Load cells come in many different shapes, sizes and capacities and are now the industry standard for all types of weighing. It can be a bit of a mine field trying to find the correct load cell for your application. I have listed some of the most common found today and there uses.

Single Point

Single point are probably the cheapest and most popular type on the market today. Because of there price and reliability, they can be found in most types of retail scales, counting scales, medical scales, parcel scales and postal scales. This type of load cell can also be used in platform scales and industrial weighing systems to provide accurate readings regardless of the position of the load on the platform, reducing manufacturing costs.

Canister Type

Canister type have been around for a long time and tend to be the industry standard for most high capacity, compression applications. Canister type load cells are used for single and multi-weighing applications. This type of cell has a button on the top and bottom side and can be used in compression only. Canister type load cells are used in tank scales, vessel weighing applications, axle weighing scales, truck weighing, vehicle scales and weighbridges. Canister type load cells offer accurate weighing in harsh environments.

Double Ended Shear Beam

For medium to high capacity applications, the double ended shear beam offers a number of advantages over other designs. This type has the ability to rock on its mountings to accommodate any misalignment in mounting surfaces whilst still being retained, this also permits limited movement to allow for thermal expansion and contraction as well as lift off protection. This type of cell is also available as a weighing module kit.

Single Ended Shear Beam

Single ended shear beam are commonly found in all types of floor, platform and shipping scales today and provides an ideal solution for most medium capacity weighing applications. Single ended shear cells have the ability to withstand full capacity side load without any problems which makes them particularly suitable for weighing systems with mixers, blenders and agitators. This type are extremely durable but can become costly and cumbersome to mount above 10,000kg. This type of cell is also available in weighing module form.

Tension Link

The tension link are suitable for applications such as winching, hanging scales, crane weighing scales and lifting systems. This type of load cell offers superior accuracy at high capacity weighing. This type of cell has openings at either end to allow for easy connection to shackles, wire rope, D links or other rigging. Tension link load cellsprovide a rugged design for resistance to side loading.

Torsion Ring

Torsion ring are a relatively new concept in design and provide an excellent low profile solution for a wide range of weighing applications. Unlike standard compression load cells, which can readily suffer from off-axis loading problems, torsion rings are loaded through a centrally located annular ring. By using a central floating pin to transmit load to this ring, optimum load introduction is assured and off-axis loads up to three or four degrees can be tolerated without loss in performance. Proprietary mounting modules, which offer excellent versatility, are now available for both process weighing applications and platform scales.

Weighing Modules

Weighing module generally consists of a load cell with mounting kit. Many types of now come supplied as modules but generally single or double ended shear beam and canister type are the industry standard. Load cell weighing modules are used in tank scales, silo weighing, vessel weighing applications, axle weighing scales, truck weighing, vehicle scales and weighbridges.

Wireless

All of the above have one major flaw; they are connected to devices via cable. One of the main problems with any weighbridge or floor scale is the chance of damaged cables. Using the latest technology, wireless, load cells are now being made available and could one day be the industry standard. All of the above load cells are now available in wireless format, although this technology comes at greatly increased price.

S Type

S type get their name from their shape, being the letter 'S'. S type load cells can provide a digital output when used in either tension or compression and provide superior side load rejection. This type of cell has two female threaded fixing points, top and bottom were eye bolts or thread rod ends can be attached. This type are used in crane scales, hanging scales, hoist scales and most tension applications.

For more information, technical details and capacities of load cells or weighing scales in general then please visit www.coventryscaledirect.co.uk for more information.