November 9, 2011

Load Cell ideas - Engineering a Low Cost Plug and Play explication

Field aid engineers require a range of load cells spanning the separate ranges needed to calibrate their customers' systems. They may also require the assortment to escort a wide range of force measurements for a singular testing application. The challenge begins when the engineer needs to convert the load cell that is related to his instrument before he can continue. When the new cell is related to the instrument, the standard calibration factors need to be installed in the instrument.

Avoiding user-error is a major challenge with manual data entry or with requiring the engineer to opt from a database of stored calibration parameters. Loading the wrong parameters, or even worse, corrupting the existing calibration data, can lead to erroneous results and high-priced recalibration expenses. Instrumentation that automatically identifies the load cell being attached to it and self-installing the proper calibration data is optimal.

Dc High Voltage Tester

What is Transducer Electronic Datasheet? A Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (Teds) market transducer identification, calibration and improvement data, and manufacturer-related data in a uniform manner. The Ieee Instrumentation and determination Society's Sensor Technology Technical Committee advanced the formats which consist of common, network-independent communication interfaces for connecting transducers to microprocessors and instrumentation systems.

With Teds technology, data can be stored inside of a memory chip that is installed inside of a Teds-compliant load cell. The Teds standard is complicated. It specifies a huge amount of detailed electronic data templates with some degree of standardization. Even when using the data templates, it is not guaranteed that separate vendors of Teds-compliant systems will explicate what data goes into the electronic templates in the same way. More importantly, it is not apparent that the calibration data that is needed in your application will be supported by a singular vendor's Teds unit. You must also be sure that you have a way to write the Teds data into the Teds-compatible load cell, either straight through a Teds-compatible instrument that has both Teds-write and Teds-read capabilities, or straight through the use of some other, likely computer based, Teds data writing system.

For precision applications, such as calibration systems, it should also be noted that calibration data that is stored in the load cell is the same no matter what instrument is related to it. Additional compensation for the instrument itself is not included. Matched systems where a field aid calibration group might be attaching separate load cells to separate instruments can gift a problem.

Electro Standards Laboratories (Esl) has advanced the Teds-Tag auto identification theory which retains the spellbinding highlight of self identification found in the Teds standard but can be implemented plainly on any load cell and, when related to the Esl Model 4215 smart meter or CellMite spellbinding digital signal conditioner, becomes transparent to the user. Multiple load-cell and Multiple instrument matched pair calibrations are also supported. This can be a significant benefit in precision applications such as field calibration services.

With the Teds-Tag system, a small and cheap electronic identification chip is settled in the cable that extends from the load cell or it can be mounted within the cell housing. This chip contains a unique electronic serial amount that can be read by the Esl Model 4215 or CellMite to identify the cell. The cell is then related to the unit and a standard calibration course is performed. The instrument automatically market the calibration data inside the unit itself along with the unique load cell identification amount from the microchip. Whenever that cell is reconnected to the instrument, it automatically recognizes the cell and self-installs the standard calibration data. True plug-and-play carrying out is achieved. With this theory the calibration data can automatically consist of compensation for the singular instrument so that high precision matched systems can be realized. Moreover, if the cell is moved to someone else instrument, that instrument will recall the calibration data that it has stored internally for that load cell. The Esl instruments can store Multiple load cell calibration entries. In this way, Multiple load cells can form a matched calibration set with Multiple instruments.

Any load cell can be well made into a Teds-Tag cell. The electronic identification chip, Dallas Semiconductor part amount Ds2401, is easily ready from distributors or from Esl. The chip is very small, development it easy to fit into a cable hood or cell housing.

Both the Esl Model 4215 smart strain gauge indicator and the CellMite spellbinding digital signal conditioner are related to load cells via a Db9 connector with identical pin outs. The electronic identification chip does not interfere with the cell's signals. Pin 3 of the Ds2401 is not used and can be cut off if desired. plainly connecting pins 1 and 2 from the Ds2401 to pins 8 and 7, respectively, of the Esl Db9 connector will enable plug-and-play operation.

When using off-the-shelf load cells, it is often suitable to locate the Ds2401 in the hood of the cable. The cell comes with a permanently mounted cable that protrudes from the cell housing. At the end of the cable, strip back the insulation from the private wires and solder the wires into the Db9 connector. The Ds2401 is soldered across Db9 pins 7 and 8, and fits within the connector's hood. For a few dollars in parts and a straightforward cable termination procedure, you have taken a standard load cell and transformed it into a Teds-Tag plug-and-play unit.

For applications in which passage to the load cell and cable is restricted, an in-line tag identification module can be plainly constructed. A level straight through in-line cable adapter can incorporate the Ds2401 electronic tag chip. In this application, the cable adapter is well settled in series with the load cell cable before it is plugged into the Esl instrument. It is also inherent to use this technique in applications where separate calibrations might be required on the same load cell. The user may have a singular load cell and instrument, but can convert which calibration is auto-selected by plainly changing the in-line cable adapter. Since each cable adapter has a separate tag identification chip, the Esl instrument will associate a separate calibration data set with each in-line adapter. This might be useful, for example, if a precision 6-point linearization of the load cell is required in two separate operating ranges of the same load cell.

