Does Prosig hardware support strain gauges? And which types?
I’m often asked whether the Prosig systems support strain gauges. And what configuration of strain gauge bridges are supported? The answer is all types of all configurations. (more…)
[Video] Calibrating a strain gauge for use with a Prosig P8000 system
James Wren (Prosig UK) steps through how to calibrate a strain gauge for use with a Prosig P8000 system. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAh9PS632Tk
Prosig Fatigue Analysis Systems
The V7.0 release of DATS, the long-established signal analysis software from Prosig, contains a comprehensive fatigue analysis package for stress-life, strain-life and weld-life prediction. Prosig also design and manufacture a…
What Is A Strain Gauge?
A strain gauge is an electrical sensor which is used to accurately measure strain in a test piece. Strain gauges are usually based on a metallic foil pattern. The gauge is attached to the test piece with a special adhesive. As the test piece is deformed, so the adhesive deforms equally and thus the strain gauge deforms at the same rate and amount as the test piece. It’s for this reason that the adhesive must be carefully chosen. If the adhesive cracks or becomes detached from the test piece any test results will be useless.
Strain gauges are used not just for metals; they have been connected to the retina of the human eye, insects, plastics, concrete and indeed any material where strain is under investigation. Modern composite materials like carbon fibre when under development are often constructed with strain gauges between the layers of the material.
Fatigue & Durability Testing
The following application note describes the test and measurement process for the fatigue & durability testing and development cycle of an automotive suspension component, specifically a tie rod. The component had been known to fail at various intervals. An estimate of the predicted fatigue life of the component was required in order to assess the feasibility of its continued use and to see if a design change was required. The component under test is shown in Figure 1. The testing was carried out by a major automotive manufacturer. Strain gauges were used to monitor the strain levels.
