The sensor triggers on a sensed force level to close or open a switch, or provides a signal to an alarm or interlock.
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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 is induced by tension or compression along offset axes.
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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.
S-beam units are shaped like a squared-off 's'. Variable resistors (whose resistance is 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 cells are similarly-instrumented short, low-profile cylinders. These popular devices are capable of measuring very small through very large loads.
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.
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.
Tank weighing load cells are designed specifically to support tanks.
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Single-point bending beam sensors measure the vertical component of applied force.
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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.
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.
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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 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 is the output signal encoded via amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM), or some other modulation scheme. The signal is analog in nature.
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.
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.
Other unlisted, specialty, or proprietary outputs.
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The temperature range over which the device must operate.
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