Can I generate an overload signal to stop load increasing before the loadcell is damaged on an AFG or AFTI?

Answer: 

Our AFG/AFTI range of instruments can send a flag to an external device at a given alarm point. Your operating manual provides instruction on configuring alarms.

Consider the rate of increase of load - if you drive a loadcell into a solid object the rate of increase of load will be nearly infinite and no circuit will be able to respond fast enough to protect your loadcell.

We recommend that if your 'true' overload point is, for example, 500 N then you should start experimenting with loads much lower than this such as 100 N depending on the rate of increase of load. Then progressively increase this value until the peak observed is slightly less than the loadcell capacity.