Load Cell and Force Sensors

SMD can manufacture a load cell or force sensor to measure anything, even something as complex as the human eye! Our load cells are designed and manufactured using our own S100 proprietary thin film strain gauge process for greater stability and accuracy. Our load cell applications include weighing scales, non-invasive medical sensors, pharmaceutical testing, aerospace and industrial measurements. Whether you need an "off the shelf" load cell or custom engineered load-cells, let SMD design an ultra low profile, button style or overload proof sensor for you. We are the world leader in miniature load cells and low profile load cells.

Strain Measurement Devices is devoted to the design and manufacture of custom and standard thin film strain gauge sensors and load cells for the OEM transducer, instrumentation, medical, and measurement markets. SMD supplies leading edge sensor technology offering superior stability, temperature performance, lower power consumption, and flexibility of design. The company's engineering and development staffs support product design, shorten development cycles, and provide production engineered solutions.

While SMD sensors are used in a vast array of applications from automotive to automation and undersea to outer-space, two markets stand out as extraordinary opportunities: medical instrumentation and pressure measurement. Medical instrumentation manufacturers are adding sensing capabilities for closed loop feedback control at an ever-increasing rate. SMD's extensive experience in design (over 20 years) combined with the flexibility of its proprietary thin film technology, position the company as an unparalleled medical sensor supplier. Inorganic dielectrics linked with precision thin film resistor circuitries are ideal for medical sensing requirements. Applications included noninvasive disposable set pressure sensing, reagent reservoir flow and weight sensing, tocodynamometers, medical scales, bag sensing, plus orthopedic and physical therapy. Pressure transducers are an ideal application for the proprietary sputtered thin film strain gauge technology. Long-term stability is so superior that SMD sensors are the core sensing technology in some pressure calibrators used to calibrate other manufacturer's pressure transducers! Temperature coefficients are orders of magnitude better than silicon transducers and are linear from -40°C to +150°C. Stainless steel and Hastelloy wetted surfaces offer superior performance. Diaphragm sensors can include integral RTD's, 500Vac dielectric strength, and ranges of 30 psi through 30,000 psi (2 bar though 2000 bar). Lower range pressure sensors to inches of water full scale are available.

SMD provides a seemingly infinite variety of sensors to accurately measure force, pressure, acceleration, and other physical parameters. Approximately 90% of SMD products are custom designed, these sensors meet the more specialized needs of OEM’s. SMD’s peerless engineering team designs sensors for unique requirements and aggressive cost targets. Typical specialized requirements include small sizes, high temperature, low capacities, “Cenelec” dielectric, and overload proof sensors. SMD’s familiarity, especially with state-of-the-art medical products, has led to the development of complete, value-added, SMD produced subassemblies, which incorporate one or more sensors, signal conditioning, electronics, and other features.Products range from sensors to fully packaged transducers all the way to data acquisition systems. This value-added capability is becoming one of the fastest growing parts of the business.