LOAD CELLS

What is a Load Cell? Have you heard of it???

LOAD CELL
A load cell is a transducer that is used to
convert a force into electrical signal.
The most common
type is a strain
gauge load cell.

STRAIN GAUGE

What Is It?

A Strain Gauge is a device used to

measure the strain of an object.

WORKING PRINCIPLE
A load cell is made by bonding strain gauges to an elastic
material.
For accurate measurement, strain gauges are bonded to the
position on the Elastic material where the impact of the
stress will be the largest.
The strain gauge utilizes this principle and detects a strain by
changes in electrical resistance.
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WHEATSTONE BRIDGE

A Wheatstone Bridge is an
electrical circuit.
Used in a load cell to measure
an overall change in resistance.

R1

R4

V0

VEX

R2

R3

Load Cells
Types

Button
Canister

S Type

Shear

Beam

LOAD CELL COMPARISON

Strain Gauge Load Cells
Load Cell
Type

Weight
Range

Accuracy

Bending
Beam

10-5k lbs

0.03%

Tanks,
Low cost, Simples
platform scales
construction

0.03%

tanks, platform
Better sealing and
scales,offprotection
center loads

Shear
Beam
Canister

10-5k lbs

to 500k lbs

Ring &
Pancake

5-500k lbs

Button &
Washer

0-50k lbs
0-200lbs
typ.

0.05%

1%

Apps

Truck, tank,
track, hopper
scales

Strength

Weakness
Strain gages
exposed

Handles load
movement

No horizontal
load protection

Tanks, bins,
scales

All stainless steel

No load
movement
allowed

Small scales

Small inexpensive

Loads must be
centered

Mechanical & Other Load Cells

Load Cell
Type

Weight
Range

Hydraulic

Up to
10,000,000
lbs

Pneumatic
Helical
Fiber Optic
Piezoresistive

Wide

0-40k lbs

Accuracy

Apps

Strength

Weakness

0.25%

Tanks, bins, &

hoppers

Takes high
impacts,
insensitive to temp

Expensive
complex

High

food industry,
hazardous
areas

Intrinsically safe

Slow response.
Require clean,
dry air

0.2%

Platform,
forklift, wheel
load

Handles off-axis
loads, overloads

0.1%

Electrical
transmission
cables

Immune to
RFI/EMI

0.03%

Extremely
sensitive, high
signal output level

High cost,
nonlinear
output

LOAD CELLS
Applications

Scales
Weighbridge

Force Gauges
Torque Gauges

ADVANTAGES

Rugged and compact construction

No moving parts
Highly Accurate

Wide range of measurement, can be used for static and dynamic loading

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DISADVANTAGES

Mounting is difficult
Calibration is a tedious procedure

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