weight in normal mode and 0.02 g in fine mode. Those small unit-weight figures are counting thresholds; they are not the direct weight-display division. Keeping that distinction clear prevents a common purchasing mistake.
Counting workflow, ACAI and sample size
A typical workflow starts by placing an empty container on the platform, applying tare, then loading a known sample. The FC-i family supports a normal ten-piece sample as well as 5, 25, 50, 100 or user-selected random sample quantities. For reasonably uniform hardware, using a larger initial sample usually gives a stronger average piece weight. ACAI then refines that average when additional pieces are added. That makes the scale useful for screws, washers, electronic components, molded parts, fittings, packaged subassemblies and other repeat-count inventory where piece-to-piece mass is similar but not perfectly identical.
500 memories and operator control
A&D provides memory for up to 500 items. Records can hold unit weight, tare information and identifying data, which can reduce setup time when the same SKUs are counted repeatedly. The large VFD shows weight, average piece weight and piece count, while navigation prompts help guide operators through unit-weight registration. Simple-operation mode can restrict the front panel to essential functions, useful when a company wants repeatable procedures across multiple shifts instead of giving every operator access to every setting.
Interfaces and remote platforms
Standard RS-232C makes the FC-20Ki practical for printers, PCs and data collection. A&D supports up to three serial channels through one standard and two optional channels. FC-03i adds two RS-232C channels; FC-04i adds one RS-232C channel plus comparator relay output, and A&D states FC-03i and FC-04i cannot be used at the same time. FC-05i provides a remote-scale interface, allowing a second platform to extend the two-scale counting workflow when large containers or heavier bulk stock need to be measured away from the main platform.
Power, calibration and daily checks
The scale normally operates from AC power and can use the FC-02i rechargeable Ni-MH pack for portable operation. A&D lists roughly ten hours of typical battery operation for the optional FC pack. Calibration is external; MNM lists 20 kg as the calibration weight for this model. In production, a good routine is to level the scale, allow it to stabilize in the work environment, zero it with the platform empty, verify several known weights across the operating range, and then perform a known-count test using actual production parts. A successful weight check alone does not prove good counting if the parts themselves vary significantly in mass.
Who should buy the FC-20Ki?
The FC-20Ki is a strong fit for warehouses, maintenance departments, machine shops, electronics assembly, receiving areas and production floors that need a wide platform and enough capacity for medium-size bins while still counting relatively light pieces. It is especially compelling when 500 stored items, serial data output or a future remote platform matter. If your work is commercial sale by weight rather than internal inventory counting, select a configuration specifically approved for the applicable legal-for-trade requirement rather than assuming a counting feature makes the instrument trade approved.
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