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Exploring Interface Capabilities and Differentiators

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Interface is the largest producer of load cells defined by a particularly important core differentiator. The Interface difference is precision.

How do we maintain this standard of excellence? Interface is directed by our foundational 4-pillars for success: quality, service, accuracy, and innovation. This applies to anything and everything that we do, including manufacturing premium force measurement products, engineering and design, custom solutions, providing calibration and repair, and in our commitment to service.

Interface has long been known for providing accuracy-based sensor technologies, innovative solutions, engineering excellence and quality products that our customers trust. We have detailed our breadth and depth of capabilities and differentiators for our products that are designed to serve customers across a growing number of industries.

In our online capabilities statement, you can find:

  • Interface differentiators
  • Interface core products and expertise
  • Certifications
  • Industry NAICS and PSC Codes
  • Interface’s Company Snapshot

Our customers around the world are innovators, market leaders, boundary-breaking, finding ways to do things differently, make things safer, improve products and create new all through the measurement of force. We provide solutions for test and measurement, as well as OEM. This includes companies in aerospace and defense, automotive and vehicle, medical devices, energy, industrial automation, entertainment and amusement, agriculture, maritime, infrastructure, and equipment manufacturing.

As world’s trusted leader in force measurement technology, design, and manufacturing, it is important that we guarantee the highest quality performance of load cells, torque transducers, multi-axis sensors, wireless telemetry, instrumentation, calibration and more. To do this, it is the Interface people, technology, manufacturing, engineering, and force measurement solutions that make the difference.

Here are just a few of Interface’s key differentiators and capabilities:

  • PROPRIETARY STRAIN GAGES: We make our strain gages and assemble them in the same buildings as our final sensor testing is performed in-house to ensure the quality and accuracy.
  • THE STANDARD: Interface is the standard for all load cells. Since 1968, our LowProfile® load cells have been used throughout the world because of their accuracy and dependability.
  • CALIBRATION: Our trademarked Gold Standard Calibration System is the industry ‘gold standard’ for test and measurement.
  • SYSTEMS: Interface is the only major load cell company offering a comprehensive system for customers to calibrate their own load cells.
  • CERTIFICATIONS: Every load cell we make is individually calibrated and tested through a series of performance tests before it leaves our facility.
  • STANDARD, ENGINEERED-TO-ORDER AND CUSTOM: We design and build our force measurement solutions, delivering the broadest variety of available options in the industry.
  • TEAM: Our team is an extended network of professionals that design, build, administer, sale and support our customers with the best force measurement solutions that fit their exact requirements based on expertise and experience.

You can see all the Interface differentiators in our capabilities statement.

We’ are proud of the Interface brand, our five-decade legacy as a leader in the industry and fact that we are a women-owned manufacturing company. We guarantee our products quality because every employee and partner take pride in our work. It is our dedication to deliver on our promise.

Capabilities-Statement

Interface Airplane Static Testing Case Study

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Interface is a preferred supplier of precision force measurement solutions for the aerospace industry and our products are frequently used to help perform critical testing on all types of commercial, industrial, and military aeronautical vehicles.

During the engineering and manufacturing of all types of aircraft, static testing is commonly used to validate designs and components, measure assembly and affirm performance and regulatory requirements. Accuracy and reliability of any type of sensor and instrumentation used during these tests is vital to the testing programs and ensures the safety for pilots, passengers and the public at large when these vehicles take flight.

What is a static test?

Static testing is a type of structural test which allows engineers to analyze an aircraft’s structural integrity while grounded. This is a useful part of the testing process before taking flight, which helps speed up the certification process as it does not require a completed and fully functional aircraft through the entire manufacturing process for aerospace vehicles.

How does Interface place a role in static testing for aircraft?

Our force measurement solutions such as precision load cells and torque transducers play an important role in static testing as force analysis results are used in nearly all structural tests. Interface manufacturers both off-the-shelf and custom solutions that are used by leading part and aircraft manufacturers. These sensor products are used on a static test stand to test frame structure integrity, endurance, and life cycles, with the goal generally being to validate aircraft design and ensure specified criteria are met. The strict accuracy is necessary because in aerospace, every micrometer and gram make a difference in both the performance and safety of an aircraft design.

