WIKA has been an internationally recognised partner for several measurement tasks for many decades. The product portfolio includes pressure, temperature, force and level measurement, along with flow measurement, calibration and SF6 gas solutions. In the following article, we would like to take a closer consider the measured variable of force. These five reasons show why force measurement is of particular importance.
pressure gauge octa : Protection of individuals and machinery
Protecting folks from harm may be the highest priority in any workplace. Likewise, the machinery should remain undamaged in order to 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, alternatively, uncontrolled machine movements are prevented. This makes it possible to work safely, and completely harmlessly, close 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 example, thus improves process control in addition to 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 bigger the caliber of the measured data, the higher the data analysis. The look of a tool 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 thus the maximisation of profit, have been mentioned in the last section. Only through the perfect use of materials and machinery can margins be increased. An integral issue in manufacturing plants is machine availability. In addition to 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 through the use of tension/compression force transducers. In this way, optimum quality is permanently guaranteed and, as well, 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 usage of force measurement in welding tongs ? as explained in the section above ? is a very good example of improving product quality as well as saving materials. Force measurement provides the right data for probably the most accurate process control. As a result, machine tool wear is only minimal. In addition, force measurement offers a great 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 environment. Furthermore, it is beneficial to know the (supporting) forces functioning on mobile cranes. The automobile?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. due to slipping or tipping, could be avoided.
Added value: Lowering costs
Reason 5: Ensuring quality
Finally, the usage 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 could be optimally controlled by registering the force. On the other hand, by recording the values, live along with saving them for later use, conclusions can be drawn for specific batches. In addition, probably the most precise force measuring instruments meet up with 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 are available on the WIKA website. There additionally, you will find information on our calibration service for force measuring instruments. Furthermore, our brochure on force measurement: ?Force measurement is really a matter of trust? is also available. Do you want to buy force transducers? In our WIKA online store you?ll find a few of our standard versions. When you have any questions about force measurement, please ask your contact person.
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