Aerospace Force Sensor and Load Cell Applications

Strainsert load cells and load pins, as well as our force sensing bolts and tension links have been used for decades to support new aircraft and spacecraft hardware designs, assembly, testing and control. The applications range from simple force measurement solutions up to such cutting edge products as the Mars Exploration Rover Mission for NASA and the Space Shuttle launching pad.

The applications are so vast and varied that encompassing their use is challenging.The load cell use can begin as early as material and individual component force testing and then expanded to monitor and control forces during installation, assembly, or operation.

In certain large programs, numerous companies are involved in the development and integration, and our load sensing products are used to determine forces at many interfacing areas, where the various components come together forming a larger assembly.

Many of these load cell products, used during lower tier assembly, are then verified prior to use, or further assembly, after shipment across the country or major assembly build up to ensure adequate force preload or distribution is still present. Not only do our products measure force, but many load cells are designed to be permanently embedded in the system to both carry and measure the force for the life of the product.

Strainsert load cell products are also commonly used for force determination and evaluation of new hardware to determine forces which will be encountered during the life of the aircraft or to control many millions of loading cycles to verify the expected fatigue spectrum.

Typical Aerospace Load Cell Applications Include:

Landing Gear Pin Joints, Wing attachments, Flap/Slat/Aileron forces, Engine/Wing interface forces, Cowl forces, Mars Rover Development and Deployment, Space Shuttle Force Measurement, Ejection Seat Forces, Parachute Deployment Forces, Bolt Preload Measurement and Control, Internal Engine forces, Satellite Antenna forces, Integration with Separation bolts, Interstage attachments, Solar Array Attachments, Telescope Support measurement, and many other interesting applications.

Forty Two Strainsert Custom Force Sensors Deployed on the Mars Rover Curiosity

Strainsert Company, a premier manufacturer of standard and custom force sensors for research, testing, weighing and control applications in the Aerospace, Military, Marine and Automotive industries, designed and manufactured forty two custom force sensors utilized on the Mars Rover Curiosity which recently landed successfully on the red planet… Read More