Force Measurement in all its variety
Load measurement with precise load cells
Load measurement or the measurement of forces
Learn all about loads and load measurement – the key to efficient monitoring and optimization of loads in your applications. Precise load measurement with a suitable load cell increases the safety and performance of your plants, systems and processes. Discover our innovative technologies and customized solutions here to reduce operating costs and increase reliability. Rely on our expertise in load measurement for sustainable success.
Our wide range of load cells and force transducers as well as load cells offers you a variety of load measurement solutions to ensure that the permissible and possible limits of the loads occurring are not exceeded.
Our products for load measurement:
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Basics of load measurement
What is load measurement?
Load measurement is the process of recording and quantifying forces or loads acting on an object or structure. This is done using special sensors and measuring devices that convert the acting loads into measurable electrical signals. Typical measured variables include weight, pressure, tension and force.
Why are loads measured?
The measurement of loads in industrial applications is useful for a wide variety of reasons. These range from the safety of people, the protection of machines and systems and the resulting damage and premature wear that can occur due to overloading, to the reduction of efficiency and productivity. This is because the optimization of loads and/or load distribution always improves the efficiency of processes in the relevant areas of the company. For example, by measuring and monitoring loads, operating conditions can be adjusted to minimize energy consumption and maximize productivity.
Further advantages:
- Quality control
- Cost reduction
- Regulatory compliance
- Data for analysis and improvement
- Automation and process control
Technologies and measuring devices
Measuring devices for measuring loads play an important role in many applications as they ensure safety, efficiency and quality. They are designed to measure loads precisely in order to avoid overloads, for example.
A sensor for measuring loads is the load cell, which converts a mechanical force into electrical signals. It usually consists of a metal body with strain gauges that measure deformations caused by the applied load.
Force transducers, also known as dynamometers, are used to measure tensile or compressive force. They are used in material testing and in the monitoring of production processes. Dynamometers can be operated mechanically, hydraulically or electrically, with the choice of type depending on the specific application.
Modern technologies have led to the development of wireless load measurement systems that transmit data in real time. They use wireless sensors attached to critical points and continuously send data to the monitoring system.
Other good reasons to measure the applied loads in machine and system components.
Quality control
Controlling the forces applied determines the quality of the products in many production processes.
Cost reduction
Avoiding overloads, reducing downtimes through timely maintenance and repairs or optimizing energy consumption reduce operating costs.
Regulatory compliance
There are legal requirements and standards in many industries. Load measurement helps to meet these requirements and avoid legal problems.
Security
One of the most important reasons for load measurement is to ensure safety. Overloading can lead to accidents that endanger both people and machines. By monitoring the loads, such hazards can be detected at an early stage and measures can be taken to prevent accidents.
Value retention
In many cases, machines and systems are already subject to high loads during “normal” operation. The specified load limits should therefore be adhered to in order to protect the material, prevent damage and reduce premature wear.
Quality in load measurement
You see it in the media almost every day. Reports in which industrial robots get to work. And it looks so simple when, for example, a welding robot in the automotive industry joins two elements of a car body together or a production system simultaneously presses tablets every second. However, a great deal is measured and controlled in the background and one control variable is the constant force with which the technical colleagues go about their work. Too much or too little pressing force affects the quality or, in the case of medicines, even the effect of the product. This is why force sensors and load cells for load measurement are a crucial component of every robot and many production systems.
Quality control: In many industrial processes, precise control of the forces applied is crucial for product quality. For example, in manufacturing, where the precise application of forces ensures the integrity and specifications of the end products.
Competitive advantages through cost reduction
Reducing costs always plays a decisive role when it comes to competitiveness. Avoiding overloads in systems and machines, which lead to increased wear and tear, breakdowns and maintenance costs, plays a key role. Advanced sensors in monitoring systems detect overloads at an early stage and thus help to extend the service life and service life in production and reduce the repair costs of defective systems or the acquisition costs for new systems. In addition, the optimum setting of the systems allows energy consumption to be made more efficient, which is clearly reflected in the operating costs.
Cost reduction: Overall, the combination of avoiding overloads, downtimes through preventive maintenance and optimization of energy consumption reduces costs in industrial production and increases the efficiency and competitiveness of companies.
