A vibrating wire sensor measures the opening of a joint from the
stretch of a wire being made to vibrate at acoustical frequency. Since the wire is made of an elastic metal, this type of sensor can be used to measure pulling forces within a certain range.
The applied external force changes the
tension on the wire, which changes the
frequency
Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time. Frequency is an important parameter used in science and engineering to specify the rate of oscillatory and vibratory phenomena, such as mechanical vibrations, audio ...
. The frequency is measured, and indicates the amount of force on the
sensor
A sensor is often defined as a device that receives and responds to a signal or stimulus. The stimulus is the quantity, property, or condition that is sensed and converted into electrical signal.
In the broadest definition, a sensor is a devi ...
. The load sensor has an integrated electronic system to activate the vibrating wire and measure the frequency. This can be compared to a guitar: plucking a string creates vibration and sound. The pitch of the sound is dependent on the tension on the string.
See also
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Strain Gauge
A strain gauge (also spelled strain gage) is a device used to measure Deformation (mechanics)#Strain, strain on an object. Invented by Edward E. Simmons and Arthur C. Ruge in 1938, the most common type of strain gauge consists of an Electrical in ...
References
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Measuring instruments