Low-cost load cells enable force sensing in smart consumer and medical products

TE Connectivity Measurement Specialties' FX1901 units, available now from Digi-Key, are intended for OEM use in laboratory, hospital, or consumer product applications, establishing a breakthrough in price and performance value for compression load cells. The device is a 1% load cell device with full scale ranges of 10, 25, 50, or 100 and 200lbf compression. This low-cost technology enables force sensing in a whole new class of ‘smart’ consumer and medical products. MEAS’ proprietary Microfused technology, derived from demanding aerospace applications, employs micro-machined, piezoresistive strain gages fused with high-temperature glass to a high-performance, stainless-steel force measuring flexure. Microfused technology eliminates age-sensitive organic epoxies used in traditional load cell designs, providing excellent long-term span and zero stability. Operating at very low strains, the technology provides an essentially unlimited cycle life expectancy, superior resolution, high overrange capabilities, and a ratiometric span of 20mV/V. The combination of stamped flexures and micro-miniaturized MEMs strain gages permit low costs to be achieved in high-volume OEM applications ranging from disposable medical devices to durable appliances and exercise equipment.