Straightpoint Releases Bluetooth Alternative to Mechanical Load Cells
April 22, 2019 - Straightpoint (SP) has unveiled its new single capacity Bluelink load cell that introduces Bluetooth technology to customers still using outdated mechanical force measurement products.
Bluelink is a 6.5 t. (14,300 lb.) capacity load cell, targeted at end users who might be receptive to enhanced technology and the advantages of reading data on an iOS or Android smartphone installed with SP’s free HHP app.
Bluelink will sit further down the spectrum in applications where a mechanical solution is a choice, but where the safety gains achieved by reading data at a distance of up to 100 m. (328’) are necessary.
David Ayling, global business development director for load monitoring solutions at SP, said, “It’s important that we market the Bluelink accordingly … This isn’t an alternative to our state-of-the-art systems, but a step towards the latest wireless technology, perhaps for professionals only just beginning their migration from traditional solutions.”
Rigged using industry standard shackles, such as the Crosby G2130, the Bluelink minimizes headroom, measuring only 6” or 156 mm from eye-to-eye. Its compact, lightweight design doesn’t sacrifice strength with a safety factor of over 500%. Constructed from aerospace grade and hard-anodized aluminum, the product offers an advanced internal design structure.
Ayling added, “The design not only provides the product with an unrivaled strength-to-weight ratio, but it also allows the use of a separate internal sealed enclosure, providing the load cell’s electronic components with NEMA6 or IP67 environmental protection even with the battery cover plate missing.”
The aforementioned app, which is available for download and easy connection to any SP load cell that possesses the same technology, allows operators to log data versus time or on events such as over- or under-load, while an adjustable alarm alerts the operator on a smartphone if any overload occurs. It features an analogue load indicator on the main screen and a number of languages, including English, Dutch, Spanish, Norwegian, Japanese, and Chinese.
Bluelink is powered by four standard AA batteries that provide in excess of 500 hours transmission time, and its internal antennae ensures loads to an accuracy of 0.1% FS are transmitted safely.