The new measuring pin from Kistler, with its small diameter of 8mm and weight of only 34g, is ideal for protecting a wide range of structures from overload damage. Fitting into an 8mm hole in the structure, the new piezoelectric strain sensor can be easily installed in any position to monitor the forces in a structure to warn of impending failure due to overload conditions. The small size and weight allows retro-fitting to existing installations without introducing measurement error.