Designing a Contact Pressure Sensor

Hi there Lomas,

You may want to look into pressure sensitive film, I do not have the company name right now, but you can google it. The film will give a colour impression that can be analyzed, remarkable, really.

Mirco.

thanks mirco,

i'll research it. i have an idea that if i get the pressure the bolts can withstand then i'll get the range of pressure where the sensor will operate. so i am lookin for a sensor that can be sandwiched between the flanges and operate like a strain gauge to meansure pressure. i doesnt have to be strain gauge, which is simple, but as a final year student i am limited in knowledge so i cant design micro sensors so it will have to be macro.

also anyone know where i can find a datasheet for the bolts used in connecting the flanges?

thanks,

lomas

Hi Again,

As for the bolts, look into the "Machineries Handbook", it should list shear strength and bolt grading etc.

Mirco.

Hi Lomas,

as suggested by Mirco for pressure sensitive films, refer the site www.sensorprod.com . In this site you will find the product "Pressurex",is a extreme thin film can be used for mesuring pressure with the color coding.

Regrads,

Gorde Sanjay

Just as a stab at a simple solution: try two metal foils with an insulating coating (oxide? paint?). Measure the capacitance change as the flange is tightened.

Gorde-

My name is Mike and I work at Sensor Products. Let me know if you ever need to discuss any ideas.

Thanks

-Mike-

mford@sensorprod.com

Google FLEXIFORCE. You will find much information on a sensor that I have used with great success.

thanks everyone...i'll check out the things that you suggested. if i need to know anything, i know where the experts are!!.lol

lomas

hey i checked out the pressurex product. but i believe that i forgot to mention one more thing. the contact pressure sensor must be electronic. so it will be used as a system to tell when the pipe is going to fail at the flanges. so i need to sense the pressure get a signal and condition, amplify etc and display the value to the user or to maybe feed into a control system.

but the important thing is to get a sensor that sense the pressure and output a signal. after that, there are alot of books out there that can help me with condition the signal etc.

thanks for you help,

lomas

Lomas-

I recommend you take a look at our Tactilus Sensors. They consist of a sensing element (modular), a data collection hub/up-convertor and software to display your readings in real-time. Contact me at mford@sensorprod.com

Lomas-

My name is Mike and I work at Sensor Products.

Let me know if you ever need to discuss this kind of technology.

-Mike-

mford@sensorprod.com

ok thanks for the offer. but i got through. thanks for all the help people.

sorry the Guest comment above was mine.