A load cell is a transducer which converts force into a measurable electrical output. Although there are many varieties of load cells, strain gage based
load cells are the most commonly used type.
The load cell is one of the most important components in a weighing scale, when coupled with a digital indicator it dictates how well the scale will perform.
Many low cost scales use cheaper load cell, understanding the load cell can be difficult Load Cell History
In 1843, English physicist Sir Charles Wheatstone devised a bridge circuit
that could measure electrical resistances.
The Wheat stone bridge circuit is ideal for measuring the resistance changes that occur in strain gages.
Although the first bonded resistance wire strain gage was developed in the
1940s, it was not until modern electronics caught up that the new technology became technically and economically feasible.
Since that time, however, strain gages have proliferated both as mechanical scale components and in stand-alone load cells. Today, except for certain
laboratories where precision mechanical balances are still used, strain gage
load cells dominate the weighing industry. Load Cell Operating Principles:Load cell designs can be distinguished according to the type of output
signal generated (pneumatic, hydraulic, electric) or according to the way they detect weight (bending, shear, compression, tension, etc