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Principle-of-load-cells

Load cells are transducers that measure mechanical force and output a voltage change proportional to that force, with specifications including capacity, accuracy, sensitivity, and thermal sensitivity. They utilize strain gauges connected in a Wheatstone bridge configuration to convert resistance changes into electrical signals, typically outputting between 0 to 50 mV. Load cell capacities range from grams to hundreds of tonnes, and their sensitivity is usually expressed in mV/V.

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4 views

Principle-of-load-cells

Load cells are transducers that measure mechanical force and output a voltage change proportional to that force, with specifications including capacity, accuracy, sensitivity, and thermal sensitivity. They utilize strain gauges connected in a Wheatstone bridge configuration to convert resistance changes into electrical signals, typically outputting between 0 to 50 mV. Load cell capacities range from grams to hundreds of tonnes, and their sensitivity is usually expressed in mV/V.

Uploaded by

franz.hamann96
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Principle of load cells

About load cells


Load cells are transducers that measure mechanical force and output a linear change in voltage proportional
to that force. Load cells are rated in units of weight (grams, kilograms or tonnes).

A load cell will measure from zero to the stated capacity. The accuracy of the load cell is generally stated as a
percentage of the overall capacity. For example, if a 100kg load cell has an overall accuracy of ±0.03%, then that
load cell will measure weight from zero to 100kg to a worst case accuracy of ±30 grams. This applies whether it is
weighing a load of 5kg or 95kg.

A load cell data sheet will provide other important information about the load cell:
Capacity
The overall capacity of the load cell.
Overload
The maximum percentage of full load that the load cell can handle before damage occurs.
Accuracy
This may be expressed in terms of linearity, hysteresis, repeatability and creep. These figures
are all expressed as a percentage of the overall capacity of the load cell.
Sensitivity
The sensitivity of the load cell determines the actual voltage output you will get when you
place the full load on the load cell. These figures are all expressed in mV/V.
Thermal Sensitivity
This tells you how much the output will change with change in temperature. It is
usually expressed in percent of full load/°C.

Strain gauges and load cells


Load cells are blocks of metal that have been machined in such a way that specific areas are put under high
strain when weight is applied to them. These areas have strain gauges attached to them with a high strength
adhesive. The materials used to manufacture load cells are Aluminium, Steel Alloy, and Stainless steel.

Strain gauges themselves consist of thin foil elements that are glued to the load cell body. Strain gauges are
cunningly shaped so that even very small movements or “stretching” of the gauge results in comparatively large
changes in resistance.

The relationship between strain and change in resistance is almost perfectly linear. Accuracies between
±0.01% and ±0.02% are not uncommon for a high accuracy load cell.

Load cell capacities can range from a few grams to hundreds of tonnes.

Bron: NT-Using Load cells-E-0110


Principle of load cells

Wheatstone Bridge circuit


The strain gages, usually four or a multiple of four, are connected into a Wheatstone bridge configuration in
order to convert the very small change in resistance into a usable electrical signal.
Load cells usually have 4 or 6 wires coming out of them. Two of these wires are to power the load cell. This is
called “excitation”. Two of the other wires return a signal to the weight indicator. These are called “signal” wires. If
the load cell has a 6-wire connection, the extra 2 wires are called “sense” wires. These are used by the weight
indicator to compensate for voltage drop in the excitation over long distances. The sense wires are connected to
the same point as the excitation wires.

If the gages within a load cell are connected in a balanced Wheatstone Bridge circuit, and are excited by a
source of AC or DC voltage, the transducer will produce an electrical output which is a direct linear function of the
excitation voltage.

Load cells usually have an excitation voltage of between 3 and 15 Volts DC. The signal output of the load cell
depends on the load cell itself, but it is usually in the range of 0 to 50 mV.

The signal output of the load cells is expressed in milli-Volts per Volt (mV/V). What this means is that for every
Volt of excitation applied to the load cell, it will output so many milli-Volts at full scale. This value is called the load
cell’s sensitivity. Typical sensitivity ranges are from 1mV/V to 3 mV/V.

In this example:
· A load cell has a capacity of 2kg and a sensitivity of 2mV/V.
· The weight indicator has an excitation voltage of 5Vdc.
· The output signal when a 2 kg weight is applied on the load cell is 10mV.

Bron: NT-Using Load cells-E-0110


Weeg- en testtechniek

Bienfait Waarderweg 54 2031 BP Haarlem Telefoon 023-5530316 E-mail [email protected]

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