Types of Load Cells

A load cell is an electronic device (a transducer) that is used to convert a force into an electrical signal. What does this mean? A load cell is a transducer which converts force into a measurable electrical output. It's a mechanical electrical component used in various industries. Applications  vart from personal health care to large scale / heavy scale manufacturing industries. It is also used in automation and security systems.

There is a large array of load cells that are available today, all have different specifications and are more suited to certain jobs than others. Simply put, a load cell is a weighing machine which uses electrical input to perform their tasks. They come in different varieties and sizes depending on the use of the machine. Buyers need to know the specific type and function of a load cell before purchasing one of these handy devices. In purchasing the load cells, the main features to look out for are their range of weights, overloads, and accuracy. Some common types of load cells carried by scale companies like All Scale Shop include:

Canister Type

Canister Load Cell

Canister type load cells 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 measurement even in harsh environments.

Weighing Modules (beam)

Beam Load Cell

A weighing module or "beam" load cell generally consists of a load cell with a mounting kit.Beam load cells generally come in 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.

Compression Load Cells:

They are made from stainless steel which enables them to withstand harsh environments. They are ideal when you use them in truck and railway scales. Experts also recommend them for tank and silo weighing. There are other people in the gas and oil industry who use them. The cool thing is that the cells have proved very effective in these industries.

Tension: they are designed to be used in lifting, weighing and general measurements. Most of tension load cells make use of sealing compounds that are very durable. To ensure that the compounds used are exceedingly durable, the cells come with a laser welded sealing.

Hydraulic (tanks):

Tank Load Cell

This is a type of mechanical load cell. It has a weight range of up to an incredible 10,000,000 lb, and its accuracy to one 25/th of a percent. These types of load cells can handle enormous impacts well and they are virtually insensitive to temperature.  Because they can handle impact they are usually used for tanks, bins and hoppers, and hazardous areas.

Pneumatic:

This is another type of a mechanical load cell. It has a wide weight range and a high accuracy. On the plus side they are intrinsically safe and it contains no fluids but on the downside they have a slow response rate and they need to be cleaned regular with dry air. These types of load cells are usually used in the food industry and hazardous areas.

To purchase a load cell that is right for your purposes, call All Scale Shop at (201)475-9184. 

Allscale Shop - Your trusted source for load cells.

Scale Service Center

Scales, by their very nature, see a lot of use. In many industries, like shipping and logistics, supermarkets, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and travel, scales see hundreds, even thousands of uses per day. Scales, like any other complex mechanism, can break down over time: its parts can break, its wiring could fail, its assemblies can rust. Because scales can be expensive, and because they are so essential to your business, it’s important to have a reliable scale service center that can fix mechanical and electronic problems and that can replace necessary parts quickly, efficiently and affordably.

Scale service is essentially three different services: repair, recalibration and scale part replacement, but actually getting your scale back into working order is often some combination of all three. Quality repair involves fixing any mechanical or electric problems that are stopping your scale from working. Recalibration is necessary when your scale is otherwise functional, but is giving incorrect measurements for indeterminate reasons and needs to be reconfigured to be accurate and precise once again. Part replacement requires having a warehouse filled with the necessary components to get a scale back in working order, or having strong relationships with scale manufacturers in order to get the parts quickly and affordably and to knowledgeably install them into your scales so that they work properly.

A reliable scale service center will be able to repair, recalibrate and replace parts for the scales on a short time-table and at a rate your company can absorb. All Scale Shop is such a scale service center. Because All Scale Shop sells scales from major brands it has the spare parts and the strong relationships necessary to get parts replaced in a timely fashion. Because of the strong knowledge of the team at All Scale Shop’s service center, repair and recalibration services can be done quickly, affordably and reliably. We repair scales and carry scale parts from dozens of major brands and for numerous applications, so no matter your scale, you can trust all scale shop to give you the scale service you need.

To schedule an appointment with All Scale Shop’s Scale Service Center, call our scale support line at (201) 475-9184.

All Scale Shop – Your trusted scale service center.