Advantages and Applications of Wireless Load Cells

Wireless data transmission has become the norm, especially as Internet of Things (IoT) technology becomes more prevalent. With the improvement of communication protocols, and in turn connection reliability and speed, wireless technology is without a doubt the new backbone of data-driven applications. And load cell applications are no exception. This article briefly describes scenarios in which wireless load cell data transmission addresses key challenges. It concludes with a brief description and comparison of the wireless load measurement solutions offered by Tacuna Systems.

Where to Go Wireless with Load Cell Technology

The best answer to the question, “where could I incorporate wireless load-cells?” is anywhere that has conventional wired load cells. However, there are places where wired load cells are completely impractical.

(1) Where Mobility or Distributed Data Collection is Integral to the Job

Often with large-scale or distributed systems, operators must collect measurement data while maneuvering around distances or large obstructions. Wireless receivers or indicators give them access to real time data from any such location. This improves the efficiency over a central, wired collection site, especially when calibrating and testing load cells or performing routine maintenance.

(2) Where Cross-Platform Interfaces or Smart Apps are Part of the System

Conveniently, smart phone and tablet apps exist that receive wireless load cell data transmission. These apps not only display this data in a user-friendly format, but can also process it further. This can streamline operating procedures considerably. Easier displays and operating procedures in turn simplify operator training and all of these add up to considerable operating cost savings.

(3) To Reduce Installation and Maintenance Cost and Complexity

Without a doubt, system installation and servicing create the most significant expenses for complex load cell or strain gauge measurement systems. This is especially true of transmission cabling installation from the sensors to the user interface. Proper installation of transmission cables and wiring harnesses can be tedious; improperly installed cables can become a safety risk by entangling equipment or personnel. Installation expenses only increase when wiring must be underground or aerial to avoid environmental hazards. Also, long wiring runs degrade signals and require additional filters and repeaters.

Wireless load cell signal transmission gets rid of these issues. It eliminates wiring and signal boosting material costs, avoids labor-intensive cable positioning, and as mentioned before, permits the consolidation of user interfaces, further decreasing installation complexity and cost.

When it comes to maintenance, wireless systems are also the clear winner. Wireless measuring systems only require access to specific measurement locations or nodes, potentially saving thousands on inspections and upkeep.

(4) In Low-Clearance Areas and Hazardous Environments

Wired load cell connections can be challenging, if not impossible, in environments that have rugged terrain, moving parts or are hazardous to humans. In these cases, products like the wireless readout in Figure 2 make measurements far more accessible. Where moving parts are involved (such as cranes), this readout gives operators real-time measurement data at a safe distance. Likewise, weighing structures with tight clearances can make the space needed for safe wiring impossible. In these applications, wireless communication between deployed load cells and this readout avoids potential fires or measurement errors from pinched or frayed wires in tight spaces.

Examples of Wireless Load Cell Applications

Structural Integrity Monitoring and Long-Range Telemetry

Wireless telemetry enables operators to gather accurate measurements across remote, large, or distributed environments without the complexity of running physical wiring. Signals can pass through most common materials with relatively little interference, and systems only need to reach specific measurement nodes, greatly simplifying installation and maintenance at scale.

For long-term civil structures like bridges and buildings, this opens the door to continuous, automated load monitoring. Traditional visual inspections are limited by their scheduled frequency and the inspector’s subjective judgment. Grids of wireless load cells or strain gauges replace much of that human effort with real-time data across large surfaces, enabling earlier detection of strain localization and more reliable prediction of structural damage — while reducing the costs and safety risks of physically accessing large structures. According to Deloitte’s Predictive Maintenance Position Paper, companies implementing predictive maintenance see an average tenfold return on investment within two years, with an increase in productivity and a decrease in maintenance costs of 25% on average.

Dynamic Telemetry on Moving Systems

When the measured object or system is static, connections to the measuring system are simple. However, if the measured object is mobile or dynamic in nature, monitoring becomes an increasingly complex challenge. Load cell wiring can interfere with the motion of these systems and can be damaged.

Some examples of mobile applications using load cell measurement are cranes, forklift scales, and other hoisting applications. Propellers, wind turbine blades, pumps, rotors, and engines are common applications of fast moving parts.

