STRAIN GAUGE INSTALLATIONS

GENERAL INFORMATION

Karma, Strain Gauges

OMEGA offers a full line of Karma

A wide variety of strain gauges for Strain Gauges. Karma Strain gages can Wheatstone bridge designs or custom
various industrial, scientific or be used for various static and dynamic rosettes. Send OMEGA your custom
transducer applications have been applications. Karma strain gauges are strain gauge drawing along with your
made available for our customers. used for transducer applications where specifications and the quantity of strain
OMEGA® strives to keep the entire line long term stability or higher temperature gauges required. A quotation for the
in stock so the strain gauges are use is required. When used at room custom strain gauges can be provided.
available for immediate delivery. temperature, for static strain A custom part number can be created
measurements, the transducer will have for your future needs to make
The OMEGA line of strain gauges offer very good stability for months or even reordering custom strain gauges fast
a broad selection of precision strain for years. Karma strain gauges are also and easy. Call us here at OMEGA! We
gauges that are grouped into three suggested for static strain measurement are here to assist you.
basic sections shown below. Plus, for over a wide temperature range from
OEM users, OMEGA customises any -75 to 200°C (-100 to 392°F) due to its Contact OMEGA at:
gauge to match your requirements. good linearity over this wide
Special tab placements, resistance, grid temperature range. Karma strain
shape, grid or backing dimensions plus gauges are often used for fatigue-rated
most gauges are available with A to Z transducer designs. The fatigue life of
creep values for high precision Karma alloy tends to be much better
applications. than constantan, and so transducers Strain Gages shown
using Karma strain gauges provide larger than
General Purpose good fatigue life. Karma is a nickel- actual size
Precision Strain Gauges chromium alloy, and was selected as a
strain gauge material for it’s modulus- m

General purpose precision strain compensating capabilities which tends

gauges are encapsulated constantan to significantly reduce span shift in
foil strain gauges offered in a wide transducer design. With Karma alloys,
variety of patterns for scientific, the gauge factor tends to decrease with
industrial and experimental stress increasing temperature. This effect of
analysis. These precision strain gauges decreasing elastic modulus will tend to
can be used for experimental stress reduce the span shift. Karma alloys do
analysis monitoring industrial equipment have drawbacks, for example they are
or various scientific applications. In the difficult to solder without special fluxes.
General purpose strain gauge section OMEGA has the solution. We have
you will find the strain gauge patterns eliminated this problem by offering our
next to the part numbers so that you will Karma Strain Gauges with copper
be able to see the geometry of the strain plated solder pads. No special flux or
gauge. The gauge dimensions are also
provided in and SI (Metric, mm) and US
procedures are needed. Fast
Customary (English, inches) units. Custom Strain Gauges Delivery!
General purpose precision strain for OEM Applications
gauges are offered in linear patterns,
dual parallel-grid patterns, Tee rosettes OMEGA can also make custom
(0/90°), rectangular or delta (45° or 60°), strain gauges for OEM applications.
stacked or planar rosettes, and We understand that our customers may
shear patterns. require strain gauges that are
manufactured to their specifications.
Transducer Quality Strain Gauges Custom strain gages can be designed to
simplify strain gauge installation or for a
Transducer-quality strain gauges specific application or for an
are for customers who are environment where space is limited. If
manufacturing transducers or similar you need a modification of a standard
sensing devices. Transducer-quality strain gauge pattern, or a non-standard
strain gauges feature a tighter tolerance lead length or material, or you need
on the carrier trim dimensions which relocation of a solder pad, or a custom
allows the carrier edge to be used for trim dimension, please let us know. If
strain gauge alignment if required. They you need the creep modified on a strain
also feature tighter tolerances on gauge to match the characteristics of
nominal resistance values. These the spring element being used to
gauges can be creep adjusted to meet a maximize the transducer performance,
transducer manufacturer’s specifications call us. OMEGA can provide strain
and they can be customised to the gauges with modified creep
unique requirements of a transducer. compensation, higher or lower as
They are also excellent gauges off-the- required by your transducer test results.
shelf for experimental stress analysis OMEGA can also provide 1⁄2 or full
and/or strain verification projects.

E-9
STRAIN GAUGE INSTALLATION
TECHNICAL DATA

STRAIN GAUGE
MEASUREMENT
The most universal measuring device
for the electrical measurement of
mechanical quantities is the strain
gauge. Several types of strain gauges
depend for their operation on the
proportional variance of electrical
resistance to strain: the piezoresistive or
semi-conductor gauge, the carbon
resistive gauge, the bonded metallic
wire, and foil resistance gauges. The
bonded resistance strain gauge is by far
the most widely used in experimental
stress analysis. This gauge consists
of a grid of very fine wire or foil
bonded to a backing or carrier
matrix. The electrical resistance of the
grid varies linearly with strain. In use,
the carrier matrix is bonded to the
surface, force is applied, and the strain
is found by measuring the change in
resistance. The bonded resistance
strain gauge is low in cost, can be made
with a short gauge length, is only
moderately affected by temperature
changes, has small physical size and
low mass, and has fairly high sensitivity
to strain. In a strain gauge application,
the carrier matrix and the adhesive must
work together to transmit the strain from
the specimen to the grid. In addition,
they combine to function as an electrical
insulator and heat dissipator. The three POTENTIAL
primary factors influencing gauge
ERROR SOURCES