Static Testing Applications for Airplane Jacking System and Jet Engine Thrust Tests

In the new Airplane Static Testing case study, we have detailed two application examples and how Interface products are specifically used in in static testing of aircraft. These examples demonstrate how our products are applied and utilized for testing an airplane jacking system and provide a solution for a jet engine thrust test.

In the airplane jacking system static testing application, our WTS 1200 LowProfile® Wireless Load Cells are placed on jack points measuring weights and forces on an aircraft. Our advanced Wireless Telemetry System provided instrumentation to capture real-time data, such as the individual load cells attached to each jack point, or any set alarms that may go off if it has exceeded a certain amount of force.

For the jet engine thrust static testing, Interface’s 1000 High Capacity Fatigue-Rated LowProfile™ Load Cell was best suited for this static testing. The load cell reacted to the thrust forces produced by the jet engine and the signals were collected and recorded to create a “thrust curve” of the engine.

To read the Airplane Static Test case study it in full, go here.

To learn more about the many ways Interface can serve the aerospace industry with premium force products and total solutions, watch this video to see the types of products we supply for static and other test and measurement programs in this industry.

Additional Resources

Examining Interface Aerospace Industry Solutions

Aerospace Brochure

Solutions Provider for Aerospace & Defense

Taking Flight with Interface Solutions for Aircraft Testing

Aircraft Screwdriver Fastening Control

Aerospace and Defense Industry Solutions

Aerospace and Defense Case Study

 

Taking Flight with Interface Solutions for Aircraft Testing

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As a top supplier of premium force measurement solutions for the aerospace industry, one of our critical areas requiring precision accuracy and high-quality products is for testing airplanes. Interface load cells, torque transducers, and instrumentation are used regularly in testing of all types of aerospace apparatus, components, and machines, along with embedding our force sensors in aircraft for ongoing simulation tests and inflight data acquisition.

Aircraft, spacecraft, military, and defense companies such as Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, Bombardier, Embraer, Gulfstream, NASA, and Cessna and many others in the supply and production lines utilize Interface load cells for thrust, wing, static, and fatigue testing. While structural test applications use many types of LowProfile™ load cells, Interface also offers a wide variety of load washers, load buttons and miniature tension and compression load cells for test, production, and control monitoring applications for aircraft.

Why do aircraft testing professionals prefer Interface solutions?  One reason is our moment and temperature compensated load cells use proprietary alloy strain gages for extreme accuracy and reliability that is unmatched by other brands. Using eight proprietary strain gages per sensor, our 4mV/V output well exceeds the performance requirements for testing these specialized aerospace vehicles.

In addition, before the airplanes are even assembled, every manufactured part and components must go through rigorous testing. There are hundreds of machines that are used on the production line for the hundreds of thousands of components needed to complete these specialized craft. Interface load cells and torque transducers are found on many of these production and test machines. Our products are used to provide a wealth of insight to guide manufacturers through research, development and final build. Because testing is so inherent for any of these parts, Interface products provide reliability and accuracy when there are no exceptions.

We recently developed several new application notes on ways our products are used to test airplanes. Included below is a preview of a few of the latest additions to our application notes catalog.

Jet Engine Thrust Test

A customer wanted to conduct a static jet engine thrust test that can accurately determine the engine’s thrust, burn time, chamber pressure, and other parameters, providing invaluable data to propellant chemists and engineers. They needed a high accuracy load cell with excellent repeatability to withstand thrust forces in very harsh environments. Interface offered a 1000 High Capacity Fatigue-Rated LowProfile™ Load Cell, which is ideally suited based on their performance for this application. The load cell reacts to the thrust forces produced by the jet engine and the signals are collected and recorded to create a “thrust curve” of the engine. The performance of an Interface LowProfile™ Load Cell allowed the engineers to be confident in the data acquired from the static testing. Additionally, the repeatability of the load cell results in reduced time between tests, making static jet engine thrust testing more efficient. Read the new Jet Engine Thrust Test application note here.

