Single points are among the most widely used load cells worldwide. In contrast to other force sensors, these products allow force to be applied at different points without falsifying the measurement result - this is ensured by the integrated parallelogram. High-precision weighing applications can thus be realised with only one load cell.

Single point load cells are suitable for a wide range of applications and are primarily used by plant engineers for manufacturing industries and for installation in industrial scales. The user benefits from the simple design of weighing applications due to the use of only one load cell. But how did the product actually become so popular? The history of the single point load cell began with the invention of the strain gauge.

Strain gauges: The basis of every load cell

As early as 1856, Lord Kelvin discovered that the electrical resistance of copper and iron wires increases when they are subjected to tensile stress. He thus laid the foundation for strain gauge technology, which is the basis for today's single point load cells. However, Edward E. Simmons and Arthur C. Ruge are considered the fathers of the strain gauge. Interesting fact: Ruge filed the patent for a strain gauge in 1938 with MIT, where he worked. Their verdict: since this development was deemed "commercially unprofitable", he was allowed to claim the patent and revenue from it for himself alone. Today, strain gauges are considered an indispensable component worldwide for everything that has to do with industrial weighing. As such, strain gauges are one of the most widely used technologies in industrial weighing worldwide.