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What is a Load Cell and How Does it Work?
The load cell is the heart of every scale system.
What is a Load Cell?
The load cell is the most important component of a digital scale system and is located inside every digital scale. All digital scales rely on these transducers; without them, a scale can’t measure weight. Load cells contain a strain gauge, which measures electrical currents and resistance when weight is applied.
When weight is applied to the scale, the load cell will slightly bend to measure applied force and send an electrical output to the indicator. This then calculates weight based on the severity of the load cell’s bend and displays a digital number, representing weight, on its screen. The more weight that is applied to the load cell, the more the load cell bends, resulting in a greater change in resistance and, therefore, a greater weight value.
What are the Types of Load Cells?
There are different types of load cells for different applications, including S-beam, single-ended beam, double-ended beam, single point, rocker column, compression canister, tension and planar beam. Choosing the right load cell can be complicated, and experienced load cell experts can help.
Rice Lake Weighing Systems has several different load cell types to help measure the weight in anything from a bench scale to a truck scale. Learn more about load cells at Rice Lake’s Load Cell and Weigh Module Resource Center and consult with Rice Lake load cell experts whenever you need help choosing the correct load cell for your business.
Related Products
Related Products
VPG Revere 363 Alloy Steel, S-Beam Load Cell
The VPG Revere 363 alloy steel, S-beam load cell with a compact and economical design is ideally suited for scale conversions and general-purpose weighing.
Rice Lake RLETB Alloy Steel, Single-Ended Beam Load Cell
Rice Lake RLETB alloy steel, single-ended beam load cell is designed for low-profile scales and process applications with metric envelope capacities.
Rice Lake RL70000 Alloy Steel, Double-Ended Beam Load Cell
The Rice Lake RL70000 Alloy Steel, Double-Ended Beam Load Cell with center loading is designed for truck, tank and hopper applications.
Rice Lake RLPWM15HE Stainless Steel, Single Point Load Cell
The Rice Lake RLPWM15HE hermetically sealed, stainless steel, single point load cell is NTEP Certified and available in capacities ranging from 10 kilograms to 100 kilograms.
Rice Lake RLSCA-50K Stainless Steel, Rocker Column Load Cell
The new Rice Lake RLSCA load cell is designed to be a replacement for Cardinal SCA products. It features all stainless construction and welded sealing to provide IP67 environmental protection.
Rice Lake RLCSP1 Stainless Steel, Compression Canister Load Cell
The Rice Lake RLCSP1 Stainless Steel, Compression Canister Load Cell is built for reliability, durability and extreme precision in vehicle and process applications.
VPG® BLH® T2P1 Alloy Steel, Tension Canister Load Cell
The VPG BLH T3P1 tension canister load cell with a single-column, environmentally protected design provides low deflection and trouble-free operation.
Flintec® PB Aluminum, Planar Beam Load Cell
The Flintec PB aluminum, planar beam load cell is an inexpensive alternative for low profile, light capacity applications. The compact size and mv/v per ohm calibration simplifies installation.