Aircraft Yoke Torque Measurement

An aircraft manufacturer wanted to measure the torque of their aircrafts yoke or control wheel. They also wanted to monitor the torque and forces applied to ensure that the aircrafts controls are operating properly. Interface suggested using the AT103 2-Axis Axial Torsion Load Cell to measure both torque and force within this single sensor. It can be installed inside of the yoke, and can measure the rotation of the yoke, and the forward and backwards movements. Data can be measured and paired with the SI-USB4 4-Channel USB Interface Module and displayed with the customer’s laptop. Using this solution, the customer was able to measure and monitor the torque and force of the yoke control. Read the Aircraft Yoke Torque Measurement application note.

Aircraft Engine Hoist

An aerospace company wanted to test their aircraft engine hoist in order to safely lift, remove, or install engines efficiently and safety. Interface’s solution was to install WTSSHKB-HL Wireless Bow Shackles to the aircraft engine hoist. A heavy load was added to the hooks where the aircraft engine would be. Results from the heavy load are then sent wirelessly to both the WTS-BS-4 USB Industrial Base Station attached to the customers computer or laptop, and the WTS-1-HS Handheld display for single transmitters. With these products, the customer was assured that the aircraft engine hoist was strong and secure enough to lift a heavy engine when installing or removing an engine inside of an aircraft. Learn more about the Aircraft Engine Hoist application here.

Our expert application engineers help our customers by providing technologies that provide exceedingly accurate measurement used in all types of testing, including structural, static and fatigue. For more information on Interface and its solutions designed for airplanes and other aerospace applications, please visit https://www.interfaceforce.com/solutions/aerospace.

Additional Aircraft Testing Resources

Aircraft Wing Fatigue App Note

Aircraft Screwdriver Fastening Control App Note

Aircraft Lifting Equipment App Note

Examining Interface Aerospace Industry Solutions

 

Fueling Global Demand for Interface Solutions

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Increasing demand for quality, accurate and reliable sensor technologies is global.  Interface products are used on every continent and across all types of industries. As manufacturers and product innovators make advances in what they build and test, there is a direct correlation to the growth in precision test and measurement tool requirements we supply.

The overall sensor market in 2022 is expected to continue its fast past growth, estimated between 8-12% across all types of sensors. In force measurement, this pace is consistent with the experience in the global markets we serve in Africa, Asia, Australia and Oceania, Europe, Middle East, South and North America.

Represented by hundreds of sensors experts around the world, Interface distributors continue to experience growth in market share and Interface product users.  In fact, Interface’s fastest growing markets are represented in our global network.  Solutions that utilize our precision load cells, torque transducers, multi-axis load cells and instrumentation are all experiencing high growth worldwide.

What is impacting the greatest international growth for all types of sensors technologies?  According to market analysis and based on Interface’s experience, it’s being fed by:

  1. Miniaturization of Products and Sensors Used in Testing and OEMs
  2. Industrial Automation and Robotics
  3. Innovation in Aerospace and Automotive
  4. IoT – Internet of Things

Our direct experience in demand for Interface solutions outside of the US is related to these areas and specifically new products and expanding use cases. First, we recently launched our Global G Series products to meet this demand. This specialty product is sold exclusively outside the US. These products are designed and manufactured in the International System of Units (SI), with the same precision and accuracy of all Interface products.

The Global G Series is a global standard product line that is designed for applications that require miniature load cells and for OEM solutions used for automation of machines and components.  The markets that are experiencing the highest growth internationally include:

For example, innovative markets like electric vehicles and hydro-electric energy are growing rapidly domestically and in international markets. These industries rely on force testing to optimize these new technologies.

