What exactly is a load cell or tension transducer, and how does it measure the tension in a web?
The term load cell and tension transducer are used interchangeably to describe a sensor that measures the tension in the web. The term load cell is commonly used to describe weigh scale sensors that precisely measure the force or load due to the weight of an object. The term has carried over to the web handling industry since the sensor measures force due to tension in the web. The term transducer is defined as a device that transforms one type of energy to another. The sensor measures a force that is the result of tension in the web and transforms it into an electrical signal. The primary measuring elements (in most tension transducers) are strain gages. The strain gages are attached to a mechanical structure within the transducer that bends or deflects when a tension force is applied. This bending creates a strain or elongation of the molecules within the structure. The gage measures this strain and generates an electrical signal that is exactly proportional to the amount of force ap
