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WIKA Sensor Technology Single-Point Load Cells

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Product Overview

Single-point load cells put ONE cell under the platform and let the load sit anywhere on it — the geometry corrects for side and corner loading, which is why virtually every bench and platform scale is built on one. The WIKA-ST family ladders by platform size: the F4802 (0.3–10 kg, platforms to 200×200 mm), the F4801 (3–250 kg, to 250×300 mm), and the F4818 (20–500 kg, to 450×450 mm) — all aluminum, IP65, 2 mV/V, at ±0.02% Fnom precision. Use the input form to send a legacy tecsis part number and we cross-reference the current WIKA-ST equivalent.

Related WIKA-ST load cells
F3203 OIML Bending Beam — hermetic IP68/IP69K, legal-for-trade multi-cell element Parallelogram Load Cells — XLA OEM cells, 2.2–500 lb with a built-in overload stop Compact & Subminiature Load Cells — button cells for tight OEM pockets S-Type & Universal Load Cells — general-purpose tension / compression
WIKA-ST F4801 single-point load cell — aluminum beam that mounts alone under a scale platform and reads the load wherever it sits.
WIKA-ST single-point load cells (F4801 shown) — one cell under the platform, 0.3 kg to 500 kg across the F4802 / F4801 / F4818 ladder.

One family, three platform sizes

Same aluminum single-point construction, IP65 sealing, 2 mV/V output, and ±0.02% Fnom accuracy class — the model picks the platform and capacity.

F4802
precision light-capacity — 0.3 to 10 kg
  • platforms to 200 × 200 mm
  • M3 mounting threads, 70-mm body (0.1 kg)
  • medical engineering named on its sheet
F4801
the mid-range workhorse — 3 to 250 kg
  • platforms to 250 × 300 mm
  • M6 (to 50 kg) / M8 (60 kg up) mounting threads
  • high side-load tolerance called out on its sheet
F4818
the high-capacity platform cell — 20 to 500 kg
  • platforms to 450 × 450 mm
  • force limit 120% (vs 150%); output tolerance ±10%
  • heavier Ø5 mm × 1,500 mm cable, 8× M6 mounting
Linearity, reversibility, creep (each ±0.02% Fnom), excitation, bridge resistances, and temperature ranges are common — pick by platform size first.

Key Features & Benefits

  • The load can sit anywhere on the platter — the single-point geometry corrects for off-center and corner loading, so a package dropped at the edge reads the same as one centered — the property that makes bench and platform scales work with one cell. No corner trim, because there are no corners to trim.
  • One cell instead of four — a single element under the platform replaces a multi-cell array and its junction box, which is why this is the workhorse under precision bench scales. Fewer parts, fewer failure points, less installation.
  • A platform ladder from 200 mm to 450 mm square — three models cover 0.3 kg to 500 kg with rated maximum platform sizes to match — pick the cell by the platter, then the capacity. The platform dimension is a spec, not an afterthought.
  • Precision-scale numbers across the family — ±0.02% Fnom linearity, reversibility, and creep on every model, from the 300-gram F4802 to the 500-kg F4818. The accuracy class does not change when the capacity does.

Specifications

Operating principle
A bonded-foil strain-gauge bridge in an aluminum beam machined so the reading holds regardless of where the load sits on the platter — insensitive to side and corner loads. One cell mounts under the platform; no multi-cell array, no corner trimming.
Force mode
Static and dynamic weighing; the load applies vertically to the cell axis, the permitted direction marked with an arrow on the body.
Form factor & mounting
Beam body mounted on an even surface under the platform: F4802 approx. 70×22×15 mm (0.1 kg); F4801 0.3–0.4 kg; F4818 150×40×35 mm (0.6 kg). Mounting threads M3 (F4802), M6 / M8 (F4801), M6×8 (F4818).
Body / element material
Aluminum.
Construction & sealing
Machined single-point beam, ingress protection IP65 (all three models).
Capacity / measuring range
F4802: 0.3–10 kg. F4801: 3–250 kg. F4818: 20–500 kg. Together 0.3 kg to 500 kg on one electrical family.
Output
2.0 mV/V (±1% on F4801/F4802; ±10% on F4818).
Excitation
10 V (15 V max).
Bridge resistance
Input 410 ± 10 Ohms; output 350 ± 5 Ohms; insulation ≥2,000 MOhms.
Non-linearity
±0.02% Fnom (all three models).
Hysteresis
Reversibility ±0.02% Fnom; creep over 30 min ±0.02% Fnom.
Zero balance
Zero-signal deviation ±2% Fnom.
Operating temperature range
−4 to +140°F (−20 to +60°C).
Compensated temperature range
Rated (nominal) +14 to +104°F (−10 to +40°C).
Thermal effects (zero / span)
On zero and on characteristic value each ≤±0.02%/10°C (F4818 ≤±0.025%).
Overload (safe / ultimate)
Force limit (safe) 150% Fnom (F4818 120%); breaking force 200% Fnom.
Electrical connection
Integral cable Ø3 mm × 450 mm (F4801/F4802); Ø5 mm × 1,500 mm (F4818).
Lead time & quotation
Quote-only, no public price list; pick the model by platform size and capacity. Use the input form to send a legacy tecsis part number for a current WIKA-ST cross-reference.

