Advanced Applications of Strain Gages for Test and Measurement

Micro-Measurements provides cutting-edge strain gages (gauges), instruments, and accessories for test and measurement applications across various industries. Engineers rely on our high-precision solutions to address critical pain points such as ensuring measurement accuracy, improving data acquisition, and optimizing testing environments. Whether you're involved in material testing, monitoring infrastructure, or conducting advanced experimental stress analysis in test labs, our products deliver the reliability and precision needed to achieve accurate results and maintain operational efficiency.

Core Features of Micro-Measurements' Strain Gages, Instruments, and Accessories:

Precision Measurement: Our strain gages (gauges) provide industry-leading accuracy for a wide range of stress and strain measurement applications.
Durable and Versatile: Built to withstand extreme environmental conditions, ensuring reliable performance in sectors like construction, energy, and automotive.
Seamless Data Acquisition: Our strain gages (gauges) integrate effortlessly with modern data acquisition systems, streamlining the test and measurement process.
Customizable Solutions: Tailored sensor configurations for specialized applications ensure optimal performance for unique testing requirements.
Wide Range of Applications: Designed for use in a variety of industries, including civil engineering, automotive testing, PCB assembly, and geotechnical analysis.

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Targeted Solutions for Industry-Specific Applications:

Our strain gages (gauges) play a critical role in the automotive industry, where they are used to test vehicle components under stress and vibration. Manufacturers rely on our products during crash tests to measure the stress and strain on crucial parts, enhancing both safety and design efficiency. In education, engineering programs at universities use our strain gages (gauges) to teach students about material behavior under load, offering precision for academic experiments and research in material testing and structural analysis.

In the field of infrastructure and civil engineering, our strain gages (gauges) are essential for monitoring large-scale projects such as bridges, pipelines, and railway systems. Civil engineers use our products to measure the stress on structural components over time, ensuring safety and long-term integrity. Additionally, in the energy sector, strain gages (gauges) are vital for monitoring turbines and power generators, helping to prevent mechanical failure and extend the lifespan of these critical components.

Precision strain measurement is also crucial in industries such as electronics, where our strain gages (gauges) support PCB assembly and fastener testing. These tools help ensure reliability under mechanical stress. Geotechnical engineers utilize our strain gages (gauges) for analyzing residual stresses and monitoring earth movements in projects like dam construction and rail systems. Similarly, for the structural monitoring of bridges, dams, and pipelines, our strain gages provide real-time data to enhance public safety.

AUTOMOTIVE

Our high-performing strain gages (gauges) are used for strain and dynamic torque measurement—critical in determining the design viability and expected life of vehicle systems and components. Suitable for engine test stands, car seats, tires, radiators, exhaust systems, proving ground testing, fluid level monitoring, and drivetrain testing.

EDUCATION/UNIVERSITIES

Our educational support includes discounts on general-purpose strain gages (gauges); a selection of Student Strain Gages (Gauges); an extended warranty program for instrumentation purchased for use in the teaching laboratory; and Experiments in Mechanics, a series of exercises designed around the simple cantilever beam and intended to teach mechanics using experimental stress analysis technology as the teaching medium.

INFRASTRUCTURE/CONSTRUCTION/CIVIL ENGINEERING

Micro-Measurements’ foil strain gages (gauges) are the most robust solution to monitor strain in concrete and metal structures. Our gages are installed on structural components in bridges and buildings to measure stress and compare these measurements to analytical models and stress calculations.

PCB ASSEMBLY

Long-term collaborators with PCB manufacturers, Micro-Measurements is a world leader in the development of strain measurement products that support the electronics industry’s specific requirements.

POWER GENERATOR/TURBINE MANUFACTURES

Micro-Measurements’ strain gages (gauges) help detect equipment failure, malfunction, and unusual conditions found during regular operation or maintenance activities. Our sensing systems—including wireless and telemetry capabilities—accurately measure variables in pumps and other equipment that experience high thrust loads.

SHIP BUILDERS

Micro-Measurements’ strain gages (gauges) are used to measure the torque in ship parts such as fans, generators, wheels, or propellers in a motor, turbine, or engine. Our strain gages are also used to measure and monitor mooring forces of ships. Common approaches include mounting a tension strain gage (gauge) load cells in line with mooring ropes or using a shear pin force strain gage transducer.

TEST LAB

Micro-Measurements' strain gages (gauges) are staples in any test lab that performs mechanical, metallurgical, environmental, chemical, and corrosion testing on any kind of metal. Metal foil strain gages (gauges) are ideal solutions for collecting and analyzing data related to the causes of premature degradation and fracture. Tests include tensile strength, compression, hardness impact, friction, bending, fatigue, shear and strain.

a bolt with a Micro-Measurements strain gage installed

FASTENER TESTING

Fasteners are ubiquitous in a variety of everyday structures, including infrastructure, equipment, and vehicles. These structures need to be safe and reliable. That’s why fasteners must perform to expectations and hold up to wear and tear such as stress, vibration, unexpected loads, and environmental conditions. Micro-Measurements’ metal foil strain gages (gauges) are key components in any fastener testing. These tests help to identify potential problems at an early stage, extend service life, and help reduce operating and replacement costs.

RESIDUAL STRESSES

An inevitable, and potentially costly, effect of the manufacturing and fabricating processes is residual stress. Most commonly, residual stresses are detrimental— contributing to fatigue and other structural failures that often go unrecognized until after a malfunction or failure occurs. The hole-drilling strain gage (gauge) method is a relatively simple procedure and has been standardized in ASTM Standard Test Method E 837. Learn more about the general theory of residual stress measurements in Micro-Measurements Tech Note TN-503, “Measurement of Residual Stresses by the Hole-Drilling Strain Gage Method”.

GEOTECHNICAL/GEOSCIENCE

Micro-Measurements’ strain gages (gauges) are expertly designed to meet unique challenges such as those found in constructions occurring on the earth’s surface or subsurface. Our gages (gauges) help determine mechanical properties for structures such as earth-filled dams, retaining walls, embankments, tunnels, dikes and levees, channels, reservoirs and landfills.

BRIDGES

Micro-Measurements’ foil strain gages (gauges) are used in bridge structures around the world to measure strain, displacement, force, temperature, inclination, bending movements and alignment. A permanent installation provides long-term monitoring of the structure’s health, while a temporary installation ensures safe working conditions during a repair.

PIPELINES

Micro-Measurements’ metal foil strain gages (gauges) can be attached to various points along oil and gas pipelines to offer continuous, remote monitoring of the structures and help prevent threats to the flow inside the pipe as well as potential threats to the environment.

RAIL MONITORING

Micro-Measurements offers a wide range of strain gages (gauges) that provide long-term structural monitoring solutions for railways. The strain on rails, such as axial tension or compression, can and should be measured and monitored. Warnings enable maintenance, minimize impact on rail traffic, and ensure safety.

DAMS

Micro-Measurements’ impressive collection of strain gages (gauges) are well suited for monitoring and analyzing the behavior of a dam’s structural element. When strain gages (gauges) are used during the planning, design, construction, and operation of the dam, the performance of the dam’s structure is reliable and safe. In addition, our strain gages are suitable to ascertain data related to other parts of the dam, such as the reservoir and river basin, to help ensure normal operation and safety.

Optimize your test and measurement processes with Micro-Measurements’ high-precision strain gages (gauges) and instruments. Contact our sales team today to learn how our solutions can enhance your testing capabilities, or visit our product catalog to explore our full range of strain gages (gauges), data acquisition systems, and accessories. Let us help you achieve accuracy, reliability, and operational success in your industry.

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