Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

Long term stability of a novel strain gage conditioner based on the direct re...
P Cappa; Z Del Prete; F Marinozzi
Experimental Techniques; Mar/Apr 2001; 25, 2; ProQuest Science Journals
pg. 24
TECHNIQUES
by P Cappa, Z. Del Prete, F. Marinozzi
LONG TERM STABILITY OF A NOVEL STRAIN GAGE
CONDITIONER BASED ON THE DIRECT
RESISTANCE METHOD
l
t is over fifteen years now since the Direct Resistance
Measurement method (DRM) has been proposed [l] as
an alternative methodology to condition the output sig-
na} of the ubiquitous electrical resistance strain gage. In
short, the DRM simply uses the direct measurement of the
variation of the voltage drop across the changing resistance
of a strain gage, by driving a constant current through it.
The DRM method was metrologically examined by using
commercially available instrumentation and the results ob-
tained showed the viability of the proposed method for the
usual experimental analysis [2-7]. Moreover, from a thor-
ough comparison with the traditional Wheatstone Bridge
(WB) it emerged that the DRM, in spite of being a simpler
scheme, still contains the benefit of the well known compen-
sating properties of the WB.
Thus, the authors, instead
ICI Ro
chip while IC2 is a dual operational amplifier that drives the
constant current into the strain gages R sgl and Rsg2 The
resistor R
0
is for balancing the two active arms while the
potentiometer Rg controls the constant current intensity. Fi-
nally, IC3 is an instrumentation amplifer.
To highlight the DRM conditioning unit's stability when it
operates in a field condition, the prototype has been placed
in a sealed aluminum box, to protect the electronics from
dust, wind, rain and from electromagnetic noise. That box
was secured outdoors to expose it to environmental varia-
tions, while the voltage supply, the off-the-shelf instrumen-
tation and the personal computer have been operated in-
doors, inside the lab. The box was intentionally not
thermostated to allow a severe variation oftemperature dur-
Rsgl
Rsg2 l
ing the different seasons to
examine their infiuence on
the DRM conditioning unit's
stability.
of utilizing off-the-shelf in-
strumentation, decided to de-
velop a conditioning unit,
based on a DRM scheme, spe-
cifically designed for strain
gage transducers i.e. opti-
mized for their nominai re-
sistance value [8-9]. The cho-
sen confguration was the
well-known double constant-
current potentiometric cir-
cuit [10]. The results ob-
tained in tests that lasted for
60 hours, and were con-
ducted in a laboratory envi-
ronment can be summarized
as it follows: (a) a satisfac-
Fig. l: Schematic of the DRM conditioning unit
A scheme of the experimen-
tal set up is shown in Fig. 2.
In the upper part of the
figure, i.e. above the line
representing the laboratory
wall, the instrumentation is
operating indoors while in
the bottom part, i.e. under
the wall line, is shown the
core electronics of the DRM
prototype exposed to heavy
duty conditions. The mea-
surements of the tempera-
tory sensitivity value (4.8 mV/j.Lm/m); (b) an unnoticeable
non linearity error in the range of 3000 j.Lm/m (<l j.Lm/
m); and, finally, (c) an unrelevant overall temperature coef-
fcient (0.1 j.Lm/mrC).
Then, i t appears of interest to evaluate the conditioning unit
performance when it operates: (a) in more severe ambient
conditions that resemble field operation and (b) for a long-
term strain measurement. In fact, the aim of the present
research reported here is to measure the instrumentation
drift, i. e. the deviations of the readings when the input con-
ditions can be considered constant, in heavy duty utilization
letting the prototype electronics work for several months.
EXPERIMENTAL SET UP ANO PROCEDURE
The electrical scheme of the DRM conditioning uni t is based
on the well-known double constant current potentiometric
circuit [10, 11], as shown in Fig. l. ICl is a voltage reference
Cof. P. Cappa and Z. Del Prete are Associate Professors; and F. Marinozzi, Assistant
Professor, at University of Rome "La Sapienza," Rome, Italy.
24 EXPERIHENTAL TECHNIQUES March!April2001
ture inside the box, made by
means of a PtlOO resistance variation thermometer were
carried out in a four lead wire confguration. A personal com-
puter programmed with object oriented software controls ali
the measurement stages and does data analysis and storage.
