Load cells for force testing and press monitoring
Testing applications are about peaks and cycles, not static accuracy. The right question is not "what is the accuracy" but "what happens on the third millionth cycle".
Force testing and press monitoring capture the peak of a dynamic event — a force that rises and falls in milliseconds. This puts different demands on the cell than static weighing: sample rate, overload behaviour and fatigue life matter more than creep.
What actually goes wrong
These are the failure modes we see repeatedly in force and press testing installations. In most of them, better hardware would not have helped.
Capturing the peak
A press can generate a force spike far above its set point in under 10 ms. If the sampling rate is too low, the recorded peak is simply wrong.
Shock overload
Every press cycle is a shock load. A cell rated for 150 % static overload may still be damaged by repeated slamming into the tooling.
Fatigue life
A press running three shifts makes millions of cycles. Fatigue life is often the binding constraint, not static accuracy.
Fixture stiffness
A flexible test frame will absorb energy that should be reaching the cell, producing a reading that depends on frame deflection rather than applied force.
Models used in this application
These are the models our engineers usually start from for force and press testing. The specification on each product page is the full one — no abbreviated versions.
ST-50
S-type / S-beam
5 kg / 10 kg / 20 kg / 50 kg / 100 kg / 200 kg / 500 kg
- Accuracy
- C3
- Protection
- IP65
- Combined error
- ≤ 0.03 %F.S
- Creep
- ≤ 0.03 %F.S
MI-50
Miniature
50 g / 100 g / 200 g / 500 g / 1 kg / 2 kg / 5 kg
- Accuracy
- C6
- Protection
- IP65
- Combined error
- ≤ 0.005 %F.S
- Creep
- ≤ 0.008 %F.S
SB-200
Single-ended shear beam
25 kg / 50 kg / 100 kg / 200 kg / 500 kg / 1 t / 2 t
- Accuracy
- C3
- Protection
- IP67
- Combined error
- ≤ 0.02 %F.S
- Creep
- ≤ 0.015 %F.S
Selection notes
- Confirm the peak force and the sampling rate together — they often conflict
- Ask for fatigue life in cycles, not just static overload
- A rigid fixture is part of the measurement system
- For multi-axis or robotic applications, specify the axis count explicitly
Force and press testing questions
What sampling rate do I need to capture a press peak?
To capture a peak accurately you want at least 10 samples across the peak event. For a press stroke of 100 ms, that means 1 kHz or more. Most general-purpose transmitters sample at 10–100 Hz, which is fine for slow force events and useless for fast presses. Tell us the event duration and we will confirm what is achievable.
How do I know the fatigue life is sufficient?
Ask for the rated cycle count at your working load, not the static overload figure. A cell that survives 150 % static overload can still be the weak link in a press running two million cycles. We publish fatigue life per model — send us the cycle rate and duty cycle.
Does the test frame affect the reading?
Yes, significantly. A frame that deflects under load absorbs energy that never reaches the cell, so the recorded force is lower than the applied force and it varies with frame deflection. Rigid fixtures and short load paths between the actuator and the cell are essential.
Can you supply multi-axis cells for robotic force sensing?
Yes. Multi-axis cells are used in robotics, force-feedback tooling and biomechanics. Specify the number of axes, the working range on each axis and the cross-axis coupling you can tolerate, and we will confirm what is available.
Discuss your application
Tell us the load, the environment and the signal your PLC needs. A named engineer replies within 24 hours.
Enquiry
If you already know the model, mention it. If you are not sure, describe the application and we will shortlist three options.
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