DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, IIT MADRAS

ME3481 MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LAB 1 (July – Nov 2017)

EXPERIMENT #09

MEASUREMENT OF TORQUE USING STRAIN GAUGE

AIM:

1. To measure Torque by calibrating the strain gauge.

2. To measure Gain of the Torque measuring device.

TOOLS:

Torque measuring device (with Torque sensor, Fulcrum arm, Pan), Weights, Multi-meter.

WORKING PRINCIPLE:

Change in length of metallic wires (strain gauges) bonded on the torsion-loaded specimen
brings in a proportionate change in resistance of the gauges. These strain gauges are calibrated
using Wheatstone bridge and the torque is measured.

TORQUE SENSOR
L-ANGLE

FULCRUM ARM

PAN

WEIGHT
PROCEDURE:

1. Check connection made and switch On the instrument by switch at the front
panel. The display glows to indicate ON condition. Allow the instrument in ON
condition for 10 minutes for initial warm-up.

2. Adjust the potentiometer in the front panel till the display reads "00.0".

3. Vary the gain arbitrarily thrice and for each variation, apply load to the fulcrum
arm by adding weights in steps of 200g, starting from 300g till 1000g.

4. Measure set of readings of strain Indicator output and the voltage before
amplification and tabulate as given below:

Strain Indicator Voltage before

Sl.No. Weight in gm Output (mV) Amplification (mV)
GAIN 1:
1
2
3
4
5
GAIN 2:
1
2
3
4
5
GAIN 3:
1
2
3
4
5
5. Observe for the relationship between Weight and Strain Indicator Output
values obtained from the Table through a graphical plot.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

Torque is measured by calibrating the strain gauge and Gain of the device is
measured with the following observations:

1. DC output Vs Torque plot is observed for linear relationship.

2. Strain Indicator output for various gains is observed to be linear and the
lines of different gains, when extrapolated, meets at the origin.