Applications of Load cell

Before jumping into application of load cells keep in mind the following technical notes about both off-axis and on-axis loadings on load cells.

Application Of In-Use Loads: On-Axis Loading

No matter how little, all on-axis loadings produce some off-axis extraneous components. The amount of extraneous loading depends on the tolerancing of the elements in the machine or load frame design, the accuracy with which the parts are manufactured, the care with which the machine's components are aligned during assembly, the rigidity of the load-bearing components, and the suitability of the attaching hardware.

Control Of Off-Axis Loads

Even if the structure deforms under load, the user can choose to design the system to minimize or reduce off-axis loading on the load cells. This is feasible in tension mode by employing rod end bearings and clevises.

In situations where the load cell can be kept distinct from the construction of the test frame, it is possible to employ it in compression mode. This almost eliminates the possibility of off-axis load components being applied to the cell. However, off-axis loads cannot be totally removed since there will always be some deflection of the load-bearing elements and friction between the load button and the loading plate that might convey side loads into the cell.

If there is any uncertainty about which cell to use, the Low Profile cell will always win out unless the system's error budget Provides a substantial margin of extraneous loads.

Reducing Extraneous Loading Effects By Optimizing Design

Using ground flexures to design the measurement frame can provide a robust structure with little extraneous loading in high-precision test applications. Obviously, this necessitates expensive precision machining and frame assembly.

Overload Capacity With Extraneous Loading

Off-axis loading reduces cell overload capacity, which is a significant consequence. The allowable load on the primary axis, without any side loads, moments, or torques applied to the cell concurrently, is typically a 150% overload rating for a regular load cell or a 300% overload rating for a fatigue-rated cell. Since the off-axis vectors will combine with the on-axis load vector, the vector total might result in an overload condition in one or more of the flexure's gauged areas.

When you know the extraneous loads, determine the allowed on-axis overload capacity by calculating the on-axis component of the extraneous loads and deducting it from the rated overload capacity. be sure to keep in mind whether the cell is being loaded in tension or compression.

Industrial + Agricultural Vehicles Applications

Modern machinery is getting more sophisticated, necessitating sensors to maintain healthy and safe functioning while maximizing productivity. For manufacturers of trucks, construction machinery, material handling/lifting equipment, and agricultural machines, load cells offer a variety of solutions to meet these demands. There is a wide range of onboard weighing load cells for truck manufacturers and operators that assess axle loads, track payloads, and gauge individual collection tasks. Examples include load cells mounted on the chassis of bulk hauling vehicles or load cells built into the lifting arms of refuse collection vehicles. These measurement devices are used by construction machinery manufacturers to determine the stability of aerial work platforms, monitor crane conditions, and weigh shipping containers in reach stacker operations.

The demand for precision farming is driving the incorporation of force sensors in agricultural machines. Load cells are suitable for a variety of systems to control the function of baling machines, agricultural trailers, vest collection vehicles, tipper trucks, overhead cranes, and combine harvesters. They provide constant accuracy in complex working settings because of durable strain gauge technology, robust electronics, and cutting-edge environmental sealing technology.

Medical Applications

Manufacturers in the medical device industry have increasingly used load cells to aid them with their weighing and force measurement problems.

Load cells are available for infusion pumps, weighing systems for continuous renal replacement treatment equipment, precision scales for baby incubators, and a variety of sensors for weighing patients in hospital beds, patient hoists, and exercise equipment.

Process Automation + Control Applications

Load cells are well suited for use in the process automation and control sectors. Their applications include controlling machines that assemble microchips to pumping oil machines from underground reservoirs. These measurement devices provide custom solutions to monitor the insertion force applied to components or the dispensing of screen printing machines in electronic assembly instruments and screen printing machines.

In the oil and gas sector, pump-off control load cells are utilized to control oil well efficiency. Other applications for load cell sensors and strain gauge instruments include pipe bending machinery, stamping machines, and presses. They assure high quality of operation and improve production efficiency.

Process Weighing Applications

Load cells find use in process weighing applications. They can be used to level control in large capacity silos in cover high-speed packaging machinery. These devices provide the highest quality standard, ensuring optimum performance For machine builders and plant engineers. Load cells come up with various communication protocols and application programs for basic weighing, high-speed check weighing, batching, filling, and dispensing. They are intended to help achieve the best accuracy for any application in the food industry, plastics industry, packaging, pharmaceuticals, aggregate, quarrying, and construction.

Weighing Machinery Applications

High-accuracy load cells are certified for use in trade weighing applications. They offer an extensive array of options for machinery intended to operate in hazardous environments.

Test + Measurement Applications

A wide range of strain gauges, load cells, and instrumentation are available that are ideally suited for applications in the test and measurement sector. In tensile test machines, tension and compression load cells are commonly used for sample calibration and mechanical property analysis.

Bending beam load cells with high-speed electronic modules provide a range of highly accurate readings for manufacturers of vehicle testing equipment such as dynamometers. Grain moisture analyzers in agriculture use planar beam load cells, which combine small dimensions with the capacity to resolve to highly exact sub-gram levels of measurement.

Hand tools used in manufacturing assembly procedures are growing more complicated. Strain gauged torque sensors embedded within nut runners are the right solution for quality critical applications in the automotive sector. Multiple strain gauge array assembled into a fabric glove provides tactile feedback in the computer simulation field and is used for the remote monitoring of machines and robots.