STRAIN GAuGES
selection are: operating temperature, Temperature effects on gauge
state of strain (gradient, magnitude, In a stress analysis application, resistance and gage factor should be
and time dependence), and the the entire gauge installation cannot be compensated for as well. This may
stability required. calibrated as can some pressure require measurement of temperature at
Because of its outstanding sensitivity, transducers. Therefore, it is important to the gauge itself, using thermocouples,
the Wheatstone bridge circuit is the examine potential error sources prior to thermistors, or RTDs. Most metallic
most frequently used circuit for static taking data. Some gauges may be gauge alloys, however, exhibit a nearly
strain measurement. Ideally, the strain damaged during installation. It is linear gauge factor variation with
gauge is the only resistor in the circuit important therefore to check the temperature over a broad range, which
that varies, and then only due to a resistance of the strain gauge prior to is less than ±1% within ±100°C/180°F.
change in strain on the surface. There applying stress. Electrical noise and
interference may alter your readings.
E
are two main methods used to indicate
the change in resistance caused by Shielded leads and adequately PRIME STRAIN GAUGE
strain on a gauge in a Wheatstone insulating coatings may prevent these
problems. A value of less than 500 MΩ
SELECTION
bridge. Often, an indicator will
rebalance the bridge, displaying the (using an ohmmeter) usually indicates CONSIDERATIONS
change in resistance required in micro- surface contamination. Thermally • Gauge Length
strain. The second method calls for induced voltages are caused by
thermocouple effects at the junction of • Number of Gauges in Gauge Pattern
installation of an indicator, calibrated in • Arrangement of Gauges in Gauge
micro-strain, that responds to the dissimilar metals within the
measurement circuit. Magnetically Pattern
voltage output of the bridge. This
method assumes a linear relationship induced voltages can occur when • Grid Resistance
between voltage out and strain, an wiring is located in a time-varying • Strain-Sensitive Alloy
initially balanced bridge, and a known magnetic field. • Carrier Material
VIN. In reality, the VOUT-strain Magnetic induction can be controlled by • Gauge Width
relationship is nonlinear, but for strains using twisted lead wires and forming • Solder Tab Type
up to a few thousand micro-strain, the minimum but equal loop areas in each
error is not significant. side of the bridge. • Configuration of Solder Tab
• Availability
E-10
STRAIN GAUGE INSTALLATION

THE STRAIN GAUGE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOLS

The strain gauge is one of the The strain of a body is always caused surface of a specimen or structural
most important tools used to apply by an external influence or an internal part to determine the stress in the
electrical measurement techniques effect. Strain can be caused by material and also to predict its safety
to the measurement of mechanical forces, pressures, moments, heat, and endurance. Special transducers
quantities. As their name indicates, structural changes of the material and can be designed for the measurement
they are used for the measurement of the like. If certain conditions are of forces or other derived quantities,
strain. As a technical term, “strain” is fulfilled, the amount or the value of e.g., moments, pressures,
comprised of tensile and compressive the influencing quantity can be accelerations, displacements,
strain, distinguished by a positive or derived from the measured strain vibrations and others. The transducer
negative sign. Thus, strain gauges value. In experimental stress analysis, generally contains a pressure-
can be used to detect expansion as this feature is widely exploited. sensitive diaphragm with strain
well as contraction. Experimental stress analysis uses the gauges bonded to it.
strain values measured on the

Magnified view Overall Pattern Length

Transition
End Loops Gauge Length Solder Tab Length

Tab Spacing Grid Width

Solder Tab Width

Grid Center Inner Grid Lines

Outer Grid Lines Alignment Marks

characteristics matched to ferritic steel

STRAIN GAUGE and is given on each package as the
nominal value with its tolerance. and aluminium.
DIMENSIONS
The active grid length, in the case of foil REFERENCE SERVICE TEMPERATURE
gauges, is the net grid length without the
tabs, and includes the return loops of the
TEMPERATURE RANGE
wire gauges. The reference temperature is the The service temperature range is the
ambient temperature for which the range of ambient temperature wherein
Carrier dimensions are designed by technical data concerning a strain gauge the use of a strain gauge is possible
OMEGA® for optimum function of the are valid, unless temperature ranges are without permanent change in the
strain gauge. given.The technical data quoted for strain measurement properties. Service
gauges are based on a reference temperature ranges are different,
STRAIN GAUGE temperature of 23°C (73°F). whether static or dynamic values are to
RESISTANCE TEMPERATURE
be sensed.

The resistance of a strain gauge is

defined as the electrical resistance CHARACTERISTICS MAXIMUM PERMITTED
measured between the two metal ribbons Temperature-dependent changes in
RMS BRIDGE ENERGIZING
or contact areas intended for the
connection of measurement cables. The
specific strain gauge grid resistance VOLTAGE
occur in the applied gauge owing to the The maximum values quoted are
range covers strain gauges with nominal linear thermal expansion coefficients of
resistances of 120, 350, 600 and 700 Ω. the grid and specimen materials. These
permitted only for appropriate application
on materials with good conduction
resistance changes appear to be
GAUGE FACTOR mechanical strain in the specimen.
(e.g., steel of sufficient thickness) if room
temperature is not exceeded. In other
(STRAIN SENSITIVITY) The representation of apparent strain as
a function of temperature is called the
cases, temperature rise in the measuring
The strain sensitivity k of a strain gauge grid area may lead to measurement
temperature characteristic of the strain error. Measurement on plastics and other
is the proportionality factor between the gauge application.
relative change of the resistance. materials with bad heat conduction
In order to keep apparent strain through requires reduction of the energising
Strain sensitivity is a figure without temperature changes as small as voltage or of the duty cycle (pulsed
dimension and is generally called possible, each strain gauge is matched operation).
gauge factor. during production to a certain linear
The gauge factor of each production lot thermal expansion coefficient. OMEGA
is determined by sample measurement offers strain gauges with temperature
E-11
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