Diagnostic method for a weighing cell

A method for verifying a functionality of a force-measuring device which works according to the principle of electromagnetic force compensation, the force measuring device comprising a stationary parallel leg, a movable parallel leg which receives the load of a weighing object, two parallel guides that connect the stationary and movable parallel legs, a measurement transducer that is coupled to the movable parallel leg through a force-transmitting connection and that comprises a coil that is arranged with guided mobility in a magnet system and that can carry an electric current, a position sensor, arranged to detect a deflection of the coil from a balanced position relative to the magnet system, the deflection occurring as a result of placing a load on the movable parallel leg, such that an electric current flows through the coil by way of the electromagnetic force acting between the coil and the magnet system to return to, or to maintain in, the balanced position the coil and the movable parallel leg, which is connected to either the coil or the magnet system, and a regulating unit for regulating the amperage of the electric current in response to the position sensor signal such that the coil returns to the balanced position, the method comprising the steps of:

• establishing, by means of a processor unit, at least one system-characterizing resource of the force-measuring device, and
• comparing at least one unchangeable system reference resource, which is stored in a persistent memory file of the processor unit to the system-characterizing resource, the comparison resulting in a determination of the functionality of the force-measuring device;
• and
• using a magnitude of the amperage and a magnitude of the deflection of the coil from the balanced position to verify the determined functionality,
• wherein each of the at least one system-characterizing resource and the at least one system reference resource establishes a relationship between the amperage of the electric current and the magnitude of the coil deflection.