FORCE, LOAD AND WEIGHT

SENSORS
Why Measure Force?

Forces are also described as a push or pull on an object.

They can be due to phenomena such as gravity, magnetism,
or anything that might cause a mass to accelerate.
Definitions
Force
The measurement of the interaction between bodies

Load
The measurement of the force exerted on a body

Weight
The measurement of gravitational forces acting on a body

Unit of Force
The SI unit of force is Newton (N): it is that force which,
when applied to a mass of one kilogram, gives it an
acceleration of one meter per second per second (m/s2)
How to measure Force?
Basic Methods for Force Measurement

Balancing the unknown force against a standard mass

through a system of levers

Known Force
Unknown Force
a a

fulcrum
Basic Methods for Force Measurement

Balancing the unknown force against a standard mass

through a system of levers
Basic Methods for Force Measurement

Balancing the unknown force against a standard mass

through a system of levers
Basic Methods for Force Measurement

Measuring the acceleration of a known mass

e.g. a variable resistor

m = mass (kg)
a = acceleration
Newton Second Law of Motion: F = ma (m/s2)
Basic Methods for Force Measurement

Spring Balance
Basic Methods for Force Measurement

Distributing the force on a specific area to generate pressure,

and then measuring the pressure

F = PA

Area (A) = 16m2

Pressure (P) = 2 Pa
Basic Methods for Force Measurement

Force measurement using hydraulic load cell

Basic Methods for Force Measurement

Force measurement using piezoelectric force transducer

Basic Methods for Force Measurement
SUMMARY
Force Sensors
OUR FOCUS

Strain Gage
Ideally designed for the precise
measurement of a static weight or a
quasi-dynamic load or force

Piezoelectric Quartz Crystal

Quartz force sensors are
suited for the measurement
of dynamic oscillating
forces, impact, or high
speed compression/tension
forces
Strain Gage
BACKGROUND
F
Stress () is the force an object generates
inside by responding to an applied external
force, F

=
F
(
Pa or N / m 2 )
A

Stain () is the ratio of elongation (or

contraction) to the original dimension
L
Logitudinal Strain = 1 =
L
−d
Lateral Strain = 2 =
d0
Strain Gage
BASIC PRINCIPLE
In its simple form, a strain gage is a wire which is tightly
bonded to a measuring object. Any strain borne by
measuring object elongates or contracts the wire of strain
gage
The elongation or contraction of wire changes its electrical
resistance which is measured and is proportional to the
strain applied L
R=
A
Strain Gage
R L
Wire =K = K
Area = A
R L
Length = L K = Gage Factor
Resistivity =  2 for copper-nickel alloy
Resistance = R (commonly used)
2 to 4.5 for Metals
> 150 for Semiconductors
Strain Gage
HOW MUCH CHANGE IN RESISTANCE?
Calculate the percentage in resistance change on a strain
gage made up of copper-nickel alloy caused by 1000 x10–6
strain. Generally, the resistance of a strain gage is120Ω

R L
=K = K
R L
R −6
= 2 000 x10
x1
120
 R = 0.24
R In fact, it is extremely difficult to
 = 0.2% accurately measure such a minute
resistance change using ohmmeter, a
R Wheatstone bridge is used
Strain Gage
MEASURING STRAIN Strain
Gage R + R
R

Input Voltage P Q
VB

R R

Your Homework!

Output Voltage
Vo

Determine the mathematical relationship

Strain gauge
• Strain gauges are available commercially with nominal
resistance values from 30 to 3000 
• In practice, the strain measurements rarely involve quantities
larger than a few millistrain. Therefore, to measure the strain
requires accurate measurement of very small changes in
resistance. For example, suppose a test specimen undergoes a
substantial strain of 500 me. A strain gauge with gauge factor
GF = 2 will exhibit a change in electrical resistance of only
2x(500 x 10–6) = 0.1%. For a 120  gauge, this is a change of
only 0.12 .
• To measure such small changes in resistance, and compensate
for the temperature strain gauges are almost always used in a
bridge configuration with a voltage or current excitation
source.
Strain Gage
Strain Gauge Wheatstone Bridge

R1 Note :
R2
dR
GF = R
  GF = dR R

R3 R4
Temperature Compenation
RULES OF THE BRIDGE CIRCUIT
• For increasing the sensitivity of the bridge circuit, similar strains are
given to opposite arms and opposite strains are given to adjacent
arms.

• For temperature compensation the active and dummy gauges are

connected as adjacent arms.
Strain Gage
MEASURING STRAIN