Force Cell Click

How does it work?

Force Cell Click is based on the FS102A-0000-3000-G, a miniature compression load cell from TE Connectivity’s FS10 series, designed to provide highly precise force measurement capabilities for embedded applications. The FS102A-0000-3000-G sensor features a sensitivity of 20mV/V and is capable of measuring forces up to 3000 grams, equivalent to 30 Newtons, making it suitable for a wide range of applications that require accurate force sensing. Using TE Connectivity’s high-reliability Microfused technology, this sensor delivers excellent span and zero stability, superior resolution, outstanding cycle life, and high over-range capability, ensuring long-term operational consistency even under demanding conditions.

The FS102A-0000-3000-G’s innovative design incorporates a high-resistance pin-molded plastic housing that connects directly with the strain gauge signal, eliminating the need for internal PCBs and providing enhanced performance stability, particularly during exposure to high-temperature processes. Optimized for integration into embedded systems, Force Cell Click is ideal for use in wearable medical devices, industrial and consumer appliances, as well as robotics applications, where space constraints, accuracy, and durability are critical factors.

This Click board™ is designed in a unique format supporting the newly introduced MIKROE feature called "Click Snap." Unlike the standardized version of Click boards, this feature allows the main sensor area to become movable by breaking the PCB, opening up many new possibilities for implementation. Thanks to the Snap feature, the FS102A-0000-3000-G can operate autonomously by accessing its signals directly on the pins marked 1-8. Additionally, the Snap part includes a specified and fixed screw hole position, enabling users to secure the Snap board in their desired location.

The signal conditioning and amplification for the FS102A-0000-3000-G sensor are handled by the INA333, a high-performance rail-to-rail operational amplifier from Texas Instruments, ensuring precise and stable amplification of the sensor's low-level output signal. After amplification, the conditioned signal is routed to the AD SEL switch, providing the user with the flexibility to choose between analog and digital output modes depending on the specific requirements of their application. When analog output is selected, the amplified signal is made available directly on the AN pin of the mikroBUS™ socket, allowing for straightforward integration with analog signal processing circuits.

For digital signal acquisition, the board incorporates the MCP3221 from Microchip, a 12-bit resolution analog-to-digital converter that enables high-accuracy digital conversion and communicates via the standard 2-wire I2C interface, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of MCUs and digital systems. The output mode selection is easily configured through the onboard surface-mount device (SMD) switch labeled AD SEL, which allows users to toggle between the analog (AN) position and the digital (I2C) position to accommodate diverse application scenarios and design preferences.

This Click board™ can operate with either 3.3V or 5V logic voltage levels selected via the VCC SEL jumper. This way, both 3.3V and 5V capable MCUs can use the communication lines properly. Also, this Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing easy-to-use functions and an example code that can be used as a reference for further development.

Click Snap

Click Snap is an innovative feature of our standardized Click add-on boards, designed to bring greater flexibility and optimize your prototypes. By simply snapping the PCB along predefined lines, you can easily detach the main sensor/IC/module area, reducing the overall size, weight, and power consumption - ideal for the final phase of prototyping. For more details about Click Snap, visit the official page dedicated to this feature.

Specifications

Pinout diagram

This table shows how the pinout on Force Cell Click corresponds to the pinout on the mikroBUS™ socket (the latter shown in the two middle columns).

Notes	Pin					Pin	Notes
Analog Output	AN	1	AN	PWM	16	NC
	NC	2	RST	INT	15	NC
ID COMM	CS	3	CS	RX	14	NC
	NC	4	SCK	TX	13	NC
	NC	5	MISO	SCL	12	SCL	I2C Clock
	NC	6	MOSI	SDA	11	SDA	I2C Data
Power Supply	3.3V	7	3.3V	5V	10	5V	Power Supply
Ground	GND	8	GND	GND	9	GND	Ground

Onboard settings and indicators

Force Cell Click electrical specifications

Software Support

Force Cell Click demo application is developed using the NECTO Studio, ensuring compatibility with mikroSDK's open-source libraries and tools. Designed for plug-and-play implementation and testing, the demo is fully compatible with all development, starter, and mikromedia boards featuring a mikroBUS™ socket.

Example Description

This example demonstrates the use of the Force Cell Click board by reading the applied force in newtons (N) from a load cell sensor. The application initializes the driver, calibrates the offset, and continuously measures and logs the force value to the USB UART terminal.

Key Functions

• forcecell_cfg_setup This function initializes Click configuration structure to initial values.
• forcecell_init This function initializes all necessary pins and peripherals used for this Click board.
• forcecell_calib_offset This function calibrates the zero force offset value.
• forcecell_read_force This function reads the applied force level [N].

Application Init

Initializes the logger and the Click driver, performs offset calibration to null the load cell.

Application Task

Continuously reads and displays the current force value in newtons every 100ms.

Application Output

This Click board can be interfaced and monitored in two ways:

• Application Output - Use the "Application Output" window in Debug mode for real-time data monitoring. Set it up properly by following this tutorial.
• UART Terminal - Monitor data via the UART Terminal using a USB to UART converter. For detailed instructions, check out this tutorial.

Additional Notes and Information

The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.