Help with Load Cells specifications:
Force To Measure
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| Force / Load Rating | The force / load rating is the maximum force or load the sensor is rated for. | ||
| Search Logic: | User may specify either, both, or neither of the "At Least" and "No More Than" values. Products returned as matches will meet all specified criteria. | ||
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| Accuracy | The accuracy required of the device. | ||
| Search Logic: | User may specify either, both, or neither of the "At Least" and "No More Than" values. Products returned as matches will meet all specified criteria. | ||
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| Multi-Axis (if required): | |||
| Your choices are... | |||
| Biaxial | Biaxial load cells can provide load measurements along two, typically orthogonal, axes. | ||
| Triaxial | Triaxial load cells can provide load measurements along three, typically orthogonal, axes. | ||
| Switch / Alarm | The sensor triggers on a sensed force level to close or open a switch, or provides a signal to an alarm or interlock. | ||
| Search Logic: | All products with ANY of the selected attributes will be returned as matches. Leaving all boxes unchecked will not limit the search criteria for this question; products with all attribute options will be returned as matches. | ||
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Force Sensor Type
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| Force Measured | |||
| Your choices are... | |||
| Tension | Tension cells are used for measurement of a straight-line force "pull apart" along a single axis. Typically, they are annotated as positive force. | ||
| Compression | Compression tension cells are used for measurement of a straight-line force "push together" along a single axis. Typically, they are annotated as negative force. | ||
| Shear | Shear is induced by tension or compression along offset axes. | ||
| Search Logic: | All products with ANY of the selected attributes will be returned as matches. Leaving all boxes unchecked will not limit the search criteria for this question; products with all attribute options will be returned as matches. | ||
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| Load Cell Package | Most force sensors actually measure the displacement of a structural element to determine force. The force is associated with a deflection as a result of calibration. There are many form factors or packages to choose from: S-beam, pancake, donut or washer, plate or platform, bolt, link, miniature, cantilever, canister, load pin, rod end, and tank weighing. | ||
| Your choices are... | |||
| S-beam | S-beam units are shaped like a squared-off 's'. Variable resistors (whose resistance are a function of strain induced by the load; for example, strain gages or piezoresistive elements) are bonded to the regions of maximum strain, and change resistance as a load is applied. Typically, these resistance changes are measured in a Wheatstone bridge circuit. | ||
| Pancake | Pancake cells are similarly-instrumented short, low-profile cylinders. These popular devices are capable of measuring very small through very large loads. | ||
| Donut / Washer | Donut cells are like pancake cells, but have a through-bore or hole. | ||
| Plate / Platform | Devices use a plate or platform load cell package. | ||
| Bolt | Bolt load sensors have one or two threaded ends for attachment to measured systems. These load cells measure force along the long axis of the bolt. | ||
| Link | Link cells are sensors for the in-line measurement of tension or compression. | ||
| Miniature | Miniature is a characteristic assigned by the supplier. If the supplier considers the load cell to be miniature, then the load cell is designated as miniature here. | ||
| Cantilever | Cantilever units are designed to have the load applied to a cantilever that, typically, is instrumented at the base. | ||
| Canister | Canister cells are instrumented cylinders. They have a considerably higher aspect ratio than pancake cells. | ||
| Load Pin | Load pins are typically instrumented shear elements that undergo a strain when a load is applied. A typical application is an instrumented wrist pin that attaches a hook to a cable on a crane. | ||
| Rod End - Male | The device is an instrumented rod with male threads. | ||
| Rod End - Female | The device is an instrumented rod with female threads. | ||
| Tank Weighing | Tank weighing load cells are designed specifically to support tanks. | ||
| Search Logic: | All products with ANY of the selected attributes will be returned as matches. Leaving all boxes unchecked will not limit the search criteria for this question; products with all attribute options will be returned as matches. | ||
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| Shear Cell Type (if applicable): | |||
| Your choices are... | |||
| Shear Beam | Shear beam sensors measures shear, but not a bending or single-point beam. | ||
| Bending Beam | Bending beam sensors are configured so that shear is deduced from the measurement of the bending moment of a beam. | ||
| Single Point Bending Beam | Single-point bending beam sensors measure the vertical component of applied force. | ||
