Digital scale > laptop data transfer help?

[tianze]

I wonder how can I get the data recorded on a scale be transferred onto a laptop directly?

forexample, I need a curve in the change in weight of something in the past minute, I am looking forward to at least one measurement per second, preferably 10 per second or much higher. The recorded data should be transferred onto my laptop(windows) and i then can plot a graph on my own or maybe is there any sort of data collection program i can use which in the end auto graph the data for me.

Any help? Much thanks

 

[phinds]

Graphing the collected data will be the easy part. You need to collect it first and that means having a scale that outputs a signal that either can be read directly by a computer or that can be converted to something meaningful to a computer. Do you have any concept of what all that means? It's kind of hard for us to help you when you said NOTHING about your level of knowledge of electronics and transducers.

 

[tianze]

I study chemical propulsion and therefore I don't know much about electronics.

 

[phinds]

Well, then, you are asking for a longer dissertation on electronics / transducers / signal conditioning than I am willing to go into. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable here about your particular application can suggest some off-the-shelf components that would help you get there. I don't know of any but that's just ignorance on my part --- doesn't mean there aren't any around.

 

[256bits]

The OP can investigate data logging equipment to find something that suits his desires.

As for a program that plots data, he can always collect the data and then import into Excel and use their graphing utilities, or Access as well, since he has windows that should not be too complicated if he knows his way around both of those programs. Quite a few purchasable data logging programs probably use them anyways. It is also possible to purchase a stand alone data logger to connect directly to the scale, and then transfer the data to the PC.