Where to find highly sensitive (> 100 mV/N) force transducers

[arnoldw]

I need a highly sensitive (> 100 mV/N) force transducer. Who except Bruel & Kjaer makes these? Thanks in advance!

 

[GregLocock]

At a guess PCB or Endevco might. But I'm not wildly confident. What's wrong with B&K?

Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[sreid]

Google "Miniature Load Cell."

 

[amorrison]

Consider also a strain gage on a "structural member".

 

[IRstuff]

How about something like:

http://www.adinstruments.com/products/datacard/MLT0202/research/

http://www.omega.com/Pressure/pdf/LC601.pdf

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[arnoldw]

Thanks for all your advice. I plan to connect the force transducer to a Bruel & Kjaer Mini-shaker type 4810. The shaker will generate vibrations that will be picked up by a bone-conductive microphone and these vibrations are very small. The greatest force I need to measure is about 0.3 Newton and this is because the shaker will not vibrate around its default position, but instead around a slight offset.

Greg Locock:
The most sensitive Bruel & Kjaer force transducer has a sensitivity of 110 mV/N, which may be a little on the low side (we will try it, but I doubt the sensitivity is enough).

 

[GregLocock]

See if you can find a charge coupled force transducer, and then use the excellent B&K 2635 charge amp.

0.3N is not an especially small dynamic force.



Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[arnoldw]

Greg Locock:
You are correct that 0.3 N is not a particularly small force. However, this corresponds to a constant force (the DC-component sent into the shaker). The vibration force (corresponding to the AC-component sent into the shaker), on the other hand, will be very small. I would like to find a force transducer which has a big enough dynamic range to measure both of these two components accurately.

 

[GregLocock]

Ah, if you need to measure the static offset, charge coupled devices are useless. You'll need a strain gauge based system, with DC response.



Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.