Compliance with standards and specifications
Compliance with legal requirements and standards for loads plays a major role in staying on the safe side legally. Regulations such as the EU Machinery and Equipment Directives or national regulations such as the Ordinance on Operational Safety in Germany place clear requirements on the load capacity and stability of machinery and equipment. These regulations serve to reduce the risk of accidents and protect the health of personnel.
In addition, standards such as DIN or ISO standards define precise dimensions and weight classes for components and products to facilitate compatibility and interchangeability. For example, compliance with ISO 9001 for a quality management system ensures that products meet legal and regulatory requirements as well as those of the customer.
Safety for people and materials
Safety in load measurement plays a central role in many branches of industry, particularly in areas such as building construction, logistics and mechanical engineering. Precise load measurement systems and suitable load cells are crucial in order to accurately monitor the loads on structures, for example in lifting devices, and to identify potential hazards in good time. Incorrect assessments can lead to serious accidents, which is why the use of high-quality sensors, regular calibrations, the selection of the right load cell and compliance with standards and safety guidelines are essential. Modern load measurement systems with load cells often offer integrated safety functions that immediately sound an alarm or automatically stop operation in the event of an overload.
Reliable load measurement therefore not only increases the efficiency of operations, it also significantly reduces the risk of accidents in which people are injured. An investment that pays off. After all, the well-being of staff boosts employee motivation and protects against negative headlines in the public eye.
Reduce downtime and increase service life
One of the key factors for the service life and efficiency of machines and systems is the load on individual components such as shafts or axles and their bearings, gears, gear wheels and couplings, as well as static assemblies such as frames and housings – to name just a few. Excessive stress often leads to premature wear, unplanned downtime and high repair costs. However, targeted control and adjustment of the forces, torques or applied loads offers an effective way of counteracting these challenges.
Targeted force or torque sensors detect load peaks at an early stage, enabling the load to be kept within safe limits. The correspondingly adapted load profiles reduce material wear and thus extend the service life of components and systems. And fewer overload-related failures mean more uptime and greater production reliability. The reduction in damage and downtime lowers both the direct and indirect costs of operation.
Measurement methods and procedures
Which measurement methods and procedures should be selected?
Load measurement is an essential element in various technical and industrial applications where the precise recording and monitoring of forces, weights or other loads is required. There are a variety of measurement methods and procedures that are used depending on the application and the required accuracy. Here we present some of the most common methods, mainly using strain gauge technology.
Conclusion: several factors are decisive.
The selection of the appropriate measurement method for load measurement depends on various factors, such as the type of load to be measured, the required accuracy, the environmental conditions and the specific requirements of the application. Each of the methods described has its own advantages and disadvantages, which must be carefully weighed up to find the best solution for a particular application.
1. Strain gages (DMS)
Strain gauges are one of the most widely used methods of load measurement. A strain gauge consists of an electrical resistor applied to a flexible substrate. When a force is applied to the substrate, it deforms and causes a change in electrical resistance. This change in resistance can be measured and converted into a load. Strain gauges are known for their high accuracy and reliability and are often used in industrial applications, bridge and structural monitoring and aerospace applications.
2. Piezoelectric sensors
Piezoelectric sensors use the piezoelectric effect, in which certain materials (such as quartz or special ceramics) generate electrical charges when they are mechanically loaded. These charges can be measured and converted into a force. Piezoelectric sensors are particularly useful for measuring dynamic or rapidly changing loads as they are very sensitive and have a fast response time. They are often used in vibration analysis, machine monitoring and the detection of shocks and vibrations.
3. Hydraulic and pneumatic force transducers
Hydraulic and pneumatic force transducers use liquid or gas pressures to measure forces. In these systems, a force is exerted on a piston surface, which leads to an increase in pressure in a closed system. This pressure can be measured and converted into a force. Hydraulic force transducers are often used in heavy-duty applications, such as presses, hoists and heavy machinery. Pneumatic force transducers are easier and quicker to install and are often used in automated manufacturing processes.
4. Magnetoelastic sensors
Magnetoelastic sensors are based on the principle of the magnetoelastic effect, in which mechanical loads cause changes in the magnetic properties of a material. These changes can be measured and used to determine the applied force. Magnetoelastic sensors are robust and insensitive to environmental influences such as moisture and dust, making them ideal for use in harsh environments such as mining or heavy industry.
