WIKA has been an internationally recognised partner for all measurement tasks for many decades. The merchandise 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.
Reason 1: Protection of individuals and machinery
Protecting folks from harm may be the highest priority in virtually any workplace. Likewise, the machinery should remain undamaged so as 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, however, uncontrolled machine movements are prevented. This makes it possible to work safely, and completely harmlessly, next to and with 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, that WIKA supplies a globally unique, certified system.
Added value: Safe working environment
Reason 2: Ensuring system stability and production safety
Just collecting data isn’t enough. The right measured values are also required to be able to monitor processes seamlessly. Using force measurement in linear drives, for instance, 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 lessen running costs. The bigger the standard 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 pay for it many times over.
Added value: Full process control
Reason 3: Optimisation of production conditions
The savings potential, and thus the maximisation of profit, have already been mentioned in the previous section. Only through the perfect usage of materials and machinery can margins be increased. A key issue in manufacturing plants is machine availability. Besides reducing downtime, the focus is on minimising maintenance costs. Among this are welding tongs. With one of these, the contact force of the electrodes could be precisely monitored by using tension/compression force transducers. In this manner, optimum quality is permanently guaranteed and, simultaneously, wear is minimised. Higher profits can even be achieved through saving time, for instance, when containers are weighed ?on the fly?.
Added value: Maximum profits
Reason 4: Improving product quality and saving materials
Using force measurement in welding tongs ? as explained in the section above ? is an extremely good example of improving product quality and also saving materials. Force measurement supplies the right data for probably the most accurate process control. As Wanted , machine tool wear is only minimal. In addition, force measurement offers a great many other areas of application. For example, 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 vehicle?s centre of gravity can thus be calculated exactly, which means that the safety margin can be reduced. In this case, loads could be lifted further, yet accidents, e.g. because of slipping or tipping, could be avoided.
Added value: Lowering costs
Reason 5: Ensuring quality
Finally, the utilization of force measurement also offers many advantages in the area of quality assurance, which includes already 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 could be drawn for specific batches. In addition, the most precise force measuring instruments meet the highest requirements, for example, in materials testing machinery or in medical engineering. Incidentally, Motivated 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 can be found on the WIKA website. There additionally, you will find info on our calibration service for force measuring instruments. In addition, our brochure on force measurement: ?Force measurement is a matter of trust? can be available. Do you want to buy force transducers? Inside our WIKA online store you?ll find some of our standard versions. Should you have any questions about force measurement, please ask your contact person.
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