The Asia-Pacific market is currently our fastest growing market. Interface provides products for this market across all industries including automotive, aerospace, test and measurement and more. As mentioned above, the alternative energy, aerospace and electric vehicle market is a big area for Interface and the Asia-Pacific plays a big role in these areas.

Electric vehicle design and manufacturing requires a precise level of accuracy to improve energy efficiency, minimize weight and maximize vehicle range. For instance, battery technology is a major global focus; therefore, maximizing power output using force testing is the key to improving vehicle design. To achieve this, test and measurement solutions need to be as accurate as possible. Interface also provides high accuracy torque transducers, load cells, load washers and more for two areas of electric vehicle testing: laboratory testing to optimize system performance and production testing to ensure product quality.

Another application for force measurement in Europe is force testing on off-shore hydro-electric power plants. This is a great fit for Interface because we have developed an entire lineup of load cells and other products that are submersible. For this project specifically, we provided submersible WMC load cells. This is one example of an innovative application for renewable energies, and this is another market that is growing rapidly both domestically and internationally.

One of the consistent top selling products in both regions and industries are wireless load cells. In our 2022 Test and Measurement Industry Trends blog, detailed some of this growing demand for wireless force measurement solutions. Wireless systems are helping manufacturers simplify the integration process and create a cleaner safer test environment with far less wiring. It is especially helpful in industries like aerospace or automotive, where large factories want to transmit data across the facility without needing a mess of wires getting in the way.

For wireless needs, Interface supplies its Wireless Telemetry System (WTS) which offers sensor transmitters, receivers, and displays. High accuracy, high quality measurement is interfaced with simple yet powerful configuration and monitoring software and gives sensor manufacturers and integrators the complete flexibility to build their own sensor modules around it. The system easily replaces wired systems, reducing installation and maintenance costs.

One area that Interface is also investing in internally is recalibration services to serve all customers across the world. Many of our customers are becoming more aware of and utilizing these services, as we are continuing to grow this capability amongst international customers who are utilizing Interface products for the first time.

Interface’s presence in the international market is growing quickly. Interface is looking forward to seeing where and how we can supply the best in force measurement solutions to enable innovation around the world.

Source: Tyler Pettit, Application Engineer International Markets

Where to Find 50 New Force Measurement Application Notes

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One of the advantages we have at Interface is that our application engineers and solutions experts are constantly recommending Interface load cells, torque transducers, instrumentation and accessories for a wide range of projects and programs.  In this fortunate position, it enables our team to explain why and how these solutions work through a series of illustrative application notes. We detail the problem statement, the products required to achieve the desired outcome, and the measurable results in every Interface application note.

The purpose of our app notes is to show the range of capabilities for products we offer, as well as inspire product designers, engineers, and testing professionals to expand how they use sensor technologies. We also increased our industry solutions to highlight a growing interest of how our products are used in agriculture, maritime and infrastructure force and torque measurement projects.

In 2021, Interface produced a record 50+ new application notes.  We have so many application notes, we even produced a first ever complete Interface Applications Catalog.  The type of applications we detailed this year range from space docking to golf swing testing, with everything in between. You can find applications for livestock weighing, crash wall testing, crane safety regulation and even commercial fishing line tests.

Every application note includes a graphic that highlights how the test project is designed and how the products work together. All our illustrated application notes can be found here.  We also have a collection of animated application notes you can watch here.

So if you didn’t keep up with every application note we added this year, here is a quick reference:

