Strain Gauges for small cylinders

[EricR]

Hello all,

I would like to know if there are strain gauges out there that could be used for small cylinders.

To describe the problem/design more thoroughly, I am trying to design (or purchase) a cylinder no bigger than 3mm. When the end of the cylinder is compressed (across the circular cross-section, not along the axis of the cylinder itself) we get a voltage change that I can then correlate to Force.

I have googled for several hours and thought about this problem for several weeks. The only solutions I could find were too large such are piezoelectric sensor rings and other sensor rings, as well as larger circular diaphragm gauges.

If someone is more familiar with these types of gauges I could use some guidance as to whether this is possible.

It seems reasonable to me that somewhere out there, there exists a sort of capacitive sensor with a conductive core and exterior and some insulation in between all bundled up in a cylinder. Again I am no expert and my strain gauge experience ends at slapping them on cantilever beams and hanging weights.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Pkruse]

Include "gas turbine blades" in your search. You may even have to make some phone calls to the strain gauge distributors to find the ones designed to put onto blades in a spinning gas turbine. You are looking for the ones for the compressor section where they don't have to be designed for high temperates.