Common Applications

  • Electronic precision scales
  • Industrial weighing systems and bench platforms
  • Medical engineering weighing (F4802)
  • Test devices and check stations (F4818)
  • Packaging, filling, and checkweighing platforms where the load lands off-center
Fit guide: a single-point cell is for ONE cell under a defined platform. For multi-cell hopper and floor-scale arrays — especially washdown or legal-for-trade — see the F3203 bending beam; for an OEM mechanism in ounces, see the parallelogram load cells.

Design & Selection Considerations

  • The platform size is a hard spec, not a suggestion — each model carries a rated maximum platform dimension — 200×200 mm (F4802), 250×300 mm (F4801), 450×450 mm (F4818). Oversize the platter and the corner-load correction runs out at the edges, quietly, as an accuracy error. Match the cell to the platter before you match it to the capacity.
  • Size the capacity to land the working load in the upper-middle of the range — aim for the routine load at roughly 50–90% of capacity: enough resolution and signal-to-noise, with headroom so peaks and transients never exceed the rating. Oversize and resolution suffers; undersize and an overload shifts the calibration. Account for shock and dynamic peaks, not just the static load.
  • Keep the load axial, centered, and free of side load — most cells are rated for axial force only — an off-center or side load reads wrong and can damage the cell. Use the manufacturer’s load buttons / rod ends, keep the structure stiff and aligned, and on multi-cell arrays mount every cell coplanar. Most load-cell errors in the field are installation errors, not sensor errors.
  • Read the accuracy terms the same way on every datasheet you compare — FSO quotes the error against full range, so a %FSO figure is a larger relative error at low load; BFSL reports linearity against a best-fit line. A ±0.03% cell is test-and-measurement grade, ±0.25–1% is industrial / OEM grade. Make sure two cells quote accuracy the same way before you compare them.
  • Pick the output from what receives the signal and how far away it is — a raw mV/V bridge is right into a DAQ or indicator with bridge conditioning on a short, shielded run; an inline amplifier (4–20 mA or voltage) reads straight into a PLC and rides out long, noisy cable runs. Decide it from the receiver, not by default.
  • Overload past safe but short of burst is the dangerous zone — safe overload (commonly 150% of capacity) is the load the cell can see without losing calibration; the ultimate rating is where it is destroyed. A cell overloaded between the two keeps reporting plausible, wrong numbers. Recalibrate after any suspected overload before you trust the data.
  • Match the body material and temperature range to the environment — aluminum bodies are lighter and lower-cost; stainless resists corrosion and washdown; every cell has a compensated temperature band, with extended-temperature compensation available where the process runs hot or cold. Specify the environment up front and the material and compensation get built in.

To spec the right WIKA-ST single-point load cell:

Use the input form to tell us the capacity (and the real worst-case peak), the force mode (tension, compression, or both), the accuracy class you need, how the load is introduced and how much room there is, the output (mV/V or amplified 4–20 mA / voltage) and the receiving device, the environment (temperature, washdown, hazardous area), and any calibration documentation or approval required (ASTM E74, OIML / NTEP). A legacy tecsis part number is enough to start — we cross-reference the current WIKA-ST equivalent.

Force & Pressure Application Sheet ›

Talk to an engineer directly — Scott Prater, Principal · 917-580-0878 · scott@pratertechnical.com

Specifications compiled by Prater Technical Partners from WIKA product datasheets.