Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Knowing What Type of Load Cell To Choose Can Increase The Functionality Of Industrial Equipment

Knowing What Type of Load Cell To Choose Can Increase The Functionality Of Industrial Equipment

By Art Quinn


Weight measuring load cells are made out of three distinct components. Tool Steel, Aluminum, or Stainless Steel.

Alloy steel components are by far the most popular tranducers utilized nowadays. The cost-to-performance percentage is superior, in comparison with other resources used in load cell construction. Typically the most popular alloy used is 4330. Tool steel transducers are affordable, have a big capacity assortment and are best utilized in dry purposes.

Aluminum is primarily employed in single point, little capacity applications. Aluminum is the lowest priced of the 3 materials used to make load cells. Aluminum load cells are limited by their low capacity assortment and should not be exposed to wet or chemical circumstances.

The 3rd substance used for load cell production is stainless-steel. This alloy has the ideal capabilities of any of the stainless types. Stainless steel load cells cost more than tool steel or aluminum, however their resistance to corrosion makes them a great option in humid or corrosive purposes.

Another important item to take into consideration when designing a weighing system is how the load cell's internal pieces are guarded from the surroundings.

Environmentally sealed is utilized to spellout various techniques, but in the long run is accomplished by one or more of the following: rubber boots, glued on covers or potting the gauge cavity of the load cell. This kind of sealing will safeguard the load cell from damage caused by debris and dust and mild moisture caused by splashing of water. By no means will the load cell be protected from immersion under water or being subjected to pressure cleaning. An additional sealing technique used on transducers is hermetically sealed. This contains a welded cover or sleeve that encapsulates the gauge pocket. The load cell cable entry area also uses a welded barrier to prevent moisture from wicking in to the load cell, and shorting it out. This method is mostly utilized on stainless steel load cells as a stainless, hermetically sealed load cell should only be used in heavy wash down or chemical like applications. This tends to make for a higher priced load cell but if longevity in a hostile environment is preferred, this is actually the most cost efficient solution in the long run.

A welded seal load cell is similar to a hermetically sealed cell, except for where the load cell cable comes out. A welded seal cell usually has the same load cell cable connection as the environmentally sealed cell. Sometimes, the welded sealed cell may have a conduit adapter for the load cell cable, allowing some degree of protection. While the gauge area itself is protected by the welded seal, the cable entry is not. Welded sealed load cells are for use where the cell could get wet occasionally, but aren't designed for heavy wash down purposes.




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