ABB PFTL101B – Precision 10 kN Tension Load Cell for Industrial Force Monitoring

Used in ABB’s 800xA and System 800 systems, the PFTL101B is a compact, high-stability tension load cell designed for continuous force measurement in demanding process environments — think wire-drawing lines, cable tension control, or coiler/uncoiler feedback loops. It’s not just another sensor; it’s the kind of component engineers quietly rely on when repeatability matters more than specs on a datasheet.

Key Features

• 10 kN nominal capacity — calibrated for tension-only applications (not compression); typical long-term drift is under ±0.05% FS/year in controlled environments.
• Integrated signal conditioning — outputs a robust 4–20 mA analog signal directly, eliminating the need for external amplifiers in many cases.
• Stainless steel housing & IP67 rating — holds up well in humid, dusty, or mildly corrosive settings (e.g., metal processing plants with coolant mist).
• Low-profile, through-bolt mounting — installs between flanges or structural members using standard M12 bolts; minimal space required behind the sensing axis.
• Temperature-compensated output — built-in compensation reduces thermal zero shift to around ±0.01% FS/°C — helpful when ambient temps swing between 10°C and 50°C.

Technical Specifications

Application Fields

This load cell shows up where force consistency impacts yield: in copper wire-drawing lines, where even 2% tension variation causes breakage or diameter inconsistency; in paper machine reel stands, where unwinding tension must stay within ±0.3 kN across shifts; or in robotic end-effector force feedback for assembly tasks requiring gentle part placement. One customer in Sweden retrofitted six PFTL101Bs into their stainless-steel tube straightening line — they reported fewer scrap batches and easier tuning of their ABB AC800M-based PLC logic.

Advantages & Value

From a procurement standpoint, the PFTL101B isn’t the cheapest load cell on the shelf — but it rarely ends up being the most expensive one over time. Its plug-and-play 4–20 mA interface cuts engineering time during commissioning, especially when integrating with ABB DCS or third-party PLCs using standard current-input modules. Compatibility with ABB’s Device Type Managers means diagnostics (like overload alerts or temperature warnings) appear natively in 800xA — no custom OPC UA mapping needed. And because ABB maintains long-term spares support for this series (it’s been in production since ~2015), you’re less likely to hit obsolescence surprises mid-project.

You might notice that while some alternatives offer digital interfaces out of the box, those often require firmware updates, network segmentation, or additional gateways — adding layers of complexity that don’t always pay off in low-channel-count applications. In many cases, simplicity wins.

Installation & Maintenance

Mount it in a rigid, vibration-dampened location — avoid cantilevered brackets or thin mounting plates. Cabinet clearance should allow at least 50 mm of free air space around the unit if installed inside an enclosure. Use shielded twisted-pair cable (e.g., Belden 8761), grounded at the controller end only — grounding both ends invites ground loops. Torque M12 mounting bolts to 25–30 Nm; overtightening distorts the load path and skews calibration.

Routine maintenance is light: visually inspect the cable entry seal every 6 months, wipe the housing with a damp cloth if exposed to oil mist, and verify zero output (with no load applied) annually — real-world drift tends to be negligible, but a quick check catches mounting loosening early. Firmware updates aren’t applicable here (it’s analog-only), but if your site uses HART configuration, keep the DTM version aligned with your engineering station.

Quality & Certifications

The PFTL101B carries CE marking (EMC Directive 2014/30/EU and Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU), UL 61010-1 (for industrial control equipment), and RoHS 2011/65/EU compliance. It’s manufactured under ISO 9001-certified processes at ABB’s facility in Sweden. ABB offers a standard 365-day warranty from date of shipment — covering material defects and workmanship, but not damage from improper installation or environmental exposure beyond spec.