INSTRUMENTATION, CONTROL AND MICROPROCESSOR APPLICATION LABORATORY

Expt No : TITLE:
Measurement of weight using strain gauge transducer.

OBJECT:
To investigate how weight can be measured using a variable resistance transducer like strain gauge.

PRINCIPLE:
Strain gauge essentially consists of a length of fine wire and is cemented onto the material being tested (Fig. 1), so that any small movement or strain in the material (caused by mechanical changes of weight, force, torque or pressure) is converted into electrical signals that can be measured directly. When the material is stretched, the wire is stretched by an equal amount thus increasing the length and decreasing the cross-section of the wire, both of which increases the resistance of the wire (If the material is compressed the resistance decreases). The change in resistance is usually measured using a d.c. Wheatstone bridge circuit. In the experiment half-bridge connection is used, where two gauges are placed on opposite sides of a beam and are connected in two adjacent arms of the Wheatstone bridge.

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:
Teknikit console (TK 290) Teknikit baseplate (TK 289) Module 294 A Module 294 B Mechanical assembly for linear motion Strain gauge transducer (TK 294 E) D.C. voltmeter (0-1 V) or multimeter

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:
Connect up the circuit of Fig. 2. Assemble the strain- gauge transducer to the weight unit.

Take a set of readings of output voltage against weight of the gauge operating rod at 5g intervals using the weight assembly, and record your readings in a table as shown below:

RESULTS:
a) Table : reading of output voltage against weight. Sl. No. Weight (g) Amplifier output ( dc volts)

b) Plot the calibration curve for output voltage against weight on graph paper.

DISCUSSIONS:
Discuss the following: 1) Why are the two gauges, placed on opposite sides of the beam, connected in two adjacent arm of the bridge? 2) Find out the relationship between the output voltage from the bridge and weight. STUDENTS NAME: YEAR: ROLL NO: DATE: TEACHERS SIGNATURE