Need Force Sensor(Resister, Switch??)

[S]

I'm not an Electronics expert so forgive me if I don't use the proper
terminology.
I need something to indicate (not measure) a change force(weight), from
about 1 lb. to about 20 or 30 pounds, but it must be able to handle a couple
hundred pounds without getting wrecked. Something that switches on or
varies in resistance. It needs to be smaller than a penny and paper thin,
and inexpensive.

I found something at the following web site that would work, that can
actually be used for measuring force, but it's more than I need, and at $15.
it's way to expensive, especially for a production product.
http://www.tekscan.com/flexiforce/flexiforce.html
Please post reply. Thanks!

 

[Jim Thompson]

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 17:08:52 GMT, "S" <x@x.com> wrote:

I'm not an Electronics expert so forgive me if I don't use the proper
terminology.
I need something to indicate (not measure) a change force(weight), from
about 1 lb. to about 20 or 30 pounds, but it must be able to handle a couple
hundred pounds without getting wrecked. Something that switches on or
varies in resistance. It needs to be smaller than a penny and paper thin,
and inexpensive.

I found something at the following web site that would work, that can
actually be used for measuring force, but it's more than I need, and at $15.
it's way to expensive, especially for a production product.
http://www.tekscan.com/flexiforce/flexiforce.html
Please post reply. Thanks!

I have a simple-minded piece of *thin* PCB-like material that will
light an NE-2 when flexed:

AMP Flexible Film Sensors
P.O. Box 799
Valley Forge, PA 19482
(215)666-3500

However it is my understanding that someone bought them out a number
of years ago, so you may need to do some surfing.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

 

[Garrett Mace]

I found something at the following web site that would work, that can
actually be used for measuring force, but it's more than I need, and at
$15.
it's way to expensive, especially for a production product.
http://www.tekscan.com/flexiforce/flexiforce.html
Please post reply. Thanks!

What's the problem? It's pretty much what you need, and if you look around
$15 is close to nothing for a force sensor. Plus I don't think you're
looking at the production issue correctly: if you are actually looking for a
production price, ask for a quote from them in quantities of 5,000 or
100,000. The qty. four price isn't what a large buyer would pay.

 

[Don Cleveland]

Jim Thompson <thegreatone@example.com> wrote in message
news:60ms2092dr7g2ae701t0e7vifspufmps5m@4ax.com...

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 17:08:52 GMT, "S" <x@x.com> wrote:


I'm not an Electronics expert so forgive me if I don't use the proper
terminology.
I need something to indicate (not measure) a change force(weight), from
about 1 lb. to about 20 or 30 pounds, but it must be able to handle a
couple
hundred pounds without getting wrecked. Something that switches on or
varies in resistance. It needs to be smaller than a penny and paper
thin,
and inexpensive.

I found something at the following web site that would work, that can
actually be used for measuring force, but it's more than I need, and at
$15.
it's way to expensive, especially for a production product.
http://www.tekscan.com/flexiforce/flexiforce.html
Please post reply. Thanks!


I have a simple-minded piece of *thin* PCB-like material that will
light an NE-2 when flexed:

AMP Flexible Film Sensors
P.O. Box 799
Valley Forge, PA 19482
(215)666-3500

However it is my understanding that someone bought them out a number
of years ago, so you may need to do some surfing.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

I think they are now Measurement Specialties Inc. Here's the web site.

http://www.msiusa.com/piezo/vibration_dynamic_sensors.htm

Don Cleveland

 

[qrk]

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 17:08:52 GMT, "S" <x@x.com> wrote:

I'm not an Electronics expert so forgive me if I don't use the proper
terminology.
I need something to indicate (not measure) a change force(weight), from
about 1 lb. to about 20 or 30 pounds, but it must be able to handle a couple
hundred pounds without getting wrecked. Something that switches on or
varies in resistance. It needs to be smaller than a penny and paper thin,
and inexpensive.

I found something at the following web site that would work, that can
actually be used for measuring force, but it's more than I need, and at $15.
it's way to expensive, especially for a production product.
http://www.tekscan.com/flexiforce/flexiforce.html
Please post reply. Thanks!

http://www.interlinkelectronics.com/ makes a product called a force
sensing resistor (FSR). The FSR is silkscreened on to a thin plastic
sheet. Resistance changes with force applied. It's cheap and very
durable. I ran a test on this material back in the mid 1980s, shooting
a couple thousand steel balls at a drum skin coated with the FSR
material.

Mark