Isn't a DSLR a little overkill for this application?
Wayne, just get a
Canon Powershot SD430 for about $250.
It's a wifi camera that comes with a remote capture utility. You can simply hit a key on the keyboard to take the picture or set up a workflow on the PC to fire the shutter once the parts are on the scale.
Once the picture is taken it is automatically transferred to a computer or you can do it manually. It's really easy.