Examination and development of specialized force sensor

The paper is dedicated to examination on a specialized tensometric force sensor created and implemented by the authors to improve both the sensor electronic system and metal structure and the technology of sensor manufacturing. The sensors developed are used as a basis to implement a number of facilities for control on wheel load of railway vehicles in a static position. That has led to improvement of the main engineering and economic indicators. The positive results have made possible to further examine and develop this sensor aimed at measuring the wheel load of railway vehicles in motion. The innovations aspects in the paper are: the scheme providing speed-up and accuracy of measurement; optimization of the sensor structure by mathematical modelling and numerical examination on its behaviour by varying geometric parameters and under different modes of load. The results obtained from the advanced sensor have confirmed the possibility to measure the loads of railway vehicles in motion at an operating speed.