AUTOMOTIVE AND VEHICLE

Automotive Head Rest Testing

Pre-Installation Sealing Sensor Testing

Automotive Window Pinch Force Testing

Airbag Connector Testing

Vehicle Crash Test Load Cell Wall

Torque Measurement for Electric Vehicles

TEST AND MEASUREMENT

Garbage Truck On-Board Weighing

Bike Helmet Impact Test

Bike Handlebar Fatigue Testing

Mobile Force System

Gaming Simulation Brake Pedal

Mountain Bike Shocks Testing

Spring Compression Testing

Proving Theoretical Cutting Forces of Rotary Ultrasonic Machining

Fitness Equipment and Machines

6-Axis Load Cell Solutions using Raspberry Pi

Mouse Touch-Pad Force Testing

Treadmill Force Measurement

Veterinary Weighing Scales

E-Bike Torque Measurement

Bike Power Pedals

Bike Load Testing

Bike Frame Fatigue Testing

Golf Club Swing Accuracy

Golf Ball Tee

INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION

Commercial Food Processing

6-Axis Force Plate Robotic Arm

INFRASTRUCTURE

Aerial Lift Overload Control

Concrete Dam Flood Monitoring

Hydraulic Jacking System Testing

AGRICULTURE

Tractor PTO Torque Testing

Silo Grain Dispensing

Poultry Feeder Monitoring

WTS Equine Bridle Tension System

BTS Equine Bridle Tension System

Livestock Weighing System

Tractor Linkage Draft Control

Chicken Weighing

Silo Monitoring and Weighing

MEDICAL AND HEALTHCARE

Tablet Machine Hardness Tester Calibration

Dental Handpiece Torque Check

Interventional Guidewire Quality Inspection

Tablet Hardness Testing

AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE

Space Dock Capture Ring Force Testing

Aircraft Yoke Torque Measurement

Aircraft Screwdriver Fastening Control

Landing Gear Joint Testing

Aircraft Engine Hoist

Rescue Helicopter Hoist Test

MARTIME

Mooring Quick Release Hooks (QRH)

Commercial Fishing Wire Rope Testing

Mooring Line Tension Testing

Crane Block Safety Check

Crane Capacity Verification

Crane Force Regulation

We would like to send a special thank you to our illustration and design team of Lauren O’Hagan and Scott Whitworth for all their work in creating this array of illustrations, along with a special shout out to Ken Bishop and Keith Skidmore that help us create all these application stories.

What’s new in 2022? Stay close to our Interface IQ Blog and watch our updates on the homepage and solutions for new inspirations and unique examples how engineers and product designers are thinking about using our sensors,

Examining Interface Aerospace Industry Solutions

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Among the many industries Interface serves, the aerospace industry is one of the fastest growing users of our precision force measurement solutions. This is because ultra-accurate force, weight and torque measurements and data are critical to testing, performance and safety for airplanes, helicopters, and rockets.

Aerospace engineers and manufacturers of commercial, industrial, and military aerospace vehicles and associated components must measure multitudes of factors such as fatigue, structure durability, materials, weight distribution, drag, effects of inclement weather, velocity changes, thrust, and center of gravity to name a few.

Interface is synonymous with high performance sensors used for all types of test and measurement applications. For more than five decades, aerospace innovators and industrial giants have relied upon Interface to provide precision products and services they can trust.  Our test and measurement solutions are designed for use in the aerospace industry to withstand extreme conditions, whether they are for testing wings on commercial airplanes or used to measure the force of an intergalactic vessel launch.

Interface showcases products and use cases in our new aerospace solutions brochure detailing many the products and custom solutions we provide to the industry. We provide an overview of our accurate and reliable lineup of force measurement products, as well as highlighting various application examples to outline different ways we have long served the makers, builders, testers and engineers across the diverse aerospace industry.

To work in the aerospace industry, you have to meet the highest quality industry requirements in manufacturing and calibration. We take our commitment towards quality assurance very seriously and guarantee our products meet or exceed the quality clauses outlined by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO). We test and calibrate all products we build in a certificated lab based in Arizona that holds A2LA, International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and ANSI/NCSL Z540-1- 1994 accreditations. The strict adherence to these standards demonstrates our technical competence for a defined scope and the operation of a laboratory quality management system. Every Interface manufactured sensor goes through rigorous testing and calibration before it’s released to our customers.

The sensors, instrumentation, and accessories we supply to aerospace equipment manufacturers and testing labs range from mini to jumbo load cells, torque transducers, multi-axis sensors, and various wireless, digital and analog instrumentation devices. Interface sensors have been used regularly in the engineering and testing of military aircraft, missiles, space, commercial airliners, and for general aviation components as demonstrated in this aerospace and defense industry case study.

