Dynamometers

A dynamometer is an instrument used to measure force or weight. Its inventor, the physicist Isaac Newton, designed a cylindrical body instrument with an internal spring, which has the property of stretching when a certain force is applied and returning to a state of rest or "0" when it is stopped. exert this force.

The physical principle or law that regulates its operation is the hook law, which establishes that the elongation experienced by an elastic material (in this case a spring) is directly proportional to the force applied to it. F = -k * var. length . The K is the elastic constant, which depends on each material.

Force is measured in Newtons (N), which is a direct variable. For this reason, primary dynamometers measure force in Newtons. A synonymous variable of Force is weight, which is the product of mass by gravity P (F) = m * g, so weight is a unit of force, not mass. And it is measured in Kg.

The varieties of dynamometers are a reflection of the type of material that we want to measure, therefore they will be differentiated by the range of force, whether in Kg or Newtons.

Light and medium dynamometers: They have a weight range between 0g and 1000gr / 1Kg. They are used to weigh small or very small objects. The resolution is finer and can range from 1g to 50gr.

Heavy dynamometers: They have a range between 1kg and 50kg or 20 to 500N. They are used to measure much heavier objects in an industrial or agricultural setting. The resolution can go from 2g to 200gr.

Special dynamometers: They have a weight range of more than 50kg and up to 30,000Kg, they are exclusively for industrial use and are used to weigh machinery, cars, industrial parts, etc. They are also used for different resistance tests.

Finally we differentiate between:

Analog dynamometers : It is the classic spring dynamometer in Kg or N. Cylindrical in metal or plastic, with the internal spring and hook to hold the product. The reading appears on a bar along the cylinder, which is segmented into units of measure.

Digital dynamometers : They are dynamometers with an internal force sensor which digitally calculates the weight or force of the object and the value appears on the screen. They can have a range of force greater than the analog ones. They also have a hook to hold the product to weigh.