HLC-C Series
Compression Load Cell
Compression load cell, 10–50 tonne capacity, OIML R60-compliant, stainless steel construction.
- Capacity range
- 10–50 T
- Category
- Load Cells
- Technical details
- Available below
Manufacturing
Built, installed & supported by HMT
Compliance support
Calibration & Legal Metrology guidance
System ready
Automation, ticketing & ERP integration
01Overview
The standard load cell type for weighbridges and platform scales, mounted under the deck and loaded in pure compression. Stainless steel body, hermetically sealed for outdoor/washdown environments.
02How it works
Strain gauges convert compression into an electrical signal
Inside a compression load cell, a precisely machined metal body deforms very slightly — fractions of a millimetre — under axial compressive load. Strain gauges bonded to that body change electrical resistance as it deforms, and those gauges are wired into a Wheatstone bridge circuit, which converts that tiny resistance change into a proportional voltage signal. That signal is what the indicator reads and, after calibration, converts into a weight value — the entire measurement chain starts with a physical deformation too small to see with the naked eye.
Why OIML R60 compliance is the meaningful benchmark
OIML R60 defines the accuracy classes and performance requirements — including linearity, temperature stability, and creep behavior under sustained load — that a load cell has to meet to be considered suitable for legal-for-trade weighing applications. A load cell meeting R60 isn't just accurate when it's brand new on a test bench; it holds that accuracy across a temperature range and after being loaded near capacity for extended periods, which is what actually matters for a weighbridge or platform scale in continuous industrial use.
Hermetic sealing protects the one thing that actually fails
The single most common failure mode for a load cell in outdoor or washdown service isn't the strain gauge itself wearing out — it's moisture reaching the strain gauge and bonding adhesive, causing drift or complete signal failure. IP68/69K hermetic sealing is specifically engineered to prevent that moisture ingress, which is why a properly sealed load cell can run reliably outdoors for years where an unsealed one would fail within a much shorter service life.
03Manufacturing & build quality
The load cell body is precision-machined from stainless steel to a geometry engineered for the target capacity, with the strain-gauge mounting surface finished to a tolerance fine enough for the gauges to bond reliably and read consistent strain. Strain gauges are bonded under controlled, clean conditions — contamination or an imperfect bond at this stage directly translates into measurement error or long-term drift — and wired into the Wheatstone bridge circuit. The assembly is then hermetically sealed, typically by welding a stainless diaphragm or cap over the sensing element, to achieve IP68/IP69K protection against moisture ingress. Each load cell is temperature-compensated and calibrated against certified reference weights across its rated capacity range, verified against OIML R60 requirements, before being marked with its capacity and class and released.
04Problems it solves
Moisture-driven drift and failure in outdoor scales
An inadequately sealed load cell exposed to rain, humidity, or washdown spray will drift out of calibration or fail outright as moisture reaches the strain gauge — hermetic sealing is the direct countermeasure.
Trade certification failure from non-compliant load cells
A weighbridge or trade scale built with load cells that don't meet OIML R60 can fail legal-for-trade certification regardless of how well the rest of the structure is built — the load cell's own compliance is foundational, not incidental.
Premature fatigue failure from capacity mismatch
A load cell routinely operated near or beyond its rated capacity fatigues and fails faster than one specified with appropriate headroom — correct capacity selection at the design stage prevents this.
Seasonal accuracy drift from temperature swings
Without temperature compensation, a load cell's reading can shift measurably between a hot summer and a cold winter — compensation built into the cell's design and calibration is what keeps accuracy stable across those swings.
05Why it matters
The load cell is the single component that actually determines whether a scale's number can be trusted — everything else in the system (the indicator, the junction box, the deck structure) exists to correctly transmit and display what the load cell measures, but none of it can fix a load cell that's drifted, corroded, or fatigued. For any scale that needs to hold calibration through years of outdoor service and remain legally defensible as a trade instrument, the quality of this one component — its sealing, its compliance to OIML R60, and whether it was specified with appropriate capacity headroom — is where that reliability is actually won or lost.
06Salient features
- OIML R60 accuracy class compliant
- IP68/IP69K sealed, stainless steel construction
- Standard weighbridge and platform-scale mounting
07Specifications
| Model | Capacity (T) | Least Count | Platform Size (m) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HLC-C-10 | 10 | — | — | — |
| HLC-C-20 | 20 | — | — | — |
| HLC-C-30 | 30 | — | — | — |
| HLC-C-40 | 40 | — | — | — |
| HLC-C-50 | 50 | — | — | — |
08Technical file
Need the full technical sheet?
Request drawings, model-specific details and project documentation from the HMT team. A downloadable product file will appear here once approved.
09Complete system
Plan beyond the deck.
A vehicle weighing point can combine the weighbridge with indicator, load cells, traffic management and H-Weigh software for an accountable end-to-end workflow.
08In the field
09Frequently asked
How do I choose between compression and shear beam load cells?
Compression cells suit platform and floor scales and weighbridges with a solid deck bearing straight down onto discrete mounting points; shear beam cells are the standard choice for modular weighbridge decks where cells sit at module joints under distributed traffic loading — the deck design usually dictates the answer.
What capacity should we choose relative to our actual load?
Specify with margin above your actual maximum expected load — routinely operating a load cell near its rated maximum shortens its service life through fatigue, so headroom is cheap insurance against premature failure.
What service life can we expect?
A properly specified, hermetically sealed load cell operated within its rated capacity typically gives many years of reliable service — the dominant factors affecting actual lifespan are capacity headroom, sealing integrity, and exposure to conditions (moisture, overload events) beyond its rating.
Are load cells interchangeable/replaceable across our system?
Generally yes within the same capacity and electrical specification, but replacement cells should be matched and, ideally, re-trimmed through the junction box to maintain balanced readings across a multi-cell system.
What sealing rating do we need for outdoor use?
IP68 covers continuous submersion; IP69K specifically covers high-pressure, high-temperature washdown — for a genuinely outdoor, weather-exposed installation like a weighbridge, confirm the load cell carries both ratings, not just one.
10Industries this serves
Ready to spec a compression load cell?
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