Load cells are a type of transducers used for various applications. The transducers are known to have the characteristic of converting energy from one form to other. In case of a load cell the input energy involved is various types of force. The focus can be of different forms, and it gets converted into an electrical signal. Through the converted electrical signal, the appropriate measurement of the applied force gets calculated. The output data from such load cells have more considerable significance in many industries and sectors. There are different types of load cells ranging from miniature to beam load cells. Each load cells are suitable for various applications. Let us see four of the most used load cells in the market today.
Beam Load cells
The first-ever use of load cells was to measure the weights of objects. The beam load cells, also known as bending load cells, are used to calculate the mass in various units. A spring element attached to this load cell calculates the total weight of an object. When the force gets exerted the spring deforms to a level based on the mass of the object. As soon as we remove the object, the springs come back to its normal position. An electrical signal is created based on the level of deformity caused in the strings to calculate the total weight.
Button load cell
The button load cell is another type of load cell designed to measure weight. But, unlike the beam type cell, we are using the principle of compression in this case. Mainly used in amplifiers, this gadget got its name by the way it looks. This load cell has something called as a nipple, which is a small round shaped button like thing at one face of the cell. When force gets exerted in this part of the load cell, it converts it into an electrical signal used for precise measurement.
Mini Load cells
As the name suggests, there are small-sized load cells with right level accuracy. The size of these helps in using them in situations where space is a big concern.
Donut Load cells
Otherwise known as through hole load cell these are mainly used in the monitoring system. These load cells have a small hole in the middle through which the structure goes. The force and vibrations are measured to monitor and avoid overloads. The donut load cells serve various purposes in multiple industries.