A force transducer (or force sensor) is an integral part of measuring devices that monitor and display compression, tensile or shear forces.
The two most common technologies on which force transducers operate are piezoelectric and strain gauges. In a piezoelectric force transducer, a charge generated by compression of the piezoelectric material indicates the force acting on the sample component. In a strain gauge force transducer, deformation of the strain gauge bonded with the structural component indicates the force acting on the component.

You can buy a piezoelectric force transducer, a force displacement transducer, an isometric force transducer or a wheel force transducer, depending on your application needs. Various industries, such as the automotive, aerospace, metalworking and food industries, extensively use force transducers.

Some important parameters you must consider before purchasing a force transducer are:

1. Type of measuring force: tensile, compression or shear
2. Required force measuring range
3. Accuracy and sensitivity of the force transducer
4. Type of output: voltage, current, alarm or other
5. Sensor technology for the force transducer
6. Operating temperature

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy force transducers from a reputable force transducer manufacturer

Once you identify your force measurement and monitoring requirements, check out different force transducers available in the market.

I recommend: Transducer Techniques designs and manufactures a range of measuring instruments and transducers, including force transducers. RDP Electrosense supplies force transducers for sensing and measuring compression and tensile forces. Sensor Developments provides sensors for a range of force and torque measurement requirements. Honeywell is a leading measuring instrument manufacturer that supplies sensors, including force transducers.

Buy a specialty force transducer

If standard force transducers do not match your application requirements, opt for a specialty force transducer.

I recommend: Flintec, a reputable force transducer manufacturer, supplies customized force transducers for the medical and agriculture sector and various other industries. For pressure and vacuum measurement at high operating temperatures, evaluate force transducers offered by Sensonetics. You can buy flexible force transducers at Tekscan, a reputable electronic transducer manufacturer. AST sensors offers a broad array of force transducers, including hazardous location pressure transducers and differential pressure sensors.

Buy a force transducer from reputable force transducer distributors or retailers

You can compare different force transducers based on their features and prices at distributors and retailers' websites.

I recommend: Rice Lake is an industrial supplier of weight measuring devices that also offers load cells that you can use as force transducers. OMNI Controls, a test and measurement equipment distributor, supplies transducers for force sensing requirements. You can also buy a force transducer at other distributors including MSC Direct Supply and Test Equipment Depot.

Calibrate your force transducers periodically

Since a force transducer is an integral part of your force measuring and monitoring system, ensure that it's functioning accurately by getting it calibrated by experts from reputable calibration service providers.

I recommend: Get your interface force transducer calibrated by an expert team at Interface, a reputable manufacturer that also provides calibration services for a range of transducers. Morehouse Instrument is another calibration service provider that calibrates force-measuring equipment, including force transducers. Mecmesin, a reputable designer and manufacturer of force gauges, offers calibration services for force transducers. Micro Quality Calibration provides calibration services for precision measurement instruments and force-measuring devices.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you buy force transducers, check out the calibration certificate provided by the force transducer supplier.
• •  Register with reputable associations of force measuring equipment manufacturers to keep yourself informed about new technology developments.