Models and Mounting Kits

Load Cell Models

         Load Cells are produced in the manner that their area of use requires. Thus, there are many different and divergent load cells. Today, load cell having a wide capacity from 50-100 gr. to 1000-2000ton is produced.

Load Cell Mounting Kits

         To get the maximum performance from load cells, the mounting details recommended by the producer should be considered. It is almost impossible to get right, reliable result from the load cell(s), which is not mounted properly. Thus, the mounting kits, which are compatible with the specifications of application area, are produced. Every model can be used in very different applications. Accordingly, there can be one or more mounting way and accessory intended to be used for a model and so a mounting kit having the specifications required by the application must be used.

What is Strain Gage ?

        It is also called strain scale. It is used for measuring the strain of the areas where it sticks. While it has wide variety of use, we will only talk about force and weighing. 

         Strain gages stuck on a load cell is shown in below picture. As in the picture, no. 1 strain gage varies when a force is applied to load cell, its length varies as ΔL, and its resistance varies as ΔR.

How does Load Cell work ?

         Load Cell, in a simple manner, is a system, which outputs electric signal from the physical force that is applied to it. The structure is composed of metal chassis called as spring component, which is specially selected and formed, and Wheatstone bridge, which is formed with strain gages.

         When a physical force is applied to spring component, this causes a deformation; the deformation that occurs in spring component is output as electric signal over Wheatstone bridge. This signal acquired is displayed as force or weight data by processed in microprocessor based indicator.

What is Load Cell ?

         Since 5000 BC, equal arm scale has been used for weighing.  The other weighing method is spring scale. In spring scales, there is a pointer attached to spring and this pointer is used to display weight. The advantage of such scales is that they do not require any standard mass after calibration. In terms of repeatability and reliability, selecting the spring material appropriately, setting the spring sufficiently are important for the indicator to answer linearly.
Load Cell, which is subject to our work, is another method for weighing. The best transducer to display the weight on the screen is load cell.

         Load Cell based weighing indicators or shortly electronic scales are like spring scales technically. Steel and aluminum is used as spring component, however the material is formed in different ways, which are convenient to measure.  (Even if the spring component of a load cell is not similar with a spring, it is same in principle.)

         Load cells are strain gage based transducers. Strain gages are electronic structures in various sizes and forms, which are used to analyze static and/or dynamic resistance of a system or detached structure.  In commercial load cells, strain gage in 4 or 5 different sizes and forms is used (Special strain gages that are produced for analysis of various composites, marble, ceramic, glass and concrete etc. are off topic/)

         Load cell is a detached structure, whereas weighing is a static measurement in general. It works on just a single axis, since it is applied in weighing.  (Weight is formed because of a mass gravitated by the world with acceleration and this gravity changes depending on where you are.) Another name for it is transducer. Force is gotten by multiplying mass with acceleration. Weight is equal to gravity force of a mass in ground-vertical axis.