5. Optical sensors
Optical sensors for load measurement use changes in light waves to determine forces and strains. A common method is the use of fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) embedded in optical fibers. When a load is applied to the fiber, the wavelength of the reflected light changes, which can be used to determine the applied force. Optical sensors are particularly useful in environments that are sensitive to electromagnetic interference, and they offer high precision and stability. They are often used in aviation, smart structures and medical technology.
6. Inductive and capacitive sensors
Inductive and capacitive sensors use changes in the inductance or capacitance of an electrical circuit to measure forces. Inductive sensors measure the change in a magnetic field, while capacitive sensors measure the change in an electric field. These sensors are robust and durable and are often used in industrial applications where high reliability and low maintenance are required.
Measurement methods and procedures
Which measurement methods and procedures should be selected?
Load measurement is an essential element in various technical and industrial applications where the precise recording and monitoring of forces, weights or other loads is required. There are a variety of measurement methods and procedures that are used depending on the application and the required accuracy. Here we present some of the most common methods, mainly using strain gauge technology.
Conclusion: several factors are decisive.
The selection of the appropriate measurement method for load measurement depends on various factors, such as the type of load to be measured, the required accuracy, the environmental conditions and the specific requirements of the application. Each of the methods described has its own advantages and disadvantages, which must be carefully weighed up to find the best solution for a particular application.
Alternative
Measurement methods and procedures
Load measurement is an essential element in various technical and industrial applications where the precise recording and monitoring of forces, weights or other loads is required. There are a variety of measurement methods and procedures that are used depending on the application and the required accuracy. Here we present some of the most common methods, mainly using strain gauge technology.
1. Strain gages (DMS)
Strain gauges are one of the most widely used methods of load measurement. A strain gauge consists of an electrical resistor applied to a flexible substrate. When a force is applied to the substrate, it deforms and causes a change in electrical resistance. This change in resistance can be measured and converted into a load. Strain gauges are known for their high accuracy and reliability and are often used in industrial applications, bridge and structural monitoring and aerospace applications.
2. Piezoelectric sensors
Piezoelectric sensors use the piezoelectric effect, in which certain materials (such as quartz or special ceramics) generate electrical charges when they are mechanically loaded. These charges can be measured and converted into a force. Piezoelectric sensors are particularly useful for measuring dynamic or rapidly changing loads as they are very sensitive and have a fast response time. They are often used in vibration analysis, machine monitoring and the detection of shocks and vibrations.
3. Hydraulic and pneumatic force transducers
Hydraulic and pneumatic force transducers use liquid or gas pressures to measure forces. In these systems, a force is exerted on a piston surface, which leads to an increase in pressure in a closed system. This pressure can be measured and converted into a force. Hydraulic force transducers are often used in heavy-duty applications, such as presses, hoists and heavy machinery. Pneumatic force transducers are easier and quicker to install and are often used in automated manufacturing processes.
4. Magnetoelastic sensors
Magnetoelastic sensors are based on the principle of the magnetoelastic effect, in which mechanical loads cause changes in the magnetic properties of a material. These changes can be measured and used to determine the applied force. Magnetoelastic sensors are robust and insensitive to environmental influences such as moisture and dust, making them ideal for use in harsh environments such as mining or heavy industry.
5. Optical sensors
Optical sensors for load measurement use changes in light waves to determine forces and strains. A common method is the use of fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) embedded in optical fibers. When a load is applied to the fiber, the wavelength of the reflected light changes, which can be used to determine the applied force. Optical sensors are particularly useful in environments that are sensitive to electromagnetic interference, and they offer high precision and stability. They are often used in aviation, smart structures and medical technology.
6. Inductive and capacitive sensors
Inductive and capacitive sensors use changes in the inductance or capacitance of an electrical circuit to measure forces. Inductive sensors measure the change in a magnetic field, while capacitive sensors measure the change in an electric field. These sensors are robust and durable and are often used in industrial applications where high reliability and low maintenance are required.
Conclusion
The selection of the appropriate measurement method for load measurement depends on various factors, such as the type of load to be measured, the required accuracy, the environmental conditions and the specific requirements of the application. Each of the methods described has its own advantages and disadvantages, which must be carefully weighed up to find the best solution for a particular application.
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