Whatever your industry, weighing equipment probably has a role to play. You may interact with scales on a daily basis, without giving too much thought to what makes them tick. If you want to learn a little bit about how modern scales work, there is no better place to start than with load cells. As the leading weighing equipment experts in Newport News and nationwide, we want to take this opportunity to share some facts about load cells.
Load cells are the brains of your scale. Here’s a little about what they do and how they work.
The Brains of the Scale
Here at our Newport News office, we are fond of referring to load cells as the ‘brains of the scale.’ Load cells are devices within a scale that measure the weight of an object. When you apply a weight to the scale, the cell will bend, which sends an electrical signal through a device known as a strain gauge. This signal causes a value—the item’s weight—to be displayed on the weight indicator.
Invented in 1843
What we’re describing to you might seem like modern technology, but it was actually invented well over 150 years ago. In 1843, an English physicist by the name of Charles Wheatstone pioneered a method of measuring electrical resistance in a circuit. The device he constructed, known as the ‘Wheatstone bridge,’ became the blueprint for modern-day load cells.
Three Common Kinds
We can group most load cells that are commonly used into three main groups: environmentally protected, welded seal, and hermetically sealed. Here’s an overview of these three types:
Environmentally protected. These load cells offer some protection from moisture. They are sealed with potting or rubber booting. Environmentally protected load cells are the most common type.
Welded seal. These load cells are welded shut for additional protection from moisture infiltration.
Hermetically sealed. This kind of load cell is impervious to moisture and other harmful chemicals. They are even examined microscopically to ensure there are no minor imperfections in the seal.
It’s important that you use the right kind of load cells for your application. If you’re not sure, the experts at our Newport News office are ready to help.
Contact The Scale People for Load Cells in Newport News!
Since 1956, The Scale People have earned a reputation as the finest service provider for calibration and repairs of weighing equipment in the mid-Atlantic area. Our sales team can help work with you to find the best weighing equipment for your application. We currently have offices in Columbia, MD, and Newport News, VA, but we offer our services nationwide. Over the years, we have built up a long list of satisfied clients from a wide variety of industries, including pharmaceutical, food and beverage, and government manufacturing. We are a fully ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited service company. All of our services have a 100% satisfaction guarantee. We’re only a phone call away at +1 (800) 451-9593. To learn more about what we do, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.