Strain Gauging Services
The strain gauge services category contains posts that describe ITM’s strain gauging services and applications.
ITM Engineers Strain Gauge in Shadow of Artemis I Rocket Launch
Engineers Test Artemis I Spacecraft Orion at Johnson Space Center
ITM strain gauge team witnesses powerful forces during two-week trip to Cape Canaveral
A group of engineers and aerospace engineering technicians from Integrated Test & Measurement just returned after an unforgettable experience in Cape Canaveral.
ITM’s team was there to assist an aerospace engineering partner with on-site strain gauging. The challenge was to assist in validating rocket components ahead of an upcoming launch, which required completing a massive strain gauge instrumentation project.
ITM’s team was there to assist an aerospace engineering partner with on-site strain gauging. The challenge was to assist in validating rocket components ahead of an upcoming launch, which required completing a massive strain gauge instrumentation project.
The team’s work was delayed due to Hurricane Nicole, so they waited out the storm just blocks from the beach, said Ryan “RJ” Matthews, ITM engineer. As powerful as it was seeing a storm with wind speeds exceeding 130 mph, the hurricane was still a distant second in the most memorable department to their up-close view of NASA’s Artemis I mission rocket launch.
Matthews said the team took a break from strain gauging a rocket booster, an intense project that required a significant amount of cable routing, to observe the launch from just a few miles away.
To accommodate their partner, ITM’s crew worked eight 12-hour shifts from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m., so perfect timing to watch NASA take a first step toward blazing a path back to the Moon in the early hours of Nov. 16.
About 45 minutes after the anticipated launch time, fireball from the SLS Rocket lit up the night sky.
Artemis I SLS Rocket Launch Time Lapse
“It was incredible,” said Matthews, who witnessed the launch from a balcony. “It was super bright — kind of like a 1-minute sunrise. About 40 seconds later, it started rattling the building.”
Contact us for more information about our aerospace, strain gauging and testing services.
Engineering Data Acquisition Tools: NI-9237 Bridge Input Module
For bridge type sensors and most strain gauges configurations (full and half bridges), our engineers will opt for the NI-9237 C-Series module to acquire strain and bridge data instead of the NI-9235 or NI-9236 modules. Unlike the NI-9236 module, the NI-9237 can acquire data from:
- Any resistance strain gauge (not just 120 or 350 Ohm)
- Quarter, half, and full-bridge strain gauge configurations
- Torque and load cells (off-the-shelf and custom)
The NI-9237 is a 4-Channel C Series strain/bridge input module that contains circuitry to power, scale and calibrate strain and load sensors . For quarter and some half bridge measurements a bridge completion module must be used in conjunction with this module. The NI-9237 module provides internal bridge excitation (2.5V, 3.3V, 5V, or 10V) and shunt calibration resistors for sensor scaling verification. To collect synchronized and scaled high-speed (50kHz) structure strain and load cell data, use our iTestSystem engineering measurement software.
For more information about the NI-9237, DAQ module rental, strain gauge installations or our data logging solution iTestSystem, contact Ryan Welker via email: ryan.welker@itestsystem.com or phone: (844) 837-8797 x706.
Engineering Data Acquisition Tools: NI-9236 Strain Module
The most common strain gauge installation configuration is a 350 ohm, quarter bridge. Quarter bridge installations a generally the easiest and most economical installation for determining structural strain levels. In the quarter bridge configuration a single element strain gauge is mounted in the principle axial or bending strain direction.
One tool that our engineers and technicians use to collect data from 350 ohm, quarter bridge strain gauge installations is the NI-9236 strain module. The NI-9236 is an 8-Channel C Series 350 ohm strain/bridge input module that is used with a CompactDAQ or CompactRIO chassis. This module provides bridge excitation (3.3 Volts), Wheatstone bridge completion, shunt calibration, and filtering for 350 ohm quarter bridges. Use this module in conjunction with a CompactDAQ chassis and iTestSystem engineering measurement software to collect synchronized, high-speed (10kHz) structure strain data.
For more information about the NI-9236, DAQ module rental, strain gauge installations or our data logging solution iTestSystem, contact Ryan Welker via email: ryan.welker@itestsystem.com or phone: (844) 837-8797 x702
ITM provides software development, structural and mechanical testing services, industrial monitoring, strain gauging, and data analysis solutions to clients on six continents. ITM is a recognized National Instruments Gold Alliance Partner.
