The load range for load cell should obviously be more than the maximum load that the cell will encounter during normal use. Built into all Honeywell load cells is a 50% overload capability. This means that if a cell is rated to 100 lbs, it can endure 150 lbs before permanent damage is done to the cell. However, the load cell will not hold specification between 100 lbs and 150 lbs.

Above the overload range is a loading region where the cell becomes progressively damaged. The further into this region, the more damage is done until the cell eventually breaks.

Cells that have been loaded beyond 150% are not always damaged enough that they cannot be used, however, they will permanently have an electrical offset due to the "set" that the load cell has now taken. This offset can be easily zeroed out by the load cell electronics.  However, because of this permanent damage, the cell will have a lower future overload capability dependent on how much progressive damage was sustained.

It is also important to take into consideration the dynamic loading on a load cell when specifying the loading range of a load cell. Dynamic loading can be catastrophic to a load cell.

In this demonstration, a 3/8 inch ball bearing weighing 2 ozs is dropped from 1 ft onto a 100 lb load cell. The load cell experiences 140 lbs of load. If the ball bearing were to have been dropped from any higher, the cell would have suffered irreparable damage.