Bending Beam Load Cells, Its Mechanism and Varieties
Load cells are devices used to measure force & weight in all Industries & research Institutes with undeniable accuracy. Of the many available kinds of beam load cells, the bending beam cell is one of the most popular products. In this article, you will learn about the mechanism in which it works and the different varieties of bending beam load cells available in the market at this point.
How It Works
How a bending beam load cell works is quite simplistic, but interesting. A load cell is configured with a metal spring element, which, when the load is mounted, triggers an elastic deformation. The strain is the input which is then changed into an electronic signal. The conversion occurs regardless of whether the strain is positive or negative. The Foil strain gauge is the member, which senses the mechanical deformation & translates to the output in terms of resistance. It is mounted on the spring element of the cell. A bending beam cell that works through a strain gauge is the simplest and most used type of cell. The more complex and advanced models are fitted with elements like sealing and housing for more critical measurements.
Single and Multiple Beam Load Cells
In regular bending beam cells, the signal generated is prompted by the bending moment as the longitudinal direction of the beam changes. The load application point gives out different signals at that point. That is also why single bending beams are not so common in load cells. The device needs special measures to keep the application point constant.
Multiple bending beam cells on the other hand are used for measuring distributed load. In multiple beam cells, two or more beams cells are used. The beams are stacked together with rigid elements on the load application and clamping side. The upside of using more than one beam is that it brings about a rigidity that reflects in the vertical shift in the application point. The double coupling steadies up the load application point and distributes shifting of the point of loading. The positive and negative zones of strain created facilitate both wiring and gauge installation.
Other Load Cell Designs
The bending beam load cell is not the only kind available in the market. There are many others, some of which have been discussed here. For high loads, the companies use a load cell that is calibrated with a column-shaped spring element. It is very effective in fast and precise measurement of very heavy loads. For even higher loads, there are hollow cylindrical cells. There are load cells that have springs fitted directly on the measuring brackets. Shear beam and ring torsion cells are two other designs that are often used in factories. Cells with diaphragm elements are the latest addition to the product line.
Other two often used kinds of beam load cells are compression load cell and Weighbridge load cell.
About the Company:
Sensomatic manufacture a wide range of high precision load cells for various Industrial application in India. Our range includes S-type load cell, Shear beam load cell, Double ended load cell, Compression load cell, Stainless steel load cell, Weighbridge load cell and many more.