WIKA has been an internationally recognised partner for several measurement tasks for many decades. The product portfolio includes pressure, temperature, force and level measurement, as well as flow measurement, calibration and SF6 gas solutions. In the next article, we would like to take a closer look at the measured variable of force. Have You Heard show why force measurement is of particular importance.
Reason 1: Protection of people and machinery
Protecting folks from harm is 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 can help you 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, that WIKA offers a globally unique, certified system.
Added value: Safe working environment
Reason 2: Ensuring system stability and production safety
Just collecting data isn’t enough. The right measured values may also be required to have the ability to monitor processes seamlessly. Using force measurement in linear drives, for instance, thus improves process control and also automation, while simultaneously ensuring quality. Force measurement also provides the right data for the correct functioning of brakes and drives, conveyors, presses and weighing systems. An essential point here is to lessen running costs. The higher the standard of the measured data, the higher the data analysis. The planning 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 pay for it many times over.
Added value: Full process control
Reason 3: Optimisation of production conditions
The savings potential, and thus the maximisation of profit, have been completely mentioned in the last section. Only through the optimal use of materials and machinery can margins be increased. Breakthrough in manufacturing plants is machine availability. Besides reducing downtime, the focus is on minimising maintenance costs. Among this are welding tongs. With one of these, the contact force of the electrodes could be precisely monitored by using tension/compression force transducers. In this manner, optimum quality is permanently guaranteed and, at the same time, wear is minimised. Higher profits can even be achieved through saving time, for instance, when containers are weighed ?on the fly?.
Added value: Maximum profits
Reason 4: Improving product quality and saving materials
The utilization of force measurement in welding tongs ? as explained in the section above ? is an extremely good example of improving product quality as well as saving materials. Force measurement supplies the right data for probably the most accurate process control. Due to this fact, machine tool wear is only minimal. Furthermore, force measurement offers many other areas of application. For example, spreading fertiliser where this action is adapted to the soil conditions is one method to save material. This also protects the environment. Furthermore, it is beneficial to know the (supporting) forces acting on mobile cranes. Jackpot ?s centre of gravity can thus be calculated exactly, which means that the safety margin could be reduced. In this instance, loads could be lifted further, yet accidents, e.g. because of slipping or tipping, can be avoided.
Added value: Lowering costs
Reason 5: Ensuring quality
Finally, the application of force measurement offers many advantages in your community of quality assurance, which has already been touched upon. On the main one hand, the machinery could be optimally controlled by registering the force. On the other hand, by recording the values, live and saving them for later use, conclusions can be drawn for specific batches. In addition, probably the most precise force measuring instruments meet the highest requirements, for example, in materials testing machinery or in medical engineering. Incidentally, WIKA also 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 you will also find info on our calibration service for force measuring instruments. In addition, our brochure on force measurement: ?Force measurement is really a matter of trust? is also available. Would you like to buy force transducers? Inside our WIKA online store you?ll find some of our standard versions. Should you have any questions about force measurement, please ask your contact person.
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The ELMS1 overload protection saves lives
Force measurement in linear drives