Tips

April 7, 2016
UNDER PRESSURE
All strain gage bonding adhesives have a “recommended” pressure to apply during adhesive curing. This can be as simple as “firm thumb pressure” for cyanoacrylate adhesives (M-...
March 31, 2016
How hot for how long?
Some Micro-Measurements adhesive systems require an elevated temperature cure. If your strain gage application would benefit from one of these adhesives, then it is critical to apply proper clamping...
March 24, 2016
Small-Scale Strain Sensors Designed for PCB Reliability Testing
Cracks in the PCBs — brittle fractures in solder and even across components, particularly around BGAs — can be induced by in-circuit test fixtures and during assembly, burn-in and testing...
March 10, 2016
Transducer’s worst enemy
Moisture may be a transducer’s worst enemy. Adequate protection of the strain gage circuit is critical for transducer stability and longevity. While there are many moisture protection...
February 25, 2016
Protect and Serve
The US Army is not an equipment manufacturer. Its purpose is to protect our freedom. Outside vendors manufacture and supply the equipment, electronics and materials required to maintain freedom....
February 23, 2016
In Search of the “Perfect” Zero
Whenever you encounter instability or “drift” in your strain gage readings, the first place to investigate is your instrumentation. This can be done easily by removing the strain gage...
February 4, 2016
Crystal Formation
When using M-Bond AE-10 Bulk,  if crystals form inside the top of the resin bottle, they can be re-liquefied by warming the bottle to about +50°C (+120°F) for 20 minutes. Be sure to let...
February 2, 2016
Another Option for Hostile Environments
Simplify lead wire connection using Option W. This option provides full encapsulation and thin, printed circuit terminals at the tab end of the gage. Beryllium copper jumpers connect the terminals to...
January 28, 2016
Silicone Hazards
Experienced strain gage users are aware that certain types of silicones can wreak havoc in strain gage bonding. Silicone grease, aerosol spray containing silicones, hand creams containing silicone,...
January 21, 2016
Self Temperature Compensation
Selecting the right self temperature compensation (STC) value helps reduce temperature sensitivity of the transducer by matching the strain gage sensor to the spring element material. In the part...