V ARIENSE SENSE YOUR WORLD 3-Axis Force Sensor FSE103 User Guide Version 2.1 July 2017 © 2016 VARIENSE INC.
Contents 1 Product Overview 2 2 Safety 3 3 Setup 3.1 Mounting the sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.2 Wiring the sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4 5 4 Software 4.1 FSE Reader . . . . 4.1.1 Interface . . 4.1.2 Commands 4.1.3 Recording . 4.2 User integration . . 4.2.1 Connection 4.2.2 Commands 4.2.3 Data format . . . . . . . . 6 6 6 7 8 9 9 9 10 5 Specifications 5.
FSE103 1 User Guide Product Overview The Variense FSE103 is a unique 3-axis force sensor, which means it can measure up to three components of force. It is a round sensor with a diameter of 39 mm and a sensing range of 100 N. All multi-axis force sensors work by exhibiting a variation of signal when forces are exerted on their surfaces; but the new digital FSE103 is based on capacitive technology that provides enhanced sensitivity without compromising signal integrity.
FSE103 2 User Guide Safety Please read the following information before using the FSE103. • Always respect the environmental conditions presented in the table below. The FSE103 has not been tested for use in extreme environments. • Always handle the FSE103 with care. It is made of metal and plastic and has sensitive electronic components inside, and can be damaged if dropped, burned, punctured or crushed. • Do not force a connector into a port.
FSE103 3 User Guide Setup 3.1 Mounting the sensor The FSE103 must be mounted using the threaded holes located on the bottom side of the sensor. 3 x M3x0.5 2,50 MOUNTING SURFACE THREADED HOLES USB CONNECTOR 27 Figure 3.1: Bottom view of the Variense FSE103 (measurements in mm) Tips: • Mount the sensor as closely as possible to the area that will undergo the force you will be measuring. • Make sure the base of the sensor is solidly fixed. © 2016 Variense, Inc. All rights reserved.
FSE103 User Guide Attach the FSE103 to the force measurement point using the identified threaded hole situated on the top side of the sensor. XY M5x0.8 6 THREADED HOLE X Y Figure 3.2: Top view of the Variense FSE103 (measurements in mm). 3.2 Wiring the sensor Use the included cable, or any Type A to Micro-B USB cable, to connect your FSE103 to your computer. X Sensor Y Micro USB Type B Female Z Micro USB Type B Connector Figure 3.3: Wiring diagram of the Variense FSE103. © 2016 Variense, Inc.
FSE103 User Guide 4 Software 4.1 FSE Reader You can download our free software (FSE-3 Reader) from our website. 4.1.1 Interface 1 2 3 4 5 6 1- Menu bar 2- Tool bar 3- Connection status 4- Current forces display 5- Graph and recording display 6- Status bar © 2016 Variense, Inc. All rights reserved.
FSE103 User Guide 4.1.2 Commands Export as... Export recorded data as one of the available formats (.txt or .csv). Exit Close the application (warning: any unsaved recordings will be lost). Start Recording Begin recording incoming data. Stop Recording Stop recording. Recorded data can now be exported. Clear Recording Delete all recorded data. Any unsaved recordings will be lost. Initialize Sensor Initialize the sensor’s baseline 1 .
FSE103 User Guide Help... Open the User Guide. About FSE103... Display information about the connected sensor. 4.1.3 Recording The "Graph" tab displays the past few seconds of force data, even when it is not recording. While recording, the background changes color and the elapsed time is displayed in the status bar. The "Data" tab displays only the recorded data. The "Comments" column allows the user to enter notes after recording.
FSE103 User Guide 4.2 User integration If you are not using our user interface, please note that the FSE103 will continuously stream data through the USB cable as soon as the cable is plugged in. However, no data is saved within the sensor itself. 4.2.1 Connection The FSE103 is seen as a serial device (COM port) when plugged into a computer. Since the sensor uses a USB CDC to emulate serial communication through USB protocol, no settings need to be specified when opening the serial port. 4.2.
FSE103 User Guide 4.2.3 Data format The sensor uses the following format when sending calculated forces: Name Format Length Value Start of message Char 1 byte 0x0D Size of message Char 1 byte 0x14 Type of message Char 1 byte 0x66 (LSB) Timestamps 1 Uint32 4 bytes ... (MSB) (LSB) Force X Float 4 bytes ... (MSB) (LSB) Force Y Float 4 bytes ... (MSB) (LSB) Force Z Float 4 bytes ...
FSE103 5 User Guide Specifications 5.1 Mechanical dimensions 39 XY VARIENSE Z Z X Y 10 Loading Area 1 21,12 Units: mm Figure 5.1: Dimensions of the Variense FSE103. 5.2 Technical specifications Feature Condition Value Unit Outer 39 mm 21 mm Note Mechanical specifications Diameter Thickness Weight Overload capacity 40 g Fz 200 % Fx, Fy, Fz 100, 80, 80 N < 0.
FSE103 6 User Guide Warranty Variense warrants the FSE103 against defects in material and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of receipt when used as instructed. During the warranty period, Variense will repair or replace any defective product free of charge. If the equipment is sent to us during the warranty period and found to meet all published specifications, Variense will charge standard verification fees.
FSE103 7 User Guide Contact Web www.variense.com Email support@variense.com Phone +1 (844) 827-4367 © 2016 Variense, Inc. All rights reserved.
