CT500-R corner load cell for small overlap crash barriers 500 kN

CT500-R crash barrier corner load cell

The CT500-R is a strain gage-based load cell for instrumented crash barriers, made of high-grade stainless steel, in single-axis, three-axis and five-axis versions. It measures up to 500 kN on the impact axis (Fx) and, in the three-axis version, 125 kN on Fy and Fz; My and Mz are available as an option. Non-linearity and hysteresis are below 0.75 % of full scale. The natural frequency is above 4 900 Hz for the load cell alone and above 1 650 Hz with the 150 mm radius plate. The cell is sealed to IP66, works from −40 to 125 °C, has a Mil-Spec circular connector and weighs 3.8 kg, or 9.5 kg with the radius plate.

The CT500-R is designed to carry a 150 mm radius plate, which makes it a corner load cell on a small overlap barrier; other plates and attachments are available, including pole impact plates. On the drawing, the cell mounts with four M12 × 1.75 × 40 mm bolts torqued to 130 N·m and four M20 × 2.5 bolts torqued to 300 N·m. In the radius plate assembly, the M20 bolts are torqued to 520 N·m; all threads take anti-seize. It connects to any data acquisition system; size, load capacity and number of axes can be customized.

The CT500-R is used, for example, at the corner of a small overlap barrier for crash barrier loads measurement. Michigan Scientific also supplies Instrumented Crash Barrier Systems: load cells pre-installed on a mounting plate with internal signal cable routing, mounted to the barrier frame and moved between test setups. Several systems or a custom plate geometry extend the barrier face; the system is offered with or without a DAQ system, and the assembled system can be sent to Michigan Scientific for calibration.