1t drives a low cost switch control uni t and a generai purpose
multimeter over the IEEE-488 bus. To simulate the electri-
cal resistance strain gages precision resistors with a nominai
resistance of 1200, a temperature coefficient of l ppm/C
an d a stability of 25 p p m/ year w ere utilized. They w ere con-
nected to the DRM conditioning unit with a 2 meter
stranded and braided shielded cable.
Moreover, when considering the fact that th switching uni t
was based on mechanical relays, that induce a thermal off-
set <0.3 j.L V and a contact resistance < 20 a t the end of
their life, it appeared necessary to conduct a preliminary test
devoted to the evaluation of the inaccuracy induced by the
switch contro} unit. The obtained results in tests carried out
short circuiting the inputs of the switch contro! uni t showed
the no noticeable output change when the unit is switched
from channel to channel in day to day operation.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
LONG TERM STABILITY OF A
STRAIN GAGE CONDITIONER
Fig. 2: Schematic of the experimental set-up
LABORATORY
OUTDOOR
Due to the foreseen extent of the long term tests, it was
chosen to leave operating only the controller while the re-
maining instruments were activated via an electromechan-
ical relay, driven by the same computer, over the RS-232 se-
riai interface before the scheduled acquisition of raw data.
This was deemed necessary given the length of time the ex-
periments were intended to last, and to reproduce the op-
erating conditions of an instrument which is used over a long
time. The experimental choice together with the unconven-
tional utilization of the electronic circuits that function as
current generators rather than voltage amplifiers, deter-
mined the necessity of carrying out further preliminary tests
to evaluate the DRM warm-up time. The results indicated
that, to obtain a steady state conditions within 0.5 ,_...m/
m, the DRM warm-up time was always less than 10 minutes.
This delay was much less than the warm up time specified
for the off-the-shelf instrumentation. Thus, an overall warm
up time of 45 minutes was implemented in the automatic
procedure before recording data just to allow the commerciai
instrumentation of the system to reach steady state opera-
tional conditions.
Before starting the long term experiments, a last set of pre-
liminary tests were conducted to obtain the best set-up of
the precision resistors due to their temperature effects on
the DRM performances. The tests carried out lasted up to
70 hours each. At first the precision resistors simulating the
strain gages were inserted into the sealed box so as to expose
them to the same temperature variation as the electronics.
A heavy dependence of the DRM output upon the tempera-
ture was observed. The calculated correlation coefficient be-
tween the DRM output and the inbox temperature data set
was equal to -0.996. Later the precision resistors were ex-
tracted from the box, moved indoors, and applied to an alu-
minum block equipped with an electrical fan to hold down
their temperature variation. The resistor temperatures were
measured by means of a resistance temperature detector
bonded to the aluminum block close to the precision resis-
tors. Figure 3 shows the traces for one of the test conducted.
An examination of this figure, shows that a small depend-
ence of the DRM output upon the temperature is stili per-
ceivable. The correlation coefficient between the DRM out-
put and the inbox temperature for this test was equal to
-0.451, whereas the correlation coefficient for the DRM and
the aluminum block at ambient temperature was much
higher: -0.936. Overall mean temperature coefficient this
time was equal to 0.1 ,_...m!mr C, confirming the value re-
ported in a previous paper [9]. At this point it was quite clear
that the temperature fluctuation of the precision resistors
would have an influence on the DRM output, nevertheless it
was decided to start the first long term experiment. Before
going further with some kind of feedback temperature con-
tro! on the precision resistors, we were anxious to see if the
DRM prototype would survive at a six month experiment,
and to obtain a first screening of the metrological perform-
ance. Thus, the first long term experiment lasted six months.
Then, in order to feed to the DRM conditioning unit with a
reference signal as constant as possible, the temperature
variations of the precision resistors were further reduced us-
ing a servo-controlled system based on the measurement of
the resistor-temperature and the utilization of a solid state
heat pump. The thermoelectric heat pump module was
clamped between the aluminum block where the resistors
are inserted and an aluminum heat sink cooled by the elec-
trical fan. To ensure a good thermal contact both the cold
and the hot surface ofthe heat pump were coated with a film
of thermal grease. The external surface of the aluminum
block equipped with the precision resistors was thermally
insulated with polystyrene foam. Prior to using the closed
loop constant temperature system, an evaluation was made
to determine the limi t of stability. By choosing a temperature
of 17.0C, it was found to have a temperature data scatter
less than 0.5C. The second long term experiment lasted
five months.