Rotating Systems

Measuring a rotating system presents a fundamental challenge: the system cannot be restrained by fixed wiring. Slip rings solve this by acting as electromechanical interfaces that transfer both power and data between rotating and stationary components, eliminating the wired connections that would otherwise be damaged during operation.

The tradeoff is maintenance. Constant movement exposes slip rings to abrasion and contamination, requiring regular upkeep. Repair is rarely practical, so failure typically means replacement, which can add significantly to the overall lifetime system expense.

For lower-speed applications, fully wireless solutions have matured into a genuine alternative, and combining wireless data transmission with slip rings used only for power has become a cost-effective approach. For high-RPM applications like engines, however, wireless still struggles to maintain accuracy and reliability at speed. The more significant shift has been toward contactless rotary joints such as capacitive coupling or millimeter-wave interconnects. These eliminate the brush-and-ring contact surface while still operating within the assembly, offering the reliability benefits of wireless without the high-speed accuracy tradeoffs.

Traditional brush-based slip rings remain in wide use, but they are no longer the only feasible solution they once were.

Hoisted Applications

Cranes and other hoists are in constant movement during standard operations. At the same time, there is the need to monitor the loads they bear, for safe operations. Using wireless technology for these applications is especially useful around construction, as the load measuring fixtures are in constant movement.

Two load cell types used for these applications are crane scales and load pin load cells. The section below, “Specific Hoisting Applications,” describes these devices.

Sensors in Toxic or Explosive Environments

Many measurement applications exist that have inherent risk due to their location. For example, mining, oil refineries, furnaces, offshore and on-land oil rigs, and nuclear reactors may incorporate load cells in their monitoring systems. These rely on accurate data. However, their higher than normal radiation, toxic or explosive atmospheric conditions, extreme temperatures, or submersed implementation creates risk to technicians and operators. As mentioned earlier, eliminating cable runs in these applications reduces installation, inspection, and troubleshooting time. This in turn reduces the duration of a technician’s exposure to these dangerous conditions. That is, while hazards are unavoidable, in these applications, wireless telemetry eliminates failure points and maintenance associated with wired connections.

The Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things is simply a concept – one where the devices with which we interact have wireless connections to internet apps that improve their efficiency, safety, or user experience. These devices can be consumer in nature or part of a business or manufacturing process (like the earlier examples in this section). Smart transportation systems, modern healthcare, and many security applications rely on IoT technology. What these devices all have in common is the use of wireless sensors to collect and report data to their apps. These apps process the data to determine some course of action by a consumer-oriented or manufacturing control system. And, full circle, this system functions to improve efficiency, safety, or user experience.

The applications above could be considered part of the Internet of Things. However, the IoT is broader than just these. For a more detailed overview of the IoT, see the article, The IoT and Sensors: A Quick Overview.

Implementation of Wireless Load Cells

As described above, wireless load cells can provide many advantages over wired connections. But there is more than one way to implement wireless transmission. The three main ones are:

• Integrated wireless transmitters internal to load cell devices paired with any receiver,
• Integrated wireless transmitters internal to load cell devices paired with a dedicated wireless indicator such as the ANYLOAD 805HP-WL in Figure 1, and
• Wireless bridges that act as the transmitter and receiver between any current or customized measurement system. These devices replace intermediate lengths of wire. This concept is covered in the next section.

The good news is that there are quite a few product options that can add wireless connections to most load cell applications.

Products that Convert Conventional Load Cells to Wireless

Often the easiest way to implement wireless measuring is to outfit existing analog load cells with wireless transmission. This provides minimal up-front investment in new measurement devices. It also upgrades existing systems with minimal impact to the load cell frame or fixture.    

With Tacuna Systems’ TBX Wireless Load Cell Bridge, any standard load cell application can be converted to wireless. The TBX wireless bridge replaces any physical wire or cable connection between load cells and measurement indicators. It easily retrofits to existing systems but it can also be part of new measuring system deployments.  Likewise, our ANYLOAD WL900 and WL900 Transmitter/Receiver products function similarly.

The transmitter on all three products connects directly to the load cell’s output wiring. This converts any load cell, scale, pressure sensor, torque sensor and resistive sensor to wireless.

