WIKA has been an internationally recognised partner for several measurement tasks for most decades. The merchandise portfolio includes pressure, temperature, force and level measurement, in addition to flow measurement, calibration and SF6 gas solutions. In the following article, we would like to have a closer look at the measured variable of force. These five reasons show why force measurement is of particular importance.
Cringeworthy : Protection of individuals and machinery
Protecting people from harm may be the highest priority in virtually any workplace. Likewise, the machinery should remain undamaged so that you can minimise downtime and repairs. In this context, force measurement ensures a safe working environment, especially through overload protection. In cranes, for example, this prevents heavy loads from falling. With construction machinery and robots, on the other hand, uncontrolled machine movements are prevented. This makes it possible to work safely, and completely harmlessly, next to sufficient reason for machinery. In production lines, for instance, the machinery is prevented from pulling, pushing or pressing unchecked, and thereby destroying both components and itself. Another example is port logistics, for which WIKA offers a globally unique, certified system.
Added value: Safe working environment
Reason 2: Ensuring system stability and production safety
Just collecting data is not enough. The right measured values may also be required to be able to monitor processes seamlessly. Using force measurement in linear drives, for instance, thus improves process control as well as automation, while simultaneously ensuring quality. Force measurement also provides the right data for the right functioning of brakes and drives, conveyors, presses and weighing systems. A crucial point here is to reduce running costs. The higher the caliber of the measured data, the higher the data analysis. The look of an instrument change is thus more precise, in order that changing it too early doesn?t cause increased costs nor does unplanned maintenance cause longer downtimes. The savings in consequential costs alone shell out the dough many times over.
Added value: Full process control
Reason 3: Optimisation of production conditions
The savings potential, and therefore the maximisation of profit, have already been mentioned in the last section. Only through the optimal use of materials and machinery can margins be increased. An integral issue in manufacturing plants is machine availability. As well as reducing downtime, the focus is on minimising maintenance costs. Among this are welding tongs. With one of these, the contact force of the electrodes can be precisely monitored by using tension/compression force transducers. In this way, optimum quality is permanently guaranteed and, concurrently, wear is minimised. Higher profits can also be achieved through saving time, for example, when containers are weighed ?on the fly?.
Added value: Maximum profits
Reason 4: Improving product quality and saving materials
The application of force measurement in welding tongs ? as explained in the section above ? is a very good example of improving product quality and also saving materials. Force measurement supplies the right data for the most accurate process control. As a result, machine tool wear is minimal. Furthermore, force measurement offers many other areas of application. For instance, spreading fertiliser where this step is adapted to the soil conditions is one way to save material. This also protects the surroundings. Furthermore, it is advantageous to know the (supporting) forces acting on mobile cranes. The vehicle?s centre of gravity can thus be calculated exactly, which means that the safety margin could be reduced. In this case, loads could be lifted further, yet accidents, e.g. because of slipping or tipping, could be avoided.
Added value: Lowering costs
Reason 5: Ensuring quality
Finally, the utilization of force measurement also offers many advantages in the area of quality assurance, which has recently been touched upon. On the main one hand, the machinery can be optimally controlled by registering the force. However, by recording the values, live along with saving them for later use, conclusions could be drawn for specific batches. Furthermore, probably the most precise force measuring instruments meet up with the highest requirements, for instance, in materials testing machinery or in medical engineering. Incidentally, WIKA offers a DAkkS-accredited calibration service for force measuring instruments.
Added value: Exact measured values
Note
Further information on our portfolio of force measuring instruments can be found on the WIKA website. There additionally, you will find information on our calibration service for force measuring instruments. In addition, our brochure on force measurement: ?Force measurement is really a matter of trust? can be available. Would you like to buy force transducers? Inside our WIKA online shop you?ll find a few of our standard versions. In case you have any questions about force measurement, please ask your contact person.
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Force measurement in linear drives