automation load cells

Look for a cell with very low deflection and a natural frequency well above the machine’s operating speed. Single‑point and double‑ended shear beam cells often work here because they tolerate off‑center loading while maintaining fast settling times. We frequently supply aluminum or stainless single‑point cells with a rated output trimmed to ±0.1% for this use.

In most cases, yes. We keep a library of common mounting patterns and can match or adapt the footprint to your existing brackets. If an exact match isn’t available, we can machine a custom base plate that bolts onto your machine without modification—just supply a simple sketch or a photo of the old cell with some dimensions.

The main enemy is moisture wicking through the cable or past the cover. We use Teflon‑jacketed cables bonded into the body with an epoxy that swells slightly when cured, creating a compression seal. Combined with venting through a Gore‑Tex plug on higher‑range cells, the zero point stays stable even after repeated hot water spray. We also run a 24‑hour soak test on random units before they leave the factory.

That’s a common request. We integrate a signal conditioner directly into the load cell housing or supply an inline amplifier module that converts the millivolt output to 0‑10 V or 4‑20 mA. The amplifier can be factory‑set to your required span, so you don’t need to adjust gain and offset on site.

We treat OEM builds like an engineering partnership, not a one‑time sale. You get a dedicated applications engineer who helps with pre‑production testing, creates installation guides specific to your machine, and holds safety stock in our warehouse so you don’t have to forecast exactly. After the first shipment, we’ll review field data with you if any drift trends appear and tweak the design accordingly.