Strain gages are devices used to measure strain on the surface of an object. These strain measurements can be used to infer the amount of stress induced on the object, as is done with many types of residual stress measurements.
Additionally, strain gages can be used to measure things such as aircraft wing deflection, bridge cable creep, and tensile testing for material properties, making them an ideal tool for in-field measurements.
Strain gages come in many shapes and sizes and can measure strain in a single direction or in multiple directions, depending on the goal of the experiment. Strain gages can be used on a wide variety of materials under many conditions, such as in extreme temperatures or underwater.
Hill Engineering has extensive experience with strain gage application and can help design the experiment needed to reach your project’s goals. Strain gage application can be performed in our laboratory or at your site, to your specifications.
Strain gage application is useful for:
Applications requiring in-field measurements with portable equipment
Measuring strain in multiple directions
Parts in every shape and size – nothing is too big or too small
Measuring residual stress
If you’re interested in how we apply a strain gage to a simple specimen, watch our video:
Photograph of a uniaxial strain gageZoomed in image of a uniaxial strain gage gridA photograph of a pile of various strain gages
Strain gages are a key component of many of the residual stress measurements that we perform at Hill Engineering. These small but mighty sensors can also be used for other experiments, and this is something that we highlight in our recent case study.
A representative composite overwrapped pressure vessel. Image courtesy of CompositesWorld: https://www.compositesworld.com/articles/thermoplastic-composite-pressure-vessels-for-fcvs
We’re putting something in a bottle, and no, it’s not an SOS to the world. It’s a strain gage!
Hill Engineering has recently developed technology to orient and apply strain gages inside a pressure vessel with restricted interior access. Continue reading Strain gage in a bottle
Strain gages are key tools when performing residual stress measurements. By tracking the electrical resistance change of the strain gage foil, we can evaluate strain through material deformation. In our vlog presented below, we demonstrate how to apply a strain gage on an aluminum tensile specimen. While the setup described in the video is simple, we are capable of applying strain gages to much more complex geometries to fit the needs of our residual stress tests. For more information or any questions about your residual stress needs, please contact us.
