Brands
Vishay Measurements Group
Interactive Guide
Technical Articles
Quality Control
|
Quality Control of Strain Gage Installations |
Page 1 of 5
| An indispensable preliminary to the startup of
any experimental stress analysis test is verification
that all components in the measuring system are
functioning properly to produce accurate, reliable
data. In the case of strain gage tests, the
measurement system consists of three principal
elements: the gages installed on the test part, the
leadwires, and the strain indicating or recording
instrumentation. With no intention of underestimating
the importance of the latter two topics, this article
will concentrate on verification of the strain gage
installation.
If not previously detected during system checkout, an improperly installed or otherwise malfunctioning strain gage will often (but not always) make itself evident when strain measurements are being taken. But once the test has been started (or, worse yet, completed), it may be very costly to discover missing, inaccurate, or unreliable data. Fortunately, there are a few simple tests that can be performed on installed gages (preferably before the application of protective coating) which will uncover most sources of potential failure or poor operation. The tests are easily applied, and should be routinely employed for every gage installation, but are imperative when long-term accuracy and stability are important. |
