Improvement of reproducibility in a calibration of tensile force transducers by using low friction rod-end bearings

Replacement of aged rod-end bearings, a kind of force introduction jigs, has improved reproducibility in a calibration of tensile force transducer with rotating its mounting positions. As oilless rod-end bearings get aged and their sliding bodies accumulate contamination, the bearings increasingly impart eccentric bending moment to the force transducer that is connected to the bearings. Increase of the eccentric moment results in deterioration of the reproducibility especially in calibrations of small rated capacity force transducer. By replacing the aged rod-end bearings, improvement of the reproducibility has been confirmed in calibrations of three tensile force transducers of 50 N, 200 N and 1 kN rated capacities. Improvement by replacement of aged rod-end bearings was effective for force transducers with small rated capacities, because they are more sensitive to the certain eccentric forces and moments than that with large capacities.