The receiver device for the TBX transmitter can be one of several configurations. Option one is to pair its transmitter with its receiver connected to a standard weight indicator. The second option is to pair its transmitter with the TBX app on any smartphone or tablet.  Finally, the TBX-T transmitter can pair directly with software on a device (tablet or computer) with compatible reception; this makes storing and displaying data more user-friendly.

The WL100 receiver can collect data from multiple sensors. It connects to a computer via USB that must run the WL100 app to collect and display the load cell data. The WL900 receiver interfaces exclusively with the ANYLOAD 808 series wireless displays discussed below.

Both the TBS and WL100 devices use Bluetooth low energy 2.4 GHz radio connections. The WL900 uses a 900MHz transmission frequency.

Products for Hoisting Applications

As mentioned before, wireless technology is highly advantageous for cranes and other hoists, as they are in constant motion during use.

Tacuna Systems offers the ANYLOAD 110ES-WL and ANYLOAD 110ES-WL-HP wireless crane scales with standard wireless transmitters for measuring crane loads of up to 100 tons.  Their salt and waterproof stainless steel casting and silicone-enclosed antenna withstand harsh conditions like deep sea fishing. But they are also ideal for other hoisting and lifting applications. Other hoisting products in our shop include the ANYLOAD 110RH-WL Wireless Alloy Steel Tension Link, with capacities up to 50 tons, and the ANYLOAD OCSD Wireless Dynamometer, with capacities of up to 200 tons. Other than range of capacities, these three products differ in their environmental rating; the 110ES-WL and 110-WL-HP are IP68/69K, the 110RH-WL is IP67, and the OCSD is not rated. The ANYLOAD 110 series wireless crane scales pair with the  ANYLOAD 805HP-WL Wireless Hand Held Indicator; the OCSD pairs with the ANYLOAD P180, P380, and P580 Wireless Displays.  

Wireless Indicators and Displays to Improve Productivity

For many measuring applications, wired connections are still viable. However, even for these, mobile readouts can increase efficiency or improve ease-of-use for operators. In these cases, Tacuna Systems recommends the use of a wireless display or indicator as the output interface.  

For high visibility displays in stationary locations, we offer ANYLOAD’s 808 Series LED wireless load cell indicators. These include the 808AH-WL, 808BH-WL, and 808CH-WL. These come with the WL900 Transmitter/Receiver, to connect to any wired load cell.

Handheld indicators are are simple, single-point, devices that interface with most load cells. Tacuna Systems offers the ANYLOAD 805HP-WL Wireless Hand Held Indicator and the ANYLOAD P180 Wireless Display.  These pair with the wireless crane scales listed in the table titled “Products for Hoisting Applications”.

A Comparison of Tacuna Systems Wireless Products

Products that Convert Conventional Load Cells to Wireless

Products for Hoisting Applications

Wireless Indicators and Displays

Conclusion

In an era defined by cloud computing, IIoT architecture, and big data analysis, wireless telemetry is now a vital cornerstone of industrial innovation. As wireless communication speed and network reliability continue to advance, forward-thinking enterprises will continue to replace physical connections with digital and wireless ones.

Load cell applications are a primary beneficiary of this technology shift. Deployed wireless load cells allow teams to capture real-time force data across distant, dynamic, or highly hazardous environments where cabling is entirely impractical. By eliminating complex wiring, signal degradation, and abrasion risks common in tight-clearance environments like wind turbines, wireless sensors improve job-site safety and reduce lifetime maintenance costs.

References

• Measurement and Instrumentation: Theory and Application, Alan S Morris, Reza Langari 
• Measurement and Instrumentation in Engineering: Principles and Basic Laboratory Experiments,1st Edition, Francis S. Tse, Ivan E. Morse
• Civil Structure Strain Monitoring with Power-Efficient,High-Speed Wireless Sensor Networks”, J.H. Galbreath, C.P. Townsend, S.W. Mundell, M.J. Hamel
• B. Esser, D. Huston, Ph.D., S.W. Arms, 4th Int’l Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring Stanford University, Stanford CA, Sep, 2003
• Large-Scale Surface Strain Gauge for Health Monitoring of Civil Structures, Simon Laflamme, Matthais Kollosche, Guggi Kofod, Smart Structures and Materials, 2012
• Douglas DC-3 Re-engine STC Project