Workshop

Program

In this comprehensive, hands-on workshop, participants make several complete strain gauge installations, including surface preparation, product selection, soldering, electrical connections,  and environmental protection. At the end of the practical session they will use appropriate readout instrumentation to verify the results of their own installations.

During this training the participants will learn how to bring a strain gauge installation to a good conclusion with the confidence that what has been installed will produce quality data.

Focus is on mastering the right techniques, starting from a blank material, participants learn to select the right surface preparation, strain gauge, adhesives, soldering, cables and coatings.

In between the hands-on training, all topics that are crucial for understanding strain measurements will be covered in depth in this workshop. Going from temperature compensation over strain gauges circuitry to bridge excitation optimization and installation calibration.

The techniques used during our workshop are those employed by VPG Micro-Measurements and supported by the British Society for Strain Measurements Code of Practice. Products and instruments used during the practical sessions are from VPG Micro-Measurements.

Program Topics

Strain Gage Characteristics

• Temperature Compensation
• Sensing Alloys
• Transverse Sensitivity
• Strain Limits
• Fatigue Endurance
  
  

Installation Techniques

• Surface Preparation
• Adhesive Selection
• Gage Installation Procedures and Check-Out
• Leadwire Attachment
• Protective Coatings
• Installation verification and quality control
  
  

Gage Installations With Different Adhesives

• Room-Temperature Installation
• Handling Heat-Curing Adhesives

• Clamping Techniques
• Soldering techniques
• Protective Coatings
• Measuring Strain Level
  
  

Special Gage Installation Techniques for Measurement Over Wide Temperature Ranges

• Gage Selection
• Gage Performance Characteristics
• Temperature Effects
• Leadwire Selection and Attachment
• Protective Coating Systems
  
  

Strain Gauge Circuitry

• Quarter, Half and Full Bridges
• Leadwire Compensation
  
  

Bridge Excitation

• Power Levels
• Self-Heating
  
  

Calibration Techniques

Discussion of Specific Problems as Requested by Participants – Case studies