One aerospace use case of our force sensors is for structural testing. Interface LowProfile™ Load Cells are utilized for structural static and fatigue testing. Our moment and temperature compensated load cells use proprietary alloy strain gages for extreme accuracy and reliability. Using eight proprietary strain gages per sensor, our 4mV/V output well exceeds the performance. These load cells are offered in single, dual, and triple bridge configurations for different data acquisition and control requirements in aerospace vehicle production.

The range of aircraft and space vehicles that use Interface solutions include all types from unpowered gliders to commercial and military aircraft, as well as rockets, missiles, drones, launch vehicles, and spacecraft. These vehicles go through extensive and rigorous test and measurement programs and processes requiring the reliability and accuracy of Interface made products. Here are a few types of aerospace applications using Interface measurement solution:

Aircraft Wing Fatigue

Before any of the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 twin-engine supersonic fighter jets can be put into operation, the wings of the aircraft must undergo fatigue testing in a controlled environment to ensure that they are capable of withstanding the forces that will be encountered during real-world flight throughout the lifetime of the aircraft. Highly accurate measurements must be recorded in order to make sure that a near-exact replication of in-flight conditions are being achieved. During fatigue tests, Interface’s 1248 Standard Precision Flange LowProfile Load Cells are installed in line with the hydraulic cylinders, which apply back-and-forth loading forces to the aircraft. This is carried out over the course of 18 months to simulate in-flight stresses and strains on the wings. Load cells are connected to indicators, which record output. Capable of withstanding more than 100 million (1×108) fully reversible load cycles, Interface’s LowProfile Fatigue-Rated Load Cells have performed flawlessly in F/A-18 wing testing with zero recorded failures in the many years that testing facilities around the world have been using them.

Rescue Helicopter Hoist Test

When a customer wanted to test the strength of the cable line used in the hoist of their helicopter during rescue missions and situations, see if both the cable and the hoist can withstand a heavy load safely, and for long periods of time while the helicopter is in flight, they turned to Interface. We supplied a WTSSHK-D Wireless Crosby™ Load Shackle, which is attached to each mooring cable in use. Results are sent to the customers through the WTS-BS-4 USB Industrial Base Station when connected to the customer’s supplied computer. Data can also be transmitted to the WTS-BS-1-HS Handheld Display for Single Transmitters, giving the customer the option to view mooring cable line tension. Using this solution, the customer was able to add a heavy load to the end of the helicopter hoist, to ensure it is strong and safe enough to carry both rescue personnel and objects while being in midair.

The aerospace industry is responsible for some of the greatest inventions and innovation in our global history. The engineering and manufacturing of a single rocket engine design, using handwritten calculations and with less computing power than a modern smartphone, took us to the moon. The aerospace industry is an assembly of researchers, design houses, test labs and manufacturing companies that engineer and build vehicles to travel within and beyond Earth’s atmosphere using Interface products. Whether you need a million-pound jumbo load cell, custom load pin, or wireless instrumentation, we understand aerospace requirements and our engineers are on stand-by to assist. Get your copy of our new Aerospace Solutions Brochure here.

Additional Resources

Solutions Provider for Aerospace & Defense

Exploring Aerospace Force Measurement Solutions

Interface Displays Force Measurement Aerospace Applications at Space Tech Expo

Aerospace and Defense Industry Solutions

Interface Recognized as Contributor to Human Flight Success

Interface Recognized as Contributor to Human Flight Success

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As a premium force measurement solutions provider, Interface load cells, torque transducers, and specialty products are frequently used by leading manufacturers, engineers, product designers and testing labs to drive innovation and industry advancements. Our products are utilized for developments and improvements in aerospace and defense, automotive, medical, industrial automation and more.

One of these industries that Interface has played a significant role in for decades as a solutions provider is the space industry. This includes providing products and services for designing and building space technologies like robotics and launch systems, as well as sensors for testing space qualified components, structures, satellites, observation equipment, space vehicles and more.