Now that the load cell has been converted to a Teds-Tag unit, it can be related to the Esl Model 4215 smart strain gauge indicator or a CellMite spellbinding digital signal conditioner. The very first time it is connected, a standard calibration course is performed to initialize the cell's calibration data in the instrument. The Esl instruments withhold a range of commerce standard calibrations along with mV/V, shunt, 2-point, or multiple-point calibration. The instrument then automatically detects the proximity of the Teds-Tag load cell and matches it with its calibration data. From this point forward, the theory is fully plug-and-play. Typical start up is now:

1. Plug load cell into the Esl instrument.
2. Turn on the power.
3. You're done.

After they've been initially calibrated on the instrument, changing load cells is done by plainly plugging the new cell into the instrument and turning on the power. That's it.

The Esl Model 4215 is a calibration ability strain gauge indicator that has internal nonvolatile storehouse for the calibration data of 25 load cells. Model 4215 combines force channels, encoder position channels, print capabilities, and Rs-232/485 serial communications into a versatile platform.

The versatile Model 4215 is used with tensile testers, strain gauges, extensometers, torque transducers, pressure sensors and position encoders. The Model 4215 features a bipolar range +/- 999,999 display, 24-bit resolution, nonlinearity of 0.005%, and auto load cell identification and setup for 25 load cells. Front panel shunt calibration with two selectable resistors is standard.

Menu buttons have alternate functions for setup menus. Programmed operations consist of peak hold and tracking, programmable math and function channels, programmable limits, the range of engineering units, position and velocity indication, and user-parameter inputs along with menu scrolling and auto zero. Quad limits output: independent, isolated solid state relays control Ac or Dc signals. The unit features six user-selectable filters. There is a tri-state limit display of On, Off and Disabled. Model 4215 includes a quadrature encoder channel for position and rate readout.

The Model 4215 is dataView software ready for graphical user interface and relationship to a Pc. The dataView software features include: full function point-and-click graphical user interface; plug and play operation, full speed data acquisition and plotting; data export into spread sheets; store and recall data files; generate and retrieve configuration files; and record generation.

The CellMite is a covenant digital signal conditioner that connects directly to a standard strain gauge based load cell, extensometer or pressure sensor and simultaneously generates a serial digital yield for relationship to a Pc as well as a +/-10V analog output. It has internal nonvolatile storehouse for the calibration data of 3 load cells. It can be used with Gui software or standalone to replace analog strain gauge signal conditioners. When it identifies a Teds-Tag load cell, it not only auto-installs the corresponding calibration data needed to take measurements from the cell, it also auto-installs gain and offset factors for its 16-bit scalable analog output. The voltage range and offset of the analog yield is automatically changed to match the corresponding load cell. This is a marvelous feature. Using the CellMite in this way is like having Multiple analog load cell signal conditioners all in one, and having them automatically removed, installed, and matched with a load cell, all without any user intervention.

The CellMite compensates for transducer nonlinearities using its integrated 6-point calibration ability not found in standard signal conditioners. Its multi-drop Rs232 serial port, unit addressing capabilities, and straightforward command set allow for relationship of Multiple units in a serial network configuration.

CellMite features the ability to opt between three transducers, multi-point and mV/V calibration, remote sense excitation, and a 24-bit internal resolution. Functions consist of tare, peak and valley. The engineering units supported include: in, cm, mm, %, Lb, Kg, N, mV/V and user-defined.

The CellMite operates with either CellView Lite Gui Software, CellView Multi-Unit Display Gui Software or with software drivers. The CellView software features a turnkey data acquisition system. Data, calibration, and sensor test data can be saved and exported to spreadsheets. The software allows the operator to setup a test to start and/or stop automatically with user-selectable trigger events and delayed triggering.

The CellMite is ideally marvelous for in-situ transducer conditioning and distributed process measurements. CellMites are addressable for a Serial Network. The software guides the user straight through sensor calibration and straight through adding and removing networked units. The CellMite force determination units can be networked along with the CellMite Lvdt Ac excitation digital signal conditioners.

Electro Standards offers a family of CellMites along with singular and dual-channel units, encased, Din rail, and board configurations. Units are ready with and without displays. A CellMite is ready for wireless communication up to 1500 feet. A CellMite is also ready with both Lvdt and force determination capabilities.

Electro Standards Laboratories has expertise on load cell electronics, digital signal conditioning, data acquisition systems, and related applications. A knowledgeable force of sales engineers is ready to help customers with the standard products offered on the Esl Website and with practice designs for specific applications. The business has been in business for over 30 years designing effective engineered solutions.

Load Cell ideas - Engineering a Low Cost Plug and Play explication

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