Microlink Methods of Measuring Strain

There are several Microlink options for strain measurement, from USB units, to distributed systems and our versatile frame based system.

For Low Cost and Easy Installation

Our new Microlink 751 unit is extremely easy to use with no need to open the computer. Simply plug the 751 into your computer's USB port: you don't even need to switch off the computer or restart Windows. With the addition of the 594 unit mentioned earlier, it accepts up to 32 strain gauge bridges with full, half or quarter bridge wiring on each channel. The strain package comes complete with Windmill data acquisition software for Windows. More and more computers are being sold with USB ports as standard, and the Microlink 751 is ideal for use with laptops. If you would like to request a quotation for a Microlink 751 system, please fill out this form.

For higher speed, dynamic strain measurement, we offer the Microlink 770. Also communicating over USB, this unit captures data at up to 100 kHz. Fill out this form for a no-obligation quotation.

For Distributed Systems

We offer distributed strain measurement over Ethernet or RS485 networks. For large scale Ethernet systems we recommend the Microlink 3000, detailed below.

Alternatively there's the Microlink 1500, which is a small, industrially housed, modular unit multi-dropped over an RS485 cable.

For Immense Versatility

The Microlink 3000 Series comprises a frame holding a number of modules. The 3000 can talk to the computer over GPIB, RS232, RS485 or Ethernet cables. Battery powered frames are available for in-field studies or mobile applications.

The strain gauge module (the Microlink 3052) allows bridge signals from strain gauges to be configured as full, half or quarter bridge arrangements. The sophisticated design of the module and the processing power of the Microlink 3000, allow each bridge to be independently balanced before data collection. Analogue-to-digital converters offering up to 16-bit resolution mean that the smallest strains can be measured precisely. Information such as gauge factor and Poisson's number are specified independently for each strain gauge. All data is stored as Microstrain.

The balance control is valuable because

The initial unstrained bridge output is often much larger than the strain signal to be measured. When not balanced out you need to apply a much larger input range to the signal, which restricts the signal resolution. Units not equipped with balance controls require slow, high resolution, digital voltmeters.
The computer can automatically balance the unstrained bridges.
The computer can remember the balance setting required for all the bridges.

Each strain module can monitor 16 strain gauge bridges. You can set the range of each bridge independently from software, with a choice from 0-1 millivolts to ±10 volts. You can disable the bridge option and instead monitor 16 differential voltage inputs. Strain gauges connected to one module can be sampled 40 000 times per second. Multiple modules are sampled at proportionally lower speeds. You can use Windmill, Streamer or SCAN1000 software with the Microlink 3000, or may program the Microlink yourself.

Application Story: Excavator Company Monitors Strain at High Speeds

The capability of the Microlink 3000 system to collect strain data continuously, at rates of up to 40 000 samples per second, was critical when a UK based excavator company was reviewing the market. The Microlink system also had the advantage of Ethernet communications, which means that the system can be sited up to 185 metres from the controlling PC and still run at the required speed.

To provide a complete solution the entire system was engineered into a vibration-proof housing. Streamer data capture software, in combination with FAMOS analysis software, has led to a big increase in the speed with which test results are generated. Test records are archived, maintaining test data for years to come.

To Summarise