What Is Temperature Compensation?

Temperature compensation refers to specific techniques and methods used to eliminate or correct measurement errors caused by changes in ambient temperature. Ideally, it eliminates all temperature-induced disturbances on sensor readings, ensuring measurement stability and accuracy.
In sensors such as ultrasonic sensors, temperature variations can significantly affect the speed of sound, leading to distance measurement errors. Likewise, in weighing load cells, temperature changes can cause material expansion, strain gauge drift, and signal fluctuations, making temperature compensation crucial for reliable performance

（Temperature and Humidity Cycling Test Chamber for Temperature Compensation）

 

 

Why Is Temperature Compensation So Important for Load Cells?

The performance and accuracy of a load cell are influenced not only by its design and manufacturing quality but also by environmental factors—temperature being the most critical. Temperature changes may cause:

• Zero Drift: The sensor output shifts even when no load is applied.
• Sensitivity Drift: The output response to the same load varies due to temperature fluctuations.

These drifts can accumulate over time and result in significant measurement errors, undermining long-term system reliability.
Different materials exhibit varying sensitivity to temperature. For example, aluminum has excellent thermal conductivity and is often used in high-temperature environments, but its modulus of elasticity is more sensitive to temperature changes. We use specially engineered strain gauges to reduce signal fluctuation caused by temperature variations. One common compensation method is adding thermistors to adjust the excitation voltage in the circuit. Though this may slightly lower the signal amplitude and slow thermal response, it significantly enhances measurement stability.
Moreover, temperature compensation helps flatten the zero drift curve, improving long-term zero-point stability and accuracy. In extreme conditions such as outdoor weighing, food processing, or marine applications, reliable compensation ensures load cells maintain performance regardless of environmental fluctuations.

How Does Temperature Affect Load Cell Measurements?

Load cells are core components of industrial scales and automation systems. Their output is highly dependent on mechanical structure and electronic signal integrity. Temperature changes affect performance in two key ways:

1. Zero Drift: Expansion or contraction of the elastic element alters internal stress distribution, causing shifts in the sensor’s zero output.
2. Sensitivity Drift: Temperature changes affect strain gauge resistance, altering response under a fixed load.

In our high-precision load cells, a 10°C rise in ambient temperature—without compensation—could result in output drift up to ±0.05% of full scale. This is unacceptable in high-accuracy or legal-for-trade applications. Effective compensation techniques must be employed to guarantee stable performance across a wide temperature range.

How Does Temperature Compensation Improve Accuracy?

Temperature compensation ensures that load cells maintain accurate, consistent outputs within their operating temperature range. For example, a non-compensated load cell might read 102 kg at 60°C instead of the correct 100 kg, while a compensated sensor maintains the correct output across the full range.
Compensation methods include:

• Hardware Compensation: Uses additional temperature sensors and circuitry to correct the output in real time.
• Software Compensation: Applies a temperature correction model through onboard or external processors.

Hardware compensation provides fast response but adds cost. Software compensation is flexible and cost-effective but relies on precise calibration data.

Active vs. Passive Temperature Compensation

•  Passive Compensation: Applied during manufacturing using fixed resistors or mechanical structures to counter first-order (linear) temperature errors. It’s effective for moderate environments but cannot handle complex thermal behavior.
• Active Compensation: Incorporates built-in temperature sensors that continuously measure ambient conditions. A microprocessor calculates and adjusts compensation factors in real time. This method addresses higher-order and nonlinear errors, greatly improving accuracy and stability in dynamic environments.

Modern high-end weighing systems, such as multi-axis platforms or unattended weighbridges, increasingly rely on active compensation to meet demanding performance standards.

How to Choose the Right Temperature Compensation Method?

When selecting a compensation strategy, consider the following:

•  Accuracy Requirements: Applications demanding high precision benefit most from active or hybrid methods.
• Temperature Range: Wider operating temperatures require more robust compensation techniques.
•  Cost Considerations: Hardware-based compensation is more expensive, while software solutions offer lower costs but require more calibration.
• Space Constraints: Compact or embedded systems may limit the space available for additional compensation hardware.
• Product Lifecycle: Software-based solutions are easier to update and maintain in the long term.

How Temperature Compensation Is Implemented in Our Load Cells

Our load cells employ multiple temperature compensation techniques:

• Zero Point Temperature Compensation
  This function flattens the zero drift curve, significantly reducing zero offset caused by temperature changes. A stable zero point is fundamental to achieving precise weighing.
• Proprietary Strain Gauge Design
  We use custom-developed low-temperature-coefficient strain gauges that minimize signal error caused by extreme heat or cold, improving reliability under harsh conditions.
• Thermistor Compensation in Wheatstone Bridge Circuit
  Thermistors are added to the strain gauge bridge to auto-adjust the excitation voltage. Though this may slightly reduce signal strength (~10%) and increase thermal time constant, our optimized design minimizes these side effects while greatly improving temperature resistance.

How Material and Thermal Properties Affect Compensation 

The material selection in load cells is critical for effective temperature compensation and overall stability.

• Elastic Modulus Temperature Coefficient
  Common elastic materials include alloy steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. Aluminum has high thermal conductivity but is more sensitive to modulus changes; stainless steel is more temperature-stable, suitable for high-precision or high-temperature fluctuation scenarios.
• Strain Gauge Material Properties
  Strain gauges are highly temperature-sensitive. We use proprietary low-temperature-coefficient alloys to reduce signal drift caused by ambient changes.
• Material Matching and Structural Design
  Matching materials with similar thermal expansion coefficients helps minimize internal mechanical stress and nonlinear errors. This design strategy significantly improves long-term thermal stability.

Conclusion

Temperature compensation is an essential component of load cell design and application. It corrects measurement errors caused by environmental temperature changes and ensures stable, reliable sensor output. As industrial systems face increasingly complex and demanding environments, advanced temperature compensation technologies become vital for maintaining competitive performance and exceptional accuracy.
By choosing load cells with comprehensive temperature compensation capabilities and implementing the right compensation strategy, you can ensure your weighing system performs optimally under all conditions.