FORCE SENSORS
Force sensors convert applied mechanical forces into electrical output signals, which are
sent to controllers of robots.
Force sensors are designed in various shapes, sizes, and capacities, ranging from a
fraction of a kilogram to hundreds of tons.
The major types of force sensors are:
1. Pressure sensor
2. Strain gauge or load cells.
3. Capacitive Pressure Sensor
4. Piezoelectric Pressure sensors.
5. Other types
1. Pressure Sensors
A pressure sensor is a device which senses pressure and converts it into an analog electric
signal whose magnitude depends upon the pressure applied. Since they convert pressure
into an electrical signal, they are also termed as pressure transducers.
Hydraulic and pneumatic load cells are used for sensing purpose. They are durable. They
are not contaminants as they are sealed. They are used for very large force
measurements.
2. Strain gauge or load cells
These sensors are similar to a wheat stone bridge in their working. In wheat stone
bridge, the ratio of resistances of two adjacent arms connected to one end of the battery
should be equal to that of other two arms connected to another end of battery. When
the two ratios are equal, no output is generated from the wheat stone bridge. In the
case of a strain gauge, one arm of the wheat stone bridge is connected to a diaphragm.
The diaphragm compresses and expands due to the pressure applied. This variation in
the diaphragm causes the output in the bridge to vary. A voltage would be generated
proportional to every deviation from the normal balanced condition, so every single
compression or expansion movement of the diaphragm will produce an output indicating
a change in pressure conditions.
3. Capacitive Pressure Sensor:
A capacitor has two metal plates and a dielectric sandwiched between them. In
capacitive pressure sensor, one of these metal plates is permitted to move in and out so
that the capacitance between them changes due to varying distance between the plates.
The movable plate is connected to a diaphragm which senses the pressure and then
expands or compresses accordingly. The movement of the diaphragm would affect the
attached metal plate’s position and capacitance would vary.
These sensors, though much ineffective at high temperatures, are widely used at ambient
temperature range due to their linear output.
4. Piezoelectric Pressure sensors.
Piezoelectric crystals develop a potential difference (i.e. voltage is induced across the
surfaces) whenever they are subjected to any mechanical pressure. These sensors have
the crystal mounted on a dielectric base so that there is no current leakage. Attached to
the crystal is a horizontal shaft to which a diaphragm is connected. Whenever the
diaphragm senses pressure, it pushes the shaft down which pressurizes the crystal and
voltage is produced.
5. Other Types
The other types of dynamic force measurement sensors are: Ultrasound, Magnetic,
Inductive, and magneto-elastic sensors.
