Drag measurement system for swimmers gets help from load cells

As part of its latest research into demonstrating the effect of drag on different suits for world-class swimmers, Huub is launching its new M16 Drag Measurement System, using PW15iA load cells from HBM.

The new M16 Drag Measurement System will be used to develop high-performance triathlon and FINA-approved swimwear, and is the latest advanced underwater application that can be used to measure the swimmer’s propelling force on a push-off pad.

As swimming performance is measured to the nearest 0.01 second, with swimmers in the top 15 separated by only 0.10 seconds, athletes continue to look at factors or legal aids that could improve performance in water, such as individually tested swimsuits that reduce drag.

Building on the success of its existing predecessor Measure Active Drag (MAD) system, the latest system provides the swimmer with a series of fixed push-off points that are attached to an adjustable rod and mounted 0.8m below the water’s surface, so that front-crawl action can be made whereby the swimmer uses the system as a ladder pushing off from each instrumented push-off pad. Mounted behind each individual push-off plate in the system is a PW15iA waterproof load cell from HBM that enables direct measurement of push-off forces for each stroke.

When it comes to cell technology, it is a well-known fact that too much mass between applied force and point of measurement can have a mass-spring system with low ‘Eigen’ frequency, but if you apply the load sensor at the point where forces are applied, the captured signal is of much better quality. With this in mind, Huub needed a single point load cell that only registered the applied force irrespective of the point of application.

“As a company with an investment in testing, it was important that we choose the best equipment available for the drag measurement system and this is why we turned to HBM,” said Dean Jackson, Huub founder and CEO.

“In addition to delivering an exceptional product that met the demands of the task, HBM has also delivered the back-up and support to match, working with us every step of the way to ensure we have the world’s greatest piece of swim testing equipment.”