Tricks

August 18, 2016
Tight Corners
So what do we do when we want to measure strain at the right angle interface of two surfaces? The strain sensor cannot be placed completely into that intersection point.   Strip foil...
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-...
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...
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...
October 16, 2015
"Ph" of the Bonding Surface
When using M-Bond 200, the final "Ph" of the bonding surface is critical to the successful installation of the gage. So your final preparation step should involve neutralizing the acidity...
September 22, 2015
Determining PhotoStress Coating Volume
When preparing to make a PhotoStress coating, determine the volume of liquid resin using the formula: (length x width x thickness) x 18.5. This will  give you the number of grams of liquid...
September 17, 2015
Take Care in Where you Engage the Gage
While very robust when properly installed, strain gages are very delicate prior to installation and protection by approved coatings. When handling strain gages prior to installations, use only clean...
August 28, 2015
Unbridging a Bridged Solder Connection
Very often, when trying to attach leadwires to solder tabs or even tinning solder tabs, the close proximity of the tabs can cause one to bridge the two solder tabs together.  This connects the...
August 25, 2015
Torque and Force
When evaluating a new design, it's important to measure not only the mechanical strains in the tested structure, but the torque and forces that produce them as well.
August 12, 2015
To Gauge or Not to Gauge
By Merriam-Webster's definition, a "gauge" is an instrument used in measuring or testing, whereas a "gage" is a token, pledge, or reward. So it stands to reason that a strain...