I am performing a lap shear test on aluminum specimen for which 10 KN load cell of ultimate tensile machine (Instron) would be sufficient. So, if I perform the lap shear test on 100 KN load cell, the accuracy (sensitivity) of result is affected or not?
Long answer: accuracy and sensitivity refer to two different things. You'll have to check the load cell data sheet for sensor accuracy. You don't need to worry about sensitivity sense the load cell's signal conditioner automatically converts the reading into a measurable value for you (although for a 100 kN load cell, the sensitivity will be less since it will take 10x as much load to generate the same output as in the 10 kN cell). I think the quantity you're interested in is resolution (the smallest incremental force the load cell can measure), which will likely be 10 times higher in the 100 kN cell.
Short answer: depending on the magnitude of load that you're trying to measure, it probably doesn't matter. If you're expecting 100-1000N of load I wouldn't worry about it.
Hi Vinay,
if you see differences this may be due to incorrect calibration of load cells.
I would not worry about sensitivity of the load cells which will be in any case less important than the dispersion of the data that occurs in any test campaign for the evaluation of shear strength.
Dear Vinay Khandelwal your measurement will be affected surely, because Instron Tensile test machine has tolerance from .1 kN to 1/1000* load cell capacity
if you use 100 kN load cell machine for strength lower that 10 kN you have to except measurement error from the machine + or - 0.1 kN.
Thanks everyone for your valuable inputs. Following is the reply I received from Instron people for UTM model 5982
The Load Measurement Accuracy of 100KN load cell fitted:
± 0.4% of reading down to 1/100 of load cell capacity i.e. from 100 KN down to 1 KN Load value &
± 0.5% of reading down to 1/500 of load cell capacity i.e. from 1kN to 0.2 KN Load Value.
I hope, measuring load of 800-2KN on 10KN load cell would not give much error
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