Weights & Measures

LOE - LIMITS OF ERROR:

The tolerance below the stated weight within which the Canadian government permits a limited number of packs to be included in the batch. The graphic here shows both the table and a graph representing the limits for the most common pack weights.

LOE - Limits of Error
Stated Weight	Limits of Error (LOE)
Stated Weight(grams)	Limits of Error(% of weight)	Limits of Errorgrams
50 to 50	9
50 to 100		4.5
100 to 200	4.5
200 to 300		9
300 to 500	3
500 to 1000		15
1000 to 10000	1.5
10000 to 15000		150
15000+	1

Limits of Error Chart

TNE - TOLERABLE NEGATIVE ERROR:

The tolerance below the stated weight within which the European government permits a limited number of packs to be included in the batch. The "TNE" table is the same as the "LOE" table for Canadian legislation.

MAV - MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE VARIATION:

The tolerance below the stated weight within which the American government permits a limited number of packs to be included in the batch. The "MAV" table is different to the Canadian legislation.

STATED WEIGHT:

The label weight on the package - this is the quantity of product the consumer is paying for. Depending on the company and/or country, this is often referred to as "Label Weight", "Declared Weight", "Nominal Weight" or sometimes "Target Weight". The Loma checkweighers in the Canadian mode of operation uses the "Nominal Weight" terminology.

T1 SETPOINT:

A "dividing line" between two weight zones. Weights falling below the T1 setpoint cannot exceed 2.5% of the batch; weights falling above the T1 setpoint can be of unlimited quantity, though the average of the batch must exceed the stated weight. The default T1 setpoint for Canadian weight legislation is "Stated Weight" - 1 x LOE.

T2 SETPOINT:

A "dividing line" between two weight zones. There can be no weights accepted below the T2 setpoint; weights falling above the T2 setpoint (but below the T1 setpoint) cannot exceed 2.5% of the batch. The default T2 setpoint for Canadian weight legislation is "Stated Weight" - 2 x LOE.

LOT:

For the purposes of legislation, this is a continuous run of production, packaged ready for dispatch to the consumer (also commonly referred to as the "Batch"). Determination of the exact size of a "Lot" or "Batch" is made by a government inspector.

SAMPLE SIZE:

For the purposes of this explanation, the sample size is the number of packs from the "Lot" or "Batch" which the inspector chooses to test. The graphic here shows the minimum sample sizes called for by the weights and measures legislation, depending on the size of the batch or lot.

Sample Size
Number of Units in Lot/Batch	Minimum Sample Size for Testing
2 to 10	All the units in the lot
11 to 39	10 units
40 to 128	25% of the lot
129 to 4000	32 units
4001 to 8000	64 units
8001 to 12000	96 units
12000+	125 units

T1/T2 ALLOWANCE:

For the purposes of this explanation, the T1/T2 allowance is the number of packages the inspector is permitted to accept between the T1 and T2 setpoints in the sample he tests. This allowance is geared to the size of the sample itself and the graphic shows this allowance as called for by the weights and measures legislation.

T1 / T2 Allowance
Number of Units in the Sample	Number of Units Allowed between T1 and T2
2 to 8	0 units
9 to 20	1 unit
21 to 32	2 units
33 to 50	3 units
51 to 65	4 units
66 to 80	5 units
81 to 102	6 units
103 to 125	7 units