SCC-SG24 / LabView 8.2 / Load Cell

[jray3475]

I am using LabVIEW 8.2 and I recently acquired a SCC-SG24  a pci 6221 and a scc-68, I plan on using it to measure stain and force with type "s" load cell (RL20000), and displacement with a DC LVDT and build stress/strain diagrams. 

1. I was able to configure the LVDT easy enough and have been able to read displacement, although there is fluctuation in the volage (is there a way to filter this.... or at least average it without decreasing the sig figs?)

2. I've tried my best to use LabVIEW and the SCC-SG24 to measure the strain and force, but have not succeeded. I can get a reading from the load cell, but how the heck do I use this to display the load in labview?

Please forgive my ignorance..........I'm new at this. I would appreciate any information or example VI that can be provided. Thank you so much for your time.

Jerry

[Wayne.C]

Jerry,

1 - You will probably need to average several readings to help filter out any noise.

2 - It sounds like you need to scale the readings from your load cell.  Based on part #,  I'm guessing that your load cell output is rated for 3.0mV/V.  That means that for every volt of excitation voltage, cell will output 3mV at fullscale.  So in the case of a 100lb cell with 10V excitation, output is 30mV with 100lb load.  The other part of this is that you need to account for any offset voltage at zero force applied to cell.  You can measure this with no force applied to cell or you may have received a calibration sheet from manufacturer.

basic formula is (mV measured - zero offset)*fullscale force/fullscale output=force applied to cell