In our case study detailing our work with NASA, it is evident that our solutions for rockets and structural testing have been used by those advancing space exploration for many years.  In fact, aircraft, spacecraft, military, and defense companies such as Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Bombardier, Embraer, Gulfstream, Cessna and others have depended on Interface load cells for thrust, wing, static, fatigue testing and more. While structural test applications utilize many types of LowProfile™ load cells, Interface also provide a wide variety of load pins, load shackles, tension links, load washers, load button load cells and miniature tension and compression load cells for test, production, and control monitoring applications of vehicles and spacecraft.

We recently participated in the industry’s Space Tech Expo, demonstrating the products and services we provide to those that are designing and building spacecraft for sending people and cargo into orbit. We highlighted some of the solutions we detailed in these resources:

Rocket Structure Testing

Interface and The Race to Space

Force Measurement for Space Travel

Aerospace and Defense

Commercial space has also been a hot topic in recent years with technology titans creating their own space program to launch civilians into space. These organizations include SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic and more. Interface has been tasked with helping to provide force measurement solutions for many of these companies. In fact, Interface was recently recognized by Blue Origin for contributing to their first sub-orbital launch with humans on board, the 16th New Shepard flight (NS-16).

With NS-16, Blue Origin successfully launched humans aboard the New Shepard 4 rocket. Its crew consisted of Blue Origin and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, 82 year old Wally Funk, and 18 year old Oliver Daemen. From launch to touchdown the crew’s official mission time was 10 minutes 10 seconds. The crew spent a few minutes in weightlessness and reached an altitude of 107 km (351,210 feet), similar to the previous test flights.

Interface received a special certificate and historic patch from Blue Origin for our participation in the first human flight. Notably, Blue Origin recognized Interface with the following statement:

Performance excellence is fundamental to the success of both our companies. We extend our sincere gratitude to the employees of Interface for demonstrating their dedication to the high-performance standards necessary to meet customer expectations.

Our work in the space industry is of great importance to us because it requires the highest level of quality and accuracy possible. Interface prides itself on developing solutions to meet any need and our ability to contribute to this launch and many of the other NASA or commercial launches around the nation is a testament to these capabilities.

To learn more about our work in space, visit our aerospace solutions page.

Solutions highlighted at Space Tech Expo 2021

New Interface White Paper Highlights Turning an Active Component into a Sensor

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The most common uses of force measurement in OEM (original equipment manufacturer) applications are when a force sensor is designed into a product that will be produced at mid to high volumes and provides real-time force feedback on certain product functions in use. Utilizing sensors as a feature enables data acquisition over time to monitor forces and understand how those forces effect product efficiency, safety, quality or all of these performance metrics. This ultimately is used to design a better product, in the current state and for future enhancements or to know when a product is performing best or risks breaking down.

Did you know that there is another application of force sensors in OEM applications that is playing a large role in the factory of the future? This is when we turn an active component into a sensor and use that data to create automated actions. This solution is used when there is a desire to take a moving component within a system and make it smarter, ultimately allowing it to make data-based decisions on its own.

For example, the manufacturing industry is using force sensors on machines within a production line that are responsible for picking components up for visual inspection. The sensor is integrated into the grabbing component and can tell the machine the exact force to use when picking up the component as not to damage it. This is a critical capability when dealing with expensive and delicate components that can break under too much force. In the past, a force measurement sensor would have been used only to test this functionality. When the sensor is designed directly into the machine, the user can both test beforehand and monitor and automate processes in real-time.

The need for this type of capability is growing rapidly amongst manufacturers across a wide variety of industry including aerospace and defense, industrial, medical, automotive, industrial automation, assembly and more. To further outline the potential for these types of solutions, Interface developed a new white paper that details  how sensor solutions for OEMs work with specific examples of the benefit of turning an active component into a sensor.

Included below is a brief intro to the recently released white paper. Get your copy by clicking on the link here. Additionally, if you’re interested in learning more about Interface solutions for OEM applications go here, or call us to speak to our OEM application experts at 480-948-5555. Ready to get started, let us know how we can help here.