Four measurements a day were taken at 6:00 am, 12:00 am,
6:00 pm and 12:00 pm. Data from the DRM output, the tem-
perature inside the box, where the DRM is placed, and the
-10 l _ _ ~ ~ ~ ~
10 20 30 40
Timt!IIIOunl
50 60
45
40
35
3 0 ~
~
25 E
~
20 ~
15
10
70
Fig. 3: Output of the DRM conditioning unit, test area
temperature and precision resistor temperature variations as
a function of time
March/Apri/2001 EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES 25
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
LONG TERM STABILITY OF A
STRAIN GAGE CONDITIONER
temperature of the precision resistors were gathered in ac-
cordance with the chosen time table. The two long term tests
were organized so that a set of lO measurements were taken
for each channel at the scheduled time. From the data raw
the mean values 8
0
RM, T box an d T an d the standard de-
viation, only of 8oRM were evaluate"J. The Temperature Co-
(TC) was also calculated from the EoRM drift and the
m-box temperature.
RESUL TS ANO DISCUSSION
The first long term experiment started at the end of May
and lasted 180 days to the end of November. The graphs of
DRM test area and it's electrical output, the
latter converted mto 1-lm/ m, are reported in Figure 4. From
an examination of this figure a clear relationship between
the in-box temperature T box and the DRM output 8oRM
emerges. Although the DRM drift is definitely due to both
interna! instability and temperature effects, its values al-
ways lie between - 13.4 and 15.1 1-lm/ m, whereas test area
range is between 6.5 and 52.9C and precision
res1stor temperature range is 19.8 and 31.4C. Overall drift
?as estimateci drawing a linear regression as depicted
m F1g. 4. The mean EoRM and its standard deviation 8c
0
RM,
calculated for the whole test duration, was almost zero ( =
0.02 1-lm/ m) 5.3 1-lm/ m.
The tendency, calculated as the angular coeffi.cient of the
EoRM linear regression line shown in Fig. 4, was 2 1-lm/ m/
month. This tendency certainly comprises both effects of
DRM instability and temperature drift. The latter contri-
bution could not be compensateci for during the long term
test nor extracted during data processing as expected. In
fact, the hypothesis of the two effects having a clear sepa-
ration in the frequency domain, i.e. temperature infl.uence
impinging almost instantaneously the DRM output, and the
long term instability considered a quasi-static phenomenon,
was not observed for the collected data. One more consid-
eration appears of some interest. Forgetting for a moment
the induced by DRM instability and ascribing the
whole drift to temperature variations, the value calculated
for the Temperature Coefficient TC equals to - 0.44 1-lm/ m/
80
60
20 ....
20 40 60 80 100 120 '\ .. 0 160 160
Time-ldays l
Fig. 4: Long term experiment #l. Output of the DRM
conditioning unit, its linear regression line, in-box area
temperature and precision resistor temperature as a function
oftime.
26 EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES March/Apri/2001
oc, that is sensibly higher than the TC data obtained for all
previous short term experiments [9]. The sign of TC values
depends only upon the small unavoidable difference in the
resistance values RsGl and R
8
a
2
, see Fig. l , that biases the
drift in one direction. The correlation coefficient among
8oRM and T box equal to - 0.776, indicated that there was a
fair dependence upon DRM drift and environment temper-
atures. But correlation between EoRM and precision resistor
temperature Tres was equal to -0.885 and indicated yet a
strong dependence between DRM drift and precision resistor
temperature changes. At this point it is worthwhile to dis-
cuss the contribution due to the precision resistors. Because
of the J?RM intrinsic differential scheme, as regards long
term dnft and temperature, the effects induced by simulta-
neous variations of R
881
and R
8
a
2
on the DRM output are
certainly minimized, and only the differential mode contri-
bution actually affects the output. There is no way to extract
from EoRM. that differential mode in a convenient way. So the
overall EoRM could no t be completely cleansed of the effects
induced by the input.
The second long term experiment was conducted with the
active thermo-stabilization of the precision resistors and
lasted 145 days, i.e. five months. The data collected are de-
picted in Fig. 5. It emerges immediately that on about the
2o
t h d . '
ay, the actlve temperature feedback control faled to
opera This was caused by a malfunction of its power sup-
ply umt. Also at day 41, for six days, the data stored on the
hard disk for EoRM and Tres were corrupted and the data was
removed from the graph traces in Fig. 5.
