Force Measurement Accessories 101
When purchasing a new piece of force measurement technology, it is equally important to consider how you will accessorize it to optimize its utility. Just like whether you’re wrapping your brand-new smartphone in a protective case to protect your asset or outfitting your new vehicle with top of the line wheels or smart devices to personalize it for your exact needs, accessories are essential to getting the most value out of your investment. This is no different in test and measurement applications.
Accessories ensure you get fully functional and accurate use of your force measuring equipment.
Interface provides the most accurate and reliable force measurement load cells and torque transducers on the market. We also supply vital accessories to pair with our products, including cables, adapters, load buttons, mating connectors, rod end bearings, and TEDS. Our accessories are high-quality components and utilize our stringent processes to ensure your Interface products perform to meet their published specifications utilizing Interface accessories.
Here is a quick overview of why you should consider certain accessories based on your application, along with some of the products we offer to properly accessorize and optimize the performance of your force measurement components.
Why Would You Need Force Measurement Accessories?
Accessories assist with the reliability and performance of load cells and torque transducers. They can also help certain products adapt to various applications. There are a few questions we ask our customers to consider when purchasing a load cell, transducer or other Interface test and measurement products.
- How and where is the Interface product connecting to your application?
- Are adapters necessary to make the product fit your application?
- Are you mounting the device to a hardened flat surface?
- How will you be monitoring the performance of your application?
These type of questions are an important step to determine the right accessories for each application, or if a custom accessory is necessary for your testing program. Our experienced Application Engineers can work with you to determine which accessories you need.
Interface Accessories
Cable Assemblies – We provide high-grade cables and connectors to ensure the maximum performance of force and torque systems. This includes standard and custom length shielded cables for connecting transducers to instrumentation.
Calibration Adapters – Our off-the-shelf and custom calibration adapters greatly improve and maintain transducer accuracy. Interface uses high-grade alloy and stainless steel, heat treatments and quality machining practices to ensure our adapters meet your performance needs.
Clevises – We provide high-grade clevises that will perform in your application as needed while maintaining the level of performance you expect from our products. Our clevises are precision machined to ensure performance, reliability, and durability.
Jam Nuts – In order to ensure strength and performance, jam nuts are utilized to maintain a tight bond between the application. We manufacture our own high-performance jam nuts for flat, parallel surfaces in multiple thread sizes.
Load Buttons – Load buttons are used for Interface LowProfile™, S-Type and Mini Beam Load Cells to convert a universal cell to compression only.
Mating Connectors – To match interconnects between load cells and instruments we provide high-grade, off-the-shelf and custom mating connectors to guarantee the performance of your readings are not compromised by a defunct connection.
Mounting Plates – Mounting is a critical factor in the accuracy and durability of force measurement tools. Our mounting plates are made from the best grade alloy and stainless steel and are machined to the tightest specifications. This ensures the load is properly distributed over the foundation of the supporting structure and provides a prepared surface for the load cell. Mounting plates eliminate the requirement for expansion assemblies in most installations.
RCAL Resistors – Interface RCAL Resistors are high precision components that provide an effective method for checking the calibration of a load cell system in the field or when a means of applying actual forces are unavailable.
Rod End Bearings To reduce alignment errors in tension applications, Interface provides high-grade Rod End Bearings that help couple your load cell to your application solution while maintaining performance.
Thread Adapters – Thread adapters provide flexibility to users when workings with male and female threads of differing sizes. Our thread adapters are manufactured with the best practices to ensure the performance of your transducer is maintained when attached to your force transducer application.
Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS) – Interface’s TEDS option provides a force or torque transducer with electronic identification, allows a sensor or an instrument to be “Plug and Play Ready”, meets IEEE 1451.4 Standard for Smart Transducer Interface and is available on new or existing sensors.
From top to bottom, Interface’s goal is enabling our customers to get the most out of their force measurement device. By combining our industry-leading products with our top-of-the-line accessories, you are certain to get the greatest value in your precision-based application test. For more information on our wide variety of standard and custom accessories, click here.
For additional information about the range of accessories available along with valuable tips about cables, TEDs, and mounting plates read or download the brochure below.
