LCM Systems Ltd (UK) - Keeping the Entertainment Industry Entertaining.

No event, however large or small, is exempt from stringent health and safety regulations. From local AmDram to the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games, venues and staging companies are called on to strictly monitor loads that are placed on riggings, scenery, lighting, flying systems and large LCD screens. With the safety of behind the scenes personnel, performers and those attending events being paramount, the use of high-quality load cells is essential. Accuracy, reliability and total confidence in measured data is critical, and well as being fundamental in ensuring compliance with health and safety standards and regulations.

With this in mind, load cell manufacturers, LCM Systems, offers a range of load measurement products that are ideal for the wide variety of loading criteria and challenges that are unique to the entertainment industry.

Designed to provide continuous and precise monitoring of load and tension, LCM Systems have supplied load cells for a wide variety of applications in the events and entertainment industry and have been used in the London Olympics, at the National Theatre and the O2 Arena and on the London Eye, to name but a few.

LCM’s load shackle range is available in capacities from 1 tonne to 400 tonne, and use the renowned Crosby shackles. All shackle pins are forged from high tensile carbon steel and proof loaded to 150% of the normal rated load. The standard product is sealed to IP66 to protect against harsh weather conditions, and all load cells in the series are easy to install and can be supplied with a range of instrumentation for a complete load monitoring system.

For rigging engineers who require a telemetry option, the TELSHACK range uses integral wireless electronics operating on the 2.4GHz license-free frequency. One of the main features of the TELSHACK ranges is that the housing is supplied with a built-in rechargeable battery. This means that they can be removed from the shackle for charging, while the shackle itself remains in place. A handheld battery powered display is supplied as standard with the option of a single display that can monitor up to 12 shackles when the load cells are used in a multi-shackle configuration, either individually or for summation/balancing applications.

As well as the standard range of shackle load cells, the engineering team at LCM Systems has a wealth of expertise designing customised load shackles for specific and complex applications.

One example is a 2 tonne load shackle that was designed specifically for an events and production lighting company, based in New Zealand. The requirement was to measure the load applied to a hoist. The load cell had to have a 5:1 safety factor and needed a digital RS485 output, so it could be interfaced with the company’s own control system. Other specifications were that a Crosby shackle must be used, an integral connector was required to make installation simple and the design had to allow for future large quantities, so volume pricing had to be keen. The resulting load shackle incorporated all their requirements and the final product included design features that suited larger volume manufacture. This enabled the customer to realise savings of better than 50%, with production volumes exceeding 200 pieces. The end product was delivered on time, within budget and supplied fully calibrated, with a UKAS traceable calibration certificate.