November 2022 Newsletter

In this issue of InterfaceIQ, we are sharing information about our latest accessories product line, installation tips, along with a review of our most popular load cell design. We have also added some quick references for your convenience.

PROTECTING YOUR SENSORS AND INSTRUMENTATION

One of Interface’s accessories that enhance the usability, durability, and ease of accessibility for force measurement products are enclosures. Interface enclosures protect your sensor and instrumentation investments. They are durable for mobile force measurement solutions and are an easy-to-care for addition to any
system.

Interface enclosures come in a wide variety of form factors for single or multiple products. The primary purpose is to help in protecting devices, as well as facilitate easier mounting. You can also request enclosures for combining multiple sensors and instruments to create a full measurement system for data recording and ongoing analysis. Read more about Interface enclosures here.

QUICK REFERENCE: Download our new Interface Enclosures brochure to see all the enclosure options available for protecting your force measurement products.

Interface offers NEMA rated enclosure options. NEMA ratings are a convenient system established by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association to rate how well distinct types of electrical enclosures protect against environmental hazards such as dust and dirt, water ingress and corrosion. Learn more about enclosures for load cells and instrumentation, IP ratings, and NEMA rated options in our recent Ruggedized Test & Measurement Solutions webinar.

INSTALLATION TIPS FOR SUCCESS

Preparing for installation for any load cell force or weighing measurement system is dependent on the integrity of the physical installation, interconnection of the components, following proper performance of the system components, and calibration. Interface provides a wide variety of installation guides, instructions and technical support online under installation and manuals.

Installation success is such an important focus at Interface, so we engaged our experts to offer some helpful guidance.

• Poor installation can lead to damaging the load cell, so to protect your investment follow the installation instructions that accompany your product.
• When we provide performance metrics on our product, it is based on our in-house calibration. When improperly installed, you will not be hitting the performance numbers you need during use. Here is a quick refresher about product specifications.
• Improper installation can cause overload which can not only damage the load cell, but also create unsafe working conditions.
• Installation guides not only give you the proper installation techniques, but they also provide the correct order for installation.
• Most relatable, “Improper installation will ultimately lead to headaches!” Follow the guide.

Installation can also vary widely between load cells and other force measurement solutions. Each product has different processes depending on the mounting components, the application use case for testing or monitoring, and environment where testing takes place. It is important to carefully review any materials provided with the instrumentation and measurement device. Read more about installation guides and troubleshooting tips for mechanical and electrical installation.

STANDARD PRECISION LOWPROFILE ADVANTAGES

The pancake-style shear beam cell design of Interface’s 1200 Standard Precision LowProfile® Load Cell is popular for eccentric load compensated tension and compression test and measurement applications. The LowProfile design resembles two shear beam cells end-to-end, exhibiting the stability of a doubled-ended shear beam and
augmented by the fact that the circular design is equivalent to four double-ended cells. Thus, it provides stability in eight directions at the center point.

Our LowProfile designs include a base, bolted to the flexure around its outside rim. The base is a flat surface, guaranteed to provide optimum support for the flexure. The use of a base ensures the exceptional performance in the Interface LowProfile series, as each load cell is built, evaluated, and calibrated with the base.

LowProfile Load Cell Advantages

• Higher output
• Better fatigue life
• Better resistance to extraneous loads
• Shorter load path
• Extremely low compliance with higher stiffness
• Option for compression overload protection integral to the cell
• Proprietary strain gages
• Customization

Read more about the popular load cell features in our LowProfile Load Cells 101 post. You can also watch LowProfile Load Cell Cutaway video to get a complete inside look at the LowProfile design. 

HOW ARE WE DOING?

We would appreciate if you would share your insights and feedback. It will take 5 minutes. We have a quick survey to help guide us and ensure we are meeting your expectations. Go here and let us know how we are doing.
 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES + UPDATES

RUGGEDIZED SOLUTIONS RECAP AND ON-DEMAND WEBINAR: If you missed our latest event, read the recap, and watch the seminar as we highlight sensors and instrumentation designed to withstand harsh conditions and extreme environments. Go here to read and watch.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY STRUCTURAL TEST: With electric vehicles demand growing, structural battery packaging optimization is a focus for makers. Engineers seek solutions to validate structural battery pack design, both in terms of life expectancy and crash test compliance. Watch this video to learn more.

STRAIN GAGES MAKE THE DIFFERENCE: Interface Product Design Engineer Ashlesa Mohapatra explains why strain gage design can make all the difference in quality versus inferior performance with load cells. Learn more in her InterfaceIQ post.

Reach out to our Interface application engineers if you have questions about any of the referenced products and accessories. If you need technical support with your installation, we are standing ready to assist you.

Your Interface Team