WHITE PAPER EXCERPT

OEM SOLUTIONS: TURNING AN ACTIVE COMPONENT INTO A SENSOR

The age of industrial automation and big data is upon us. Manufacturers that fall behind in equipping their facilities and products with innovation that allows for automated processes, remote monitoring and better efficiency through technology, will quickly fall behind. This is due to the fact that automation helps to significantly improve process quality because it eliminates human error. It also creates long-term cost savings by speeding up several processes, or by helping to monitor products in use and in real-time to optimize performance and stability over time through better data collection.

Get your copy of the white paper to read more.

Special note, contributors to the white paper are Interface and sensor engineering experts, Brian Peters and Rob Fuge.

Additional Resources for OEM

Interface is a Critical Solutions Provider for OEMs

Making the Case for Custom Solutions Webinar Recap

 

Interface Specializes in Fatigue-Rated Load Cells

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Often test protocols require a fixed load plus a dynamic load to be applied to a test sample simultaneously. Interface Fatigue-Rated Load Cells are well suited for this requirement. Fatigue-rated is a specification that defines a special class of load cell design and construction used for repetitive cycle and fatigue testing.

Interface has specialized in fatigue-rated load cells and their applications since our founding in 1968.  The stringent discipline that is necessary to produce true fatigue-rated load cells, with consistency, is why Interface is known for this specialized load cell design and construction.

Manufacturing these special types of load cells, we can proudly state there is no record of reported fatigue failure for Interface Fatigue-Rated Load Cells used within their specified ratings. Interface fatigue-rated load cells have a given service life of 100 million fully reversed, full capacity loading cycles. It’s why reliability, durability, and quality rank these types of load cells as best-in-class for fatigue and cycle testing.

The use of fatigue-rated load cells and data logging instrumentation are used for testing materials, parts, or assemblies for weakness, and often ultimately to destruction. These types of fatigue tests are valuable to have an accurate record of the forces applied at every moment of a test to analyze stresses, identify fatigue and potential failure risks.

INTERFACE FATIGUE-RATED LOAD CELLS:

  • 1000 Fatigue-Rated LowProfile® Load Cell – Model 1000 series is a fatigue-rated low profile load cell with 300% safe overload, extremely low moment sensitivity of 0.1%/in and a higher fatigue life. Capacities give you options to measure 1 pound (4.45N) and up to 1 million pounds (4500kN) of force.
  • 1000 High Capacity Fatigue-Rated LowProfile® Load Cell – With many variants and configurations our fatigue-rated load cells provide up to 100 million fully rendered cycles. The gaged sensors in every load cell are individually inspected, tested, and certified to meet our rigid standards.
  • 1500 Low Capacity LowProfile® Load Cell – The Interface Model 1500 is a fatigue-rated unique LowProfile Load Cell designed for low capacity applications where low sensitivity to eccentric load is important.

Each fatigue-rated load cell model grouping also has numerous capacities and variations, including additional bridge options. All product variations, capacities, customization options and availability are online. There are possibilities to have engineered-to-order made products and customized solutions, as with all Interface manufactured load cells.

When passing fatigue testing is critical to the success of an assembly, piece of equipment or product, engineers and manufacturers rely on Interface Fatigue-Rated Load Cells. Our fatigue-rated load cells are used by most manufacturers of test machines, aircraft, spacecraft, auto and transportation vehicles, and various devices and industrial systems.

Here are a few fatigue-rated applications that demonstrate different use cases:

Furniture Fatigue Cycle Testing App Note

Bike Frame Fatigue Testing App Note

Aircraft Wing Fatigue App Note

Prosthetics Load and Fatigue Testing App Note

Additional reading on this subject can be found here in the post, Considerations for Fatigue-Rated Load Cells. If you are exploring fatigue-rated load cells or products for cycle testing, contact our application engineers to answer questions and ensure you get the right product for your testing needs.