Our latest webinar, Latest Spin on AxialTQ features Keith Skidmore and Jay Bradley detailing all aspects of AxialTQ including design, features, performance specifications, customizable options, and applications of this revolutionary torque transducer.
When selecting a load cell, it’s critical to understand the major factors impacting sensor accuracy. These factors are determined by the materials and components used in the construction of the load cell, the calibration, instrumentation, the accessories such as cables, and mounting installation. Each must be considered in the specific use cases for the load cells.
During our virtual event, Load Cell Basics, applications expert Keith Skidmore detailed everything you need to know about load cells and how to choose the right load cell. First, Keith highlighted four vital application considerations:
Mechanical – Dimensions and Mounting
Electrical – Output and Excitation
Environmental – Temperature and Moisture
Performance – Accuracy and Thermals
Taking a deeper dive into performance, an important consideration when selecting your load cell are the sensor specifications and how they impact accuracy. The sensor specifications relate to the max error of various parameters. The specifications are always included in product spec sheets and are expressed using the following values – %FS, %RO, %, %/°F, time-related. Specifications listed relate to the max error for accuracy and temperature.
Interface provides all sensor specification data for our load cells in the product datasheets found on each product page for easy download.
The information we provide for every load cell typically includes:
Accuracy:
Temperature:
Further definitions can be found in our online technical glossary. Here are a few that we highlighted in the Load Cell Basics webinar.
Static Error Band: A band encompassing all points on the ascending and descending curves centered on the best fit straight line. It is expressed in units of %FS.
SEB Output: The output at capacity based on the best fit straight line.
Non-repeatability: The maximum difference between output readings for repeated loadings under IDENTICAL LOADING AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. In practice, there are many factors that affect repeatability that ARE NOT included in the non-repeatability specification. It is normally expressed in units of %RO.
Non-linearity: The difference in the output from a straight line. It is normally expressed in units of %FS.
Hysteresis: The difference in the ascending versus descending curves. This is normally expressed in units of %F.
Understanding these factors and the maximum error for your specific project is critical to selecting a load cell and getting the best possible data out of it.
To learn more about sensor specifications for load cells, review the product specs on each datasheet or in our product catalogs. For additional help, call to speak with our application engineers at 888-557-2533.
To view additional online events, please go to our events page.
We love our community. We have established a meaningful history in Scottsdale, Arizona, and we enjoy giving back where our Interface family began and thrives today. Because of our sentimental connection to our community, we strive to be exceptional stewards in our neighborhood.
Throughout the year, we team up several times as a company to participate in community events and volunteering opportunities to do good. It is central to our culture and an example of our core leadership principles. Our employees demonstrate impeccable pride in their service to others because they see the difference they make for their neighbors. They gravitate toward helping others.
Interface’s development of various community initiatives has seen team members show exceptional passion for serving younger generations. As a result, most of our social impact initiatives at Interface focus on helping children and teens.
“At Interface, social impact is more than a day of service, it’s ingrained in our company culture.” Lilian Gaithe, CHRO at Interface
Each year, we collect backpacks and school supplies for foster children in Arizona. Employees donate essential goods like pens, paper, notebooks and glue for different age groups. After the donations are collected, the team chooses a day to fill the backpacks.
Interface also organizes an annual Christmas Angels program where employees donate gifts for children of all ages. Participation never fails to exceed expectations, and our employees always go above and beyond for children in the program. Because of the success of our backpack and Christmas Angel programs, we plan to initiate a new community program this year to provide pajamas to kids in need.
In addition to our giving initiatives, Interface is partnering with local schools to make STEM education more accessible. Since we are an organization with expertise in technology and engineering, we are going to volunteer time to teach grade school children the basics of robotics. Our goal is to guide students into competing in state-wide robotics competitions, in the hopes they will want to continue their STEM education throughout their high school years and beyond. Perhaps they will even join our Interface team in our 2nd 50, as we just started our 51st year in business as the leaders in force measurement solutions.
Our community service initiatives provide us with the indelible opportunity to see the human side of our employees. We couldn’t be more thankful to serve our community as a team. By focusing our efforts on children, we’ve fostered an internal community at Interface with an unwavering passion to make a difference.
