When load is applied to a scale, the weight indicator receives a change in electrical signal from the load cells. ATOL is a configurable setting which controls how quickly the weight indicator finishes registering the electrical signal and displays a weight reading.

Depending on the application, a quick- or slow-locking ATOL may be desired. A faster ATOL may be well suited for health and medical applications where a patient steps or is wheeled onto a scale. Because there is little movement or instability once the patient is on the scale, only a short amount of time is needed to accurately capture weight.

In an application where a tote of liquid is quickly rolled onto a floor scale, the liquid may slosh back and forth inside the tote. This causes an unstable weight reading until the liquid is allowed to stabilize, which means a longer amount of time will likely be needed to capture an accurate weight.

Many weight indicators offer a numerical range to configure ATOL. Changing settings should only be performed by a qualified scale technician who will verify scale accuracy with certified calibration weights after configuration is complete.