Strain Gauge:

Strain Gauge:
It is a type of sensor, its resistance changes with the application of force. Strain gauge
changes the force, pressure, load or tension in a measureable electrical resistance.

Principle and introduction:

The gage was bound to the measuring element its due to the resistance foil that it can
elongated or contracted as the strain produced by measuring object. When the metals are
elongated or contracted their resistance goes change. Similarly in strain gage similar principle
the strain is measured as a result of resistance change. The sensor component normally
composed of a foil of an alloy of copper-nickel. The change in the resistance rate is directly
proportional to the strain. The formula is that

R/R = k.
= its a strain.
K= constant of proportionality.
When the metal is stretched then the metal becomes thinner and longer due to this change the
resistance will increase. Alternatively when thin metal piece subjected to compression then it
extends and contract. By keeping theses stresses in the elastic region of the metallic strips so
that these could be used as the measuring tool for force which causes the resistance to
produce. The name of this device used for this special purpose is strain gauge.

Construction:
Mostly the strain gauges are foil type as shown in the fig. The gauges in which the very thin
wire they can b use at significantly higher temperature. The foil types are normally
constructed from a process called the printed circuit. The foil thickness should be very low;
its very thin with higher resistance to electricity normally in the range of 60 to 350 . Its
difficulty during handling it.Because the foil is very thin. For handling of this foil normally it
requires a carrier medium or a backed materials normally a part of paper, plastics and
epoxies. The backed materials also provide easiness during the handling and also give
simplification application. On the strain gauge we applied some coatings for its protection
where we attach the leads wires.

Types Of strain gauges:

We can classify the strain gauge in many different ways. One way of classifying the strain
gauges on basis of their use. On this basis they may be
1. Static strain gauges.
2. Dynamic strain gauges.

Static gages:
These are composed of a constantan foil its an alloy of the copper and Nickel. It has a very
small change in the resistance as the temperature change.

Dynamic gauges:
These are normally composed of a foil of an Iso-elastic material its an alloy of the iron,
nickel and chrome. Karma is an alloy of the nickel and chrome it can also be used for the
construction of strain gauge. The change of resistance in dynamic gauges is higher as
compared to the static gauges. And they also have more sensitivity to temperature as
compared to static gauges. It can be used where a very small time period of measurement in
which there is no change in temperature occurs during the time in which measurements is
done.

Semiconductor type:
These were produced for the first time in 1970 in automobiles industries.
They use the piezo resistive effect of Si and Ge and measurements of the change in resistance
is done with stress in opposition to the strain. While that in the bonded semiconductor gauge
its a wafer along with resistance component that is submerged in a Si substrate. There is no
need to back the wafer component and some more care requires to boned the surface straining
because a very small epoxy layer use for attachment. They are small in size and also the cost
is lesser as compared to the sensors that are metal foil.

Benefits:
They have the very high unit resistance and sensitive properties.

Drawbacks:

Due to very high sensitive properties to change of temperature and ability to drift than the
metal foil sensor. There is a non-linear relationship between the resistance and strain. This
varies from equation of the straight line to about 10 to 20 percent.

Thin film type.

It is made by deposition of electrical insulations normally a ceramic on to the metallic
stressed surface after that deposit the strain gauge over insulated layer. The vacuume and
sputtering techniques are used for bonding.

Benefits:
The bonding of the gauge is done molecularly on the surface, insulating material is stable it
offers less drift to resistance.

Diffused semiconductor type.

It is the advancement of the strain gauge. Some of the main properties of this are
Due to the elimination of the bonding materials, the faults produced by creep and
hysteresis are eliminated.
They use photolithography masking method and solid state diffusion of boron for
bonding the resistance component.
They are normally use in pressure transducers as a sensing component.

Benefits:
It is small in size and its cost is low.
It creates a greater output signal.
It is repeatable and it measures accurately.
These are present for a large range of pressure applications.

Limitations:
It sensitivity change at ambient temperature and this problem is overcome by some sound
transmitter designing.

 Bonded resistance type:

This is another type of the strain gauge it has the some following properties.
These have low cost or price.
They are also present in smaller size and also they have shorter gauge length.
The temperature effect on them is moderate.
There mass is little and these are very high sensitive.
They can be used for both static and dynamic strain measurements.
This type gauge is suitable for different atmospheric conditions. It can be used in the
turbine of jet engine that is at very higher temperature and also at very low
temperature such as cryogenic fluid having temperature of about 296 degree.

Basic requirements for selecting the Proper Gauge:

The main requirements for the appropriate gauge are
1. The temperature for operation of gauge.
2. The type of strain which is measured.
3. Stabilization properties.
Beside these properties choose a grid material, and also grid alloys, adhesive and coatings
also impart a greater role in successful applications.

APPLICATIONS:
They have a lot of applications. Some of the applications are listed below.

It is used for the measurement of shear strain. For this purpose installation of two
strain gauges are done and the angle in them is 90 degree. To convert this strain into
the stress we can find the shear stress.

It can be used for the measuring the pressure.

These are the important components of the load cell that measured the compression
and tension strains. They install on the well machine steel whose area is known, due
to this we convert strain into the load.

It is also used to measure the torsion.

Strain Gauge Diagram:

Process Control and Instrumentation

Strain Gauge
Department: Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

Submitted to: Sir Amjad Ali

Submitted By:
TANVEER UZ ZAMAAN
Reg No # (2010-MM-31)

UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

LAHORE