Quartz, piezoelectric force sensors are durable measurement devices, which possess exceptional characteristics for the measurement of dynamic force events. Typical measurements include dynamic and quasi-static forces, as encountered during actuation, compression, impact, impulse, reaction and tension. Applications for quartz force sensors include balancing, crash testing, drop testing, fatigue testing, fracture testing, machinery testing, materials testing and tensile testing.

Since the measurement signal generated by a quartz sensor will decay over time, long-term, static force measurements are not practical. Short-term or quasi-static, measurements are possible within certain time limits, depending upon the sensor and signal conditioning used. Due to this limitation, it is not practical to use quartz force sensors in weighing applications where a strain gage-type load cell is best suited.

For dynamic force applications, however, quartz force sensors offer many advantages and several unique characteristics.