A FULL (WHEATSTONE) BRIDGE STRAIN GAGE SENSOR.

The default construction of a strain gauge transducer uses a full Wheatstone bridge often with multiple backings distributed around the transducer hardware. This offers the best accuracy and insensitivity to off-axis loading, but for lower-cost sensors a single full-bridge pattern can be used. This represents several advantages over two or more backings, the most obvious is the reduced labor to install the strain gauge. The single backing and foil offers better temperature response not just due to the locality of the sensing elements but also because thermal output scatter is virtually eliminated.

The full-bridge circuit (with four active strain gages) provides for the highest measurement sensitivity and the best extraneous temperature cancellation. Built using Micro-Measurements' Advanced Sensors strain gage technology, the full Wheatstone bridge strain gages offer improved grid-resistance tolerance and grid-to-grid temperature matching compared to traditional gages. Micro-Measurements offers a wide range of pattern configurations and resistance ranging from 350 Ω to 20 kΩ. The addition of gold-plated solder pads improves lead wire attachment and solder-joint reliability, reducing the chances of solder pad oxidation prior to attaching the lead wires.

Torque measurement is another common application for full-bridge strain gages. In these applications, the strain gage is used to measure engine power output on propshafts and driveshafts, driver input through steering wheels, tightening bolts, or anywhere a component is subjected to a twisting force. The full bridge circuit is used to double the sensitivity to torque and cancel unwanted effects due to axial or bending load components.

In addition, with all four arms of the Wheatstone bridge being manufactured simultaneously from a single piece of foil, grid-to-grid thermal characteristics are more closely matched, and thermal output is cancelled in the bridge circuit. Micro-Measurements full bridge strain gages are available in a variety of sizes, configurations, and mounting technologies.

A full-bridge strain gage:

[scotty]

im looking for any good resources to wiring this things. any helpful resources you would recommend?