strain gauge high temperature force sensors

Most of our strain gauge high temperature force sensors are rated for continuous operation up to 250°C without external cooling. With an active water jacket or thermal barrier, some designs can survive intermittent exposure above 400°C. The exact limit depends on the force range, cable type, and how long the sensor stays at peak temperature. We can provide thermal derating curves once we know your working conditions.

They hold calibration better than generic industrial load cells, but we still recommend checking zero balance and sensitivity every 500 running hours or after any thermal shock event. The strain gauges and bonding materials gradually age, especially if temperature cycles are wide. A quick shunt calibration or a reference weight check is usually enough to spot drift. We can integrate calibration features into the sensor design if your process can’t be interrupted often.

Yes. Our standard configuration outputs 2 mV/V at rated load, which is compatible with most strain gauge amplifiers. If you need a different sensitivity, we can adjust the gauge wiring or add an in‑line amplifier module to deliver 0‑5 V, 4‑20 mA, or digital signals. Just tell us the input range of your logger and the cable distance.

We cover compressive and tensile ranges from 1 kN to over 1000 kN in standard designs. For unusual requirements like very low forces at high temperature (e.g., 50 N for delicate contact testing), we can create a custom flexure design. High‑capacity models above 500 kN usually use a column‑type sensing element to manage the stresses at elevated temperature.

Most customers use a thermal standoff block between the sensor and the heat source, combined with spring washers to manage thermal expansion. We include mounting flanges or threaded holes on the sensor body. For temperatures above 300°C, a water‑cooled mounting plate is safer. We can advise on bolt materials that won’t seize when everything heats up—Inconel and stainless steel grades are common.