Which load cell fits your application?
Six questions. Three candidates. Full specifications, drawings and CAD for each. Nothing is submitted until you have seen the result — no email required to see the answer.
Find the load cell that fits your application
Six questions. Three candidates. Full specification, drawing and CAD for each. Nothing is submitted until you have seen the result.
How is the load applied?
This one decides the cell type. Getting it wrong is the most common reason a cell gets rejected at installation.
What are you weighing?
Pick the closest application. It maps directly to the mainstream cell type and capacity band.
What is the maximum load?
Enter the maximum load on a single cell. Add the vessel weight and allow headroom for shock and off-centre loading. For multi-cell systems, divide the total by the number of cells first.
What accuracy do you need?
Accuracy class is defined internationally by OIML Recommendation R 60. NTEP is the United States equivalent.
Where does it operate?
This determines the protection class and the material. A washdown zone needs IP69K and 316L — IP67 alone will not survive a chemical washdown regime.
What signal does your PLC need?
This decides whether you need a sensor or a sensor plus transmitter. A protocol mismatch means the whole system has to be redone.
Three candidates for your application
Ranked by match score. Each one links to the full specification, drawing and CAD model.
Next step
Type before capacity
Getting the force direction wrong is the most common reason a cell gets rejected at installation. A cell with a better accuracy class but the wrong geometry will still read badly.
The environment decides the material
A cheaper IP65 cell installed in a wet outdoor pit will fail long before a correctly specified IP68 cell does, and replacing a pit-mounted cell is expensive.
The protocol cannot be changed later
A signal mismatch means the whole control system has to be reworked. Check what your PLC accepts before you settle on a model, not after.
Questions engineers ask us first
How do I choose the right load cell type?
Start with how the load is applied. Compression, tension and shear each point to a different cell family, and choosing the wrong shape is the most common reason a cell is rejected at installation. Then match the capacity to the maximum load plus vessel weight and headroom, pick the accuracy class your application needs, then confirm the protection class suits the environment.
What is the difference between OIML C3 and C4?
Both are defined in OIML Recommendation R 60. C3 is general industrial weighing with a combined error up to 0.03 %F.S. C4 tightens that to 0.02 %F.S and is the usual requirement for dosing, blending and inventory applications. C5 and C6 go further for precision and laboratory work.
Do I need IP69K or is IP67 enough?
For dry indoor or dusty installations IP65 or IP67 is sufficient. For washdown areas IP67 with a sealed junction box is adequate. For food, beverage and pharmaceutical lines hosed down with chemicals and detergents, IP69K with 316L stainless is the usual specification.
How many load cells do I need?
For a platform or vessel, three or four is the usual minimum for stability, and the load is divided between them. Each cell should then be sized above its share, with headroom for shock and off-centre loading. Tell us the total load and the platform dimensions and we will work it out with you.