Balance Brick Setup

The Compound Direct Balance Brick is a small, pre-configured device that connects directly to your pharmacy balance and streams live weight data into Compound Direct. By using the Balance Brick, your pharmacy can display real-time weight measurements within the software, reduce manual entry, and support more accurate verification during compounding.

Balances can be connected to Compound Direct through a Balance Brick. The device communicates with the balance using a serial connection and securely transmits weight data to Compound Direct through PrintNode websocket services. It also supports remote management and software updates through Compound Direct’s managed Salt infrastructure.

Whether you are setting up a Balance Brick for the first time, connecting a supported balance, or confirming that live weight data is flowing correctly, this guide walks you through each stage of the process.

This guide will help you:

• Connect and power the Balance Brick correctly.
• Link your balance to Compound Direct through the Balance Brick.
• View registered Balance Bricks and their last-seen status.
• Manage saved Wi-Fi networks and apply them to your Balance Bricks.
• Troubleshoot common balance connection and visibility issues.

Connecting a balance brick

1. Plug the power pack into a wall outlet.

2. Connect the power cable to the balance brick.

3. Connect the data cable to the balance brick.

4. Connect the data cable to your balance.

Managing Balance Bricks

The management sections are available when Balance Bricks are enabled for your workspace and your user has the required access.

1. Click the settings gear icon in the top-right navigation bar to open ‘Workspace settings’.
2. In the left-hand side menu, under ‘Compounding’, select ‘scale Balance Settings’.
3. Scroll to ‘Balance Bricks’ to view each device’s ‘Balance Brick ID’, configured balance ‘Model’, and ‘Last Seen’ status.

Managing Wi-Fi networks

Save Wi-Fi settings for your workspace, then apply them to your online Balance Bricks.

1. In ‘Balance Settings’, scroll to ‘Saved Networks’.
2. Select ‘add Add Network’ and enter the ‘Wi-Fi Network Name’ and ‘Wi-Fi Password’. Match the network name’s capitalisation exactly. To change an existing password, select ‘Update Password’ beside that network instead.
3. Click ‘Save Network’. The network’s ‘Wi-Fi on Your Balance Bricks’ page opens and checks its settings on available devices.
4. For each Balance Brick marked ‘Update needed’, select ‘Apply Network’, then confirm ‘Apply Network’. Wait for the network status to show ‘Matches’.

Click a saved network’s name to reopen its device settings. To find nearby networks, select ‘wifi Scan for Networks’, choose a Balance Brick if prompted, then select ‘Add Network’ beside a compatible result.

When removing a network, choose the action you need:

• ‘Forget Saved Network’ removes the workspace’s saved credentials after you confirm ‘Forget Network’. Existing settings on Balance Bricks stay in place.
• To remove device settings, open the saved network, select ‘Remove Network from All Balance Bricks’ under ‘Danger Zone’, and confirm ‘Remove Network’. Devices using that network may disconnect; offline devices need retrying. Workspace credentials are kept.

Troubleshooting a balance brick

Quick Checks

1. Try pressing Print on the balance

2. Restart the balance & balance brick.

3. Check all cables and connections

4. Check that the balance brick has power (you need to wait at least 1 minute after plugging the power in)

5. Restart your Router (if the balance brick is connected via WiFi)

Why isn't my balance showing up?

• With an active cloud connection, readings become stale after more than 15 seconds without an update and show Disconnected
  The disconnected connection status means that the balance scale is not connected to the cloud. The PrintNode application must be open to connect the balance scale to the cloud.
  .
• Configure the balance to send regular readings using the instructions for its model. If it only sends a reading when Print is pressed, a fresh weight may not be available until you press Print.
• If your balance is set to print on stable, then the weight might not be available if it is measuring 0g.