| Search Logic: | All products with ANY of the selected attributes will be returned as matches. Leaving all boxes unchecked will not limit the search criteria for this question; products with all attribute options will be returned as matches. | ||
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| Sensor Technology: | |||
| Your choices are... | |||
| Capacitive | Capacitive load cells use the separation between two conductive surfaces to measure the force applied. As the force increases the separation between the surfaces decreases and the capacitance increases. | ||
| Magnetoelastic | A magnetoelastic force sensor or load cell detects changes in permeability by measuring changes in its own magnetic field. | ||
| Piezoelectric | For piezoelectric devices, a piezoelectric material is compressed and generates a charge that is conditioned by a charge amplifier. | ||
| Strain Gauge | For strain gage devices, strain gages (strain-sensitive variable resistors) are bonded to parts of the structure that deform when making the measurement. These strain gages are typically used as elements in a Wheatstone bridge circuit, which is used to make the measurement. Strain gages typically require an excitation voltage, and provide output sensitivity proportional to that excitation. | ||
| Search Logic: | All products with ANY of the selected attributes will be returned as matches. Leaving all boxes unchecked will not limit the search criteria for this question; products with all attribute options will be returned as matches. | ||
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Sensor Output
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| Sensor Output | The type of electrical signal that will be produced. | ||
| Your choices are... | |||
| Analog Voltage | Analog output voltage is a simple (usually linear) function of the measurement. This includes voltage ranges such as 0-10V, ±5V, and voltage ratios dependent upon excitation, typically expressed as mV/V. | ||
| Analog Current | Analog current is often called a transmitter. A current is imposed on the output circuit proportional to the measurement. Typical ranges are 4-20 mA, 0-50 mA, etc. Feedback is used to provide the appropriate current regardless of line noise, impedance, etc. Current outputs are often useful when sending signals over long distances. | ||
| Analog Frequency | Analog frequency is the output signal encoded via amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM), or some other modulation scheme. The signal is analog in nature. | ||
| Digital | The sensor output is any standard, digital output signal. | ||
| Parallel | The sensor's output uses a standard, parallel digital protocol such as IEEE 488, Centronics, or printer port, etc. | ||
| RS232/422/485 | RS232, RS422 and RS485 are standard, serial output protocols for sensors. They provide an interface between data terminal equipment (DTE) and data communications equipment (DCE), and use serial binary data interchange. | ||
| USB | The sensor's output is universal serial bus (USB), a 4-wire, 12-Mbps serial bus for low-to-medium speed peripheral device connections to personal computers (PCs). The USB design is standardized by the USB Implementers Forum (USBIF), an organization that includes leading companies from the computer and electronics industries. The current USB specification is USB 2.0, which supports data transfer rates of up to 480 Mbps. | ||
| Wireless | The sensor uses a wireless communications technology. | ||
| Other Output | Other unlisted, specialty, or proprietary outputs. | ||
| Search Logic: | All products with ANY of the selected attributes will be returned as matches. Leaving all boxes unchecked will not limit the search criteria for this question; products with all attribute options will be returned as matches. | ||
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| Temperature Compensated | Temperature compensated load cells provide special circuitry to reduce/eliminate sensing errors due to temperature variations. | ||
| Search Logic: | "Required" and "Must Not Have" criteria limit returned matches as specified. Products with optional attributes will be returned for either choice. | ||
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Application
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| Application | |||
| Your choices are... | |||
| Metrology | Force and load senors are used for metrology applications. | ||
| Structural Stress | Force and load sensors are used for measuring stress on a structure. | ||
| Web Control | Force and load sensors are used for assisting control on a web. | ||
| Weigh Scales | Force and load sensors are used in weighing applications. | ||
| Other | Other, unlisted or proprietary applications. | ||
| Search Logic: | All products with ANY of the selected attributes will be returned as matches. Leaving all boxes unchecked will not limit the search criteria for this question; products with all attribute options will be returned as matches. | ||
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Operating Temperature
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| Operating Temperature | The temperature range over which the device must operate. | ||
| Search Logic: | User may specify either, both, or neither of the limits in a "From - To" range; when both are specified, matching products will cover entire range. Products returned as matches will meet all specified criteria. | ||
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