Weight and Center of Gravity (cog, cg, cm) Measurement Tools

Weight and Center of Gravity (cog, cg, cm) Measurement Equipment

Boeing CST-100 Starliner Weight and CG of Large Objects and Spacecraft

The center of gravity (CG) location averages all the weight of an object and identifies a balance point. It's a crucial mass property in the fields of aerospace, defense, automotive and related industries for the performance and safety of products. Center of gravity measurement tools are useful in a variety of applications. For example, they help pinpoint the flight characteristics of an object and align thrusters for straight travel. While center of gravity measurement can be complex and demanding, we manufacture state-of-the-art devices to simplify the process and deliver exceptional accuracy. We offer many types of instruments to measure / test center of gravity (also referred to as center of mass). We offer 26 standard models. Several of these include weight measurement as well.

Our CG Measurement Instrument Models Include:

WCG High-Accuracy Series

Our WCG line tests items up to 2,850 lbs, with ultra-high sensitivity models available. These instruments use a load cell system to measure the location of center of gravity using a weighted average. To measure an object, simply lower it onto the triangular table and position it relative to machine zero. The third CG coordinate can be measured after rolling an object 90 degrees. CG accuracy depends on test object weight, center of gravity height, fixture accuracy and leveling. Less than one minute is required to make a measurement, so these instruments are ideally suited to high volume production. This type of instrument is often used to measure "black boxes" used in aircraft and missiles. The five standard C series models are a lower-cost alternative and suitable for general purpose applications. We recommend them for laboratories that don't require the highest precision.

SE90168 Production Series

Models offer rapid measurements of items under 300 lbs. Weight and CG can be measured simultaneously using one of our SE90168 Series instruments. The SE90168 Series of weight and CG instruments is designed for the rapid measurement of weight and CG with the level of accuracy associated with a high-volume production environment. Four standard models deliver medium accuracy and convenience. SE90168 instruments can take a dual-axis measurement once an object is positioned onto the square or triangular plate. Similar to the WCG Series, SE90168 instruments can measure a third CG coordinate. Automated operation software makes CG measurement a seamless process.

SE8913 Small Payload Series

SE8913 devices use a dual-axis center of gravity instrument for high accuracy measurement of the CG location of objects weighing up to 33 pounds. This is achieved by measuring the unbalance moment due to the test item’s CG displacement from the center of the rotary table. The manual version requires the operator to calculate the CG location from the moment readout. The automatic variety converts raw data into two-axis CG reading on a Windows computer interface. A third CG axis is obtainable through refixturing. Note that the instrument does not measure moment of inertia or weight.

SE199 & SE300 Microbalances

These compact instruments are ideal for very small items (e.g., bullets) and record CG to +/-0.002'. Utilize these devices to measure the weight and precisely locate the CG of very small test objects. They are particularly well suited to locating the axial position of the center of gravity of bullets and other small projectiles. The pair of microbalance models is simple to set up and operate for gathering weight and CG data from many payload tests in succession. With the help of our active moment transducers, moment sensitivity up to 0.01 g-mm is obtainable — a degree that far outperforms other instruments of this type.

Weight and CG of Large Objects and Spacecraft

Bulky and intricately shaped objects must be measured for weight and CG with the same intended accuracy as smaller objects. We overcome the challenges of CG measurement with payloads that exceed 10,000 pounds by engineering instruments and hardware into unique testing fixtures. Our staff can integrate a solution that delivers the same exacting standards for accuracy and stability you expect from our other mass properties tools. Also, see our Full Mass Properties page for instruments that test both MOI and COG.

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