A smaller form factor is frequently on the must have list for many next generation products. However, compromising performance is usually not an acceptable tradeoff. This is especially true in medical products such as force sensors where both precision and miniaturization are required.
For example, vascular clamps are used to reduce the flow of blood to the heart during vascular surgery. If the amount of force the clamp provides is incorrectly applied, it could completely cut off circulation or not provide enough restriction to blood flow for the type of surgery being performed. Load button load cells can be used in these types of intricate applications because the sensor can correctly measure the small force given off by the clamp and help engineers adjust the design to provide the exact amount of force needed to optimize performance and save lives.
The recently developed ConvexBT load cell load button made by Interface addresses these potential problems. The first-of-its-kind load button load cell has temperature compensation and zero balance designed directly in the load button instead of the cable connected to the load button to avoid creating an obstacle during installation. For superior performance and accuracy, the ConvexBT sensor was also designed to reject misaligned loads to the primary axis of the cell.
Currently available in 3/8-inch and 1/2-inch sizes, the ConvexBT load cell load buttons are manufactured using 17-4 PH heat treated stainless steel. Both designs provide a wide measurement range from 10 to 250 lbf, a compensated temperature range of 60° to 160°F and an operating temperature range of -40° to 175°F.
