The term dynamometer refers to an instrument meant to measure force. It can also be used to refer to a testing machine capable of applying force of a given precision. Only the first of these meanings is referred to in this text.
A dynamometer is a transducer comprising made of a metallic test body which receives the force to be measured and deforms elastically by the application of this force. In modern transducers such deformation (strain) is communicated to a miniature electric circuit attached to the proof body, resulting in a modification of the electric resistance. This resistance variation is measured by the Wheatstone bridge method, whereby two legs of the electric circuit are supplied with an analog voltage, continuous or intermittent, and an analogue voltage variable according to the force applied to the dynamometer is collected between the two other legs in the circuit.
“Force magnitude” is, from the mechanical theory point of view, a vectorial input and the precision measures must take this characteristic into account, as well as other mechanical laws, such as action and reaction principles, action-at- a distance, etc. This approach leads to adopt a certain number of precautions, both in the design and application of a dynamometer.
Learn more about: the dynamometer ; force measurement
Contact-us