Work out load cell calibration instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
Full scale output is sensitivity in mV/V times excitation voltage, so a 2 mV/V cell at 10 V gives 20 mV at rated load. Output is linear with load, giving 40 microvolts per kilogram on a 500 kg cell — a signal small enough that excitation stability directly limits accuracy.
Load cell output
full scale mV = sensitivity (mV/V) x excitation (V); output = full scale x load / rating
Output is proportional to it, so any drift appears directly as a weight error. Ratiometric measurement, using the excitation as the ADC reference, cancels this.
Aim for 50-80% of rating at maximum load. Too little uses only part of the signal range; too much risks overload and non-linearity.