Design and Implementation of a Microcontroller-Based Digital Weight Measurement System Using Gefran Load Cell

Abstract

Thispaperpresentsthedesignanddevelopment of a microcontroller-based digital weight measurement system using an industrial-grade strain gauge load cell. The system utilizes the Arduino Uno platform, an AD620 instrumentation amplifier, and a 16x2 LCD for real-time weight display. A regulated 10V excitation supply is provided to the load cell using a7809voltageregulator,andtheoutputsignalisamplifiedto a suitable range for analog-to-digital conversion. The digitized data is then processed through calibrated software logic and displayedinrealtime.Thesystemwastestedforweightsranging from 0 to 200 kg, demonstrating good linearity, repeatability,andoperationalstability.Theobjectiveistoprovidealow- cost, scalable solution for applications in industrial weighing, small businesses, agriculture, and educational labs. The system’s modular design allows for future enhancements, such as wireless datatransmission,IoTintegration,andimproveduserinterfaces. Results confirm the viability of the proposed approach as an efficientalternativetoconventionalcommercialweighingsystems.

Introduction

This paper presents a low-cost, scalable digital weight measurement system using an Arduino Uno microcontroller, an industrial-grade strain gauge load cell (Gefran TR-N2C-C40-1-XC0108), and an AD620 instrumentation amplifier. The system accurately measures weights up to 200 kg by amplifying the millivolt-level load cell signal to match the Arduino’s ADC input range, then processing and displaying the weight on a 16x2 LCD in real time.

The design focuses on affordability and modularity, making it suitable for small industries, rural markets, and educational labs. Key features include signal conditioning, calibration for high accuracy, tare functionality, and user-friendly display. The hardware includes regulated power supply, noise reduction techniques, and mechanical stabilization to improve measurement stability.

Software developed in embedded C reads analog signals, converts them to digital values, applies calibration, and updates the display. Calibration uses multi-point standard weights to ensure linearity and repeatability.

Compared to expensive commercial scales, this open-source system offers customization, with future potential for wireless data transmission and IoT integration. Experimental results demonstrate reliable and stable weight measurements, validating its practical application for real-time monitoring in low-resource environments.

Conclusion

This paper presented the design and implementation of a low-cost, microcontroller-based digital weight measurement system using a strain gauge load cell, AD620 instrumentation amplifier, and Arduino Uno. The system was developed with the goal of offering a reliable, scalable, and modular solution suitable for various industrial, commercial, and educational applications. It demonstrated the feasibility of converting millivolt-level analog signals into real-time digital weight output using readily available hardware components. The results showed that the system performed with accept- able accuracy and stability across a weight range of 0 to 200 kg. Calibration with known weights enabled linear mapping between the amplified analog input and the corresponding digitaloutput.Theinclusionofatarefunction,astablevoltage regulator,andareal-timeLCDinterfacefurtherenhanced the system’s practicality and usability. Continuous testing confirmedthesystem’sthermalandelectricalstability,making it viable for prolonged operation. From a hardware perspective, the AD620 amplifier offered precise signal amplification with minimal noise, while the Arduino Uno provided a flexible platform for data acquisition andembeddedprocessing.Theuseofaregulatedpowersupply ensured consistent excitation voltage for the load cell, whichiscriticalforaccuratemeasurement.Mechanically,thesystem was housed on a stable platform, ensuring reliable readings under dynamic loading conditions. In terms of software, the Arduino program effectively handled ADC conversion, signal scaling, calibration, tare operation, and LCD communication. The system operated in real-time with minimal latency, ensuring quick and accurate feedback to the user. The modular code structure allows for future expansions such as adding wireless communication or integrating additional load cells.

References

[1] E.O.Doebelin,MeasurementSystems:ApplicationandDesign,5thed.,McGraw-Hill, 2003. [2] VishayPrecisionGroup,“StrainGaugeLoadCells:TechnicalOverview,” Application Note, 2019. [3] HBM,“LoadCellSelectionandTechnicalGuide,”TechDoc,2020. [4] Gefran,TR-N2C-C40-1-XC0108LoadCellDatasheet,GefranIndiaPvt.Ltd., 2023. [5] A. Kumar and S. Jain, “Design of Low Cost Weighing System UsingArduino and HX711,” International Journal of Engineering Research,vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 21–25, Feb. 2021. [6] R. Singh et al., “IoT-Enabled Smart Weighing System for IndustrialApplications,” IEEE Internet of Things Journal, vol. 8, no. 9, pp.7111–7118, May 2021. [7] TexasInstruments,“UnderstandingInstrumentationAmplifiers,”Appli-cation Report, 2017. [8] Arduino, “Official Arduino Uno Documentation,” [Online]. Available:https://www.arduino.cc [9] AnalogDevices,“AD620InstrumentationAmplifierDatasheet,”Rev.J,2019. [10] AtmelCorporation,“ATmega328PMicrocontrollerDatasheet,” 2018.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Nagesh Sanjay Shinde, Pralhad Honmane, Abhishek Kajgunde, Aniket Morwale, Prof. P S Linge. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.