Strain Gauges. How do I pick the right one?
[FONT=verdana]I'm trying to learn how to pick the right strain gauge for my application and looking around I see a lot of information and I can wade through that for the most part to get what I need but there are some questions that I can't find answers for. Maybe with a little more google-fu I could but I wanted an opinion from a real person.
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[FONT=verdana]First off I would like to mount to something lighter than aluminum; ideally I'd want to use a plastic. Looking at HBMs website it looks like there are a few options such as PVC, Polyimide, and Polyamide. I certainly could use aluminum if I have to but I'm trying to minimize weight as much as possible. I'm wondering though is this going to really be a pain in the neck to measure strains with? I understand the bonding procedure is a little harder but will the plastic make things that much harder? Also, will I need to look at other specialized strain gauges that work specifically with plastics? If so, what should I look for?
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[FONT=verdana]Secondly, I'm wondering about placement on the load cell. I have approximately 100 lbs being distributed over four axially loaded cells. I was thinking of doing a half bridge configuration on each to balance out simplicity and noise reduction. Is there a good spot on the load cell to place the gauges? After running a few analyses I've found what look to be the highest concentrations of strain in the material and I was thinking that would give me the best sensitivity for the gauge. Is this correct or should I look for something else?
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[FONT=verdana]Finally, what are going to be the most important things to look at for getting the right one? Anything that I should specifically hone in on so I don't make any rookie mistakes?
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[FONT=verdana]Thanks in advance for your help.
Cheers.[/FONT]