Surface pressure distribution

July 2008 Pressure Measurement & Control

Pressurex, a thin flexible film from Sensor Products, is a versatile tool for quality control and machine component inspection. Its ability to easily and rapidly show inconsistencies in surface pressure between mating or contacting surfaces has lowered scrap rate and assisted in the design and manufacture of many industrial and electronic products.

Recently Futek, a leading US manufacturer and supplier of load cells, experienced assembly difficulties resulting in some of the products failing to meet specification. Fluctuations in clamping pressure were ultimately identified as the root cause of the problem.

Futek’s sensors incorporate metal foil strain gauge technology. The adhesive used to bond the gauges to their sensors requires a clamping pressure of 3,5–5 bar. However, by using Pressurex, James Meiselbach, a mechanical engineer at Futek, was able to see that the pressure fluctuated from 3,5 to upwards of 14 bar in some of their production runs. This discovery led Futek to use Pressurex to help redesign several of their clamps to incorporate silicone die springs to regulate the pressure more precisely. “A sample pack of Pressurex with film that revealed different surface pressure ranges allowed our production to continue,” said Meiselbach.

To measure the surface pressure of a clamp around the outside of a load cell the Pressurex film was cut in the configuration of the clamp surface area and placed between the clamp and the load cell. Clamping pressure was applied as specified, prior to unclamping and removal of the Pressurex. The film, which changes colour depending on how much pressure is exerted in an area, was then compared to the colour calibration chart and the uneven pressure application was obvious to see.

For more information contact Vadim Shalyt, Sensor Products, +1 973 884 1755, [email protected], www.sensorprod.com

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