The overall DRM output drift EoRM stayed between -20.8
and +41.7 f.Lm/ m and test area temperature T box fluctuated
13.6 and ?9.3C whereas resstor temperature Tres>
excluding the prevwusly mentioned malfunction was always
18.1C 1C. The calculated value for EoRM . 8
0
RM was
equal to 8.2 8.6 1-lm/ m. The observed unsymmetry of
DRM output distribution is clearly affected by the initial
bias due to the fact that the DRM prototype, after the bal-
ancing carried out before starting the first test, was never
zeroed again. In fact the final EoRM values obtained in the
80
70
60
50
I 40 :
'2 30
o
20
Q
10
-10
20
20 40 60 100 120 140
60
50
40
30
20

10 i

O E

10
- 20
....
Fig. 5: Long term experiment #2. Output of the DRM
conditioning unit, its linear regression line, in-box area
temperature and precision resistor temperature as a functi on
oftime.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
LONG TERM STABILITY OF A
STRAIN GAGE CONDITIONER
frst test are defnitely comparable with the ones acquired at
the beginning of the second test. The signifcant spreading
could be ascribed to the aging of the electronic components.
Moreover i t has to be pointed out that the delay between the
two experiments was about six months, and that during this
period the DRM prototype was not removed from its location
outside the lab. However, the EnRM tendency calculated as
the angular coefficient of the linear regression line depicted
in Fig. 5 was equal to 0.4 IJ..m/m/month.
The correlation coefficient for the EnRM and T box was equal
to -0.686, whereas for EnRM and Tres the coefficients were
equal to -0.615 and -0.497, when the temperature servo-
controlled was properly operating, while was of -0.940,
when the precision resistors were not temperature stabi-
lized; it is necessary to outline that the last indicated cor-
relation coefficient confrmed the value ( -0.936) obtained in
test carried out without temperature contro!.
The chi-2 test shows a little stochastic component in the
EnRM signa!, i.e. no signifcant random instability was found.
Moreover, the cross-correlation performed on EnRM and both
T box and Tres confrmed the strongly deterministic relation-
ship between apparent strain and temperature. The low cor-
relation factor between EnRM and T box ( -0.686) pointed out
a residua! influence of the temperature on the signa! condi-
tioning circuitry here described. As expected, the autocor-
relation of EnRM shows a periodica! behavior due to the night
and day thermal cycles. The results of these further data
elaboration allows the authors to conclude that the so called
electrical instability of the proposed circuit, with its sym-
metrical confguration, plays an unnoticeable role. This re-
sult is remarkable considering that the circuit is fully DC
operating.
Finally it should be taken into account that to evaluate the
DRM performance, the results obtained here should be com-
pared with those relative to electrical resistance strain gages
using Wheatstone bridge circuitry. In fact, tests conducted
for years at 75C and 150C [12,13] showed much higher
drift values, in the order of thousand of IJ..m/m.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The output of the DRM prototype strain gage conditioning
unit were obtained over a period of 180 and 145 days in a
feld situation. The following generai observations can be
made on the basis of the collected data.
A satisfactory reliability along the eighteen months the
DRM circuitry had been exposed to severe environmen-
tal conditions emerged. Linear regression tendency for
the overall drift for the first experiment, in which the
temperature of the precision resistors placed indoors
was non thermo-stabilized (from 19.8oC to 31.4C) was
equal to 2 IJ..m/ m/ month and, after a six month wait,
the drift for the second test, in which the precision re-
sistor temperature was servo-controlled was equal to
0.4 1-lm/ m/ month.
Despite a better drift tendency, aging effects were
pointed out by a consistent increase in data spreading
for the second experiment. Nevertheless, the standard
deviation associated to EnRM was equal to 8.6 IJ..ml
m. This allows a fair utilization ofthe DRM circuit even
during long term operation in severe ambient condi-
tions.
It was not possible to clearly separate the effects in-
duced by temperature from those of electronic compo-
nent aging by the simple analysis of the overall long
term drift. Anyway, the weaker statistica! correlation
between drift and temperature during the second test
allows to conclude that some kind of DRM intrinsic elec-
tric instability was pointed out. Moreover, it can be con-
cluded that the previously mentioned instability ob-
tained in tests that lasted for eighteen months can be
considered unnoticeable.
References
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Marchi Apri/2001 EXPERIHENTAL TECHNIQUES 27