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Celebrating Independence and American Manufacturing

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As we celebrate Independence Day 2020 at Interface, we are also celebrating our history as an American manufacturer.  We are a company founded in 1968 that started with a vision to engineer and build precision and quality products made in the USA. We remain steadfast in honoring our commitment to remaining an US headquartered manufacturer.

Our first production facility was opened in 1972 in the Scottsdale Airpark in Arizona. Through our 52 year history and growth we have expanded in this location, which features a high-production manufacturing facilities, an accredited calibration laboratory, a multi-faceted machine workshop, and our corporate offices.

At Interface, we know manufacturing is critical to the US economy. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) stated that in 2019, U.S. manufacturers accounted for more than 11% of the total output in our economy and employed more than 8% of the workforce. Additionally, the total output from U.S. manufacturing in 2018 was $2.3 billion.

Manufacturers in Arizona account for 8.61% of the total output in the state, employing 5.96% of the workforce according to NAM.  It is our depth of respected talent and valuable experience that enable us to continue our driving focus on innovation, engineering and production of the world’s most accurate, reliable and quality performance load cells and force measurement solutions in Arizona. In 2019, Interface was recognized as the Manufacturer of the Year in Arizona, a great honor for the entire Interface team.

Our force measurement expertise is vital to a number of industries where U.S. regulatory compliance is necessary. This includes aerospace and defense, space and launch sectors, medical, industrial automation, new IoT technology and automotive. We have worked with global businesses in these industries, along with test and measurement, for more than five decades. Over time, we have earned several industry-related regulatory compliances to serve both local and international customers. It is represented by our commitment to quality.

As we celebrate the Independence Day holiday, our team is also are taking a moment to celebrate American ingenuity, innovation, and recognize the outstanding manufacturing presence in the USA.

“America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.” ― Harry S. Truman

We take pride in being an American women-owned and operated business, and we look forward to what our 2nd 50 years bring us.

Interface’s Sustaining Role in Arizona and the Global Business Ecosystem During COVID-19

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For more than half a century, Interface has had the privilege of serving a wide variety of industries and helping our customers test, design, and manufacture products and infrastructure essential to everyday life. Our purpose at Interface defines our commitment to our customers. It simply says, “We enable innovation that improves people’s lives and keeps them safe.” 

Following our commitment to purpose and in adherence to the Arizona Governor’s Executive Order 2020-18, Interface is open for business as a classified essential business. We are working hard to remain your trusted leader in force measurement solutions during these challenging times. We are building products at our Arizona manufacturing headquarters, supporting our representatives and distributors, and shipping products to our customers every day. We are doing so with safety at the forefront in everything we do.

On March 23, 2020, Arizona’s Governor Doug Ducey issued an executive order outlining essential business services here in the state of Arizona. The list included businesses centered around certain imperative functions such as infrastructure operations, businesses critical to the national supply chain, transportation services and manufacturers. Interface force measurement technologies, tools, and systems touch just about every physical product or system that consumers and businesses use every day. Our products are used to support many of the business operations and products manufactured that are included in this essential services list.

Interface is committed to maintaining our business operations and ensuring our customers continue to receive the highest quality product and service without disruption. Our force measurement solutions are essential to the development of a countless amount of critical hardware across many key industries, from energy to healthcare. We are proud to be an enabler of the products and infrastructure that keeps our global economy running.

The essential market leaders and industries that Interface serves include aerospace, defense, automotive, construction and infrastructure, industrial automation, energy, medical and healthcare. Here is how we are helping some of these industries and why Interface is a key member in the supply chain that keeps these essential businesses operating, designing, engineering, testing, innovating and producing during these challenging times.

Medical:

Interface products play a crucial role in the most highly regulated industry in the world – medical. Our force measurement solutions are used to test devices and instrumentation which keep patients safe and healthy. Interface’s accurate mini load cells are designed to measure medium to small forces. Our torque transducers provide rotary and reactive measurement for movement tracking, blood weighing, robotic surgery, eye surgery, and prosthetic testing. For example, we developed a custom solution that is used to test a prosthetic limb for force and torque capacity. We even provide OEMs with sensor technologies to measure force in use of their medical products. Our load cells are featured in applications used for the heart, as well as implanted devices designed to perform well-beyond the lifespan of the patient. We’ve also engineered and created custom solutions for a wide variety of medtech devices, as well as for leading bio and pharmaceutical companies. All of these applications serve as critical and essential to our existence. We are honored to help our customers with their life sustaining critical applications.

Aerospace & Defense:

Interface load cells and torque transducers are used to test everything from rocket engines to wing strength, flexibility and structural integrity for aircraft. Our product’s industry-leading accuracy and reliability are important to the aerospace industry because the longevity of our load cells are financially durable and our precision products ensure that measurements are precise. For example, one tiny inaccuracy in the measurement of an airplane wing’s force capacity can cause critical failures and have devastating effects. Innovation is core to this industry segment, from urban mobility to unmanned vehicles. Testing is fundamental in getting these products to market, while protecting all of us. These industries count on us and we continue to supply them with the products they need to keep us safe.

Infrastructure & Construction:

In construction, one of the key considerations in building a skyscraper, hospital or a home is the materials used to keep the structure sturdy in regular use or even a natural disaster. Material testing that uses Interface load cells is common. Our products are used in cycle testing on various metal and wood-based materials to ensure they hold up over time and through the elements. Our load cells can be used on cranes and other construction equipment to prevent overloading and weight testing. We also recently provided the materials for project using custom load pins to measure and monitor standard force from regular traffic and the seismic force of earthquakes.

Vehicle & Automotive:

The most important factor in automotive design and development is the safety of the driver. One of the ways that we serve the automotive industry is through products used in safety tests. One common application that uses Interface force measurement tools is brake pedal testing. Our load cells are used to measure, test, and optimize the force required to depress the brake pedal. Another application use case of Interface’s products helps in the need to increase productivity for automobile wheel installation, while ensuring that the lug nuts are installed to the proper torque values for safety purposes. These measurements need to be performed with the utmost care and accuracy, which is why many of the world’s most prominent automobile manufacturers turn to Interface for their force measurement solutions. These applications are used in testing of vehicles of all sorts and sizes, from large capacity trucks that move our food supply to farming equipment that harvests that supply. They even keep all our high-demand delivery drivers safer on the road. They count on us, as we count on them.

Industrial & Automation: 

Throughout factories across the world, producing everything from furniture to paper products, Interface load cells and torque transducers can be found on machines along the production line. Our products are featured in robotics, consumer packaging equipment, and even the machines that screw the cap on bottles, stamp logos and apply labeling. Force measurement tools are used to ensure the proper force is being used to complete these processes with minimal waste, while ensuring safe and secure packaging for the consumer. We see growing innovative ways to utilize load cells, multi-axis sensors and torque transducers to help accelerate production for vital products that are critical to our everyday life.

We are serving our purpose and mission to be part of supply chain for these industry applications, as a reliable supplier, expert manufacturer and dedicated community member. To learn more about Interface and the various industries and applications we serve, check out our application notes.

We are here to help! Stay safe and stay well.

Our COVID-19 response is here.

 

Interface COVID-19 Update from CEO

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As COVID-19 continues to impact businesses and people around the world, I want to personally update you on the actions and planning we have taken to ensure Interface’s business continuity for all our customers, team members and partners around the world.

Based on guidance from the medical experts, the World Health Organization, the CDC and other US state and federal officials, we have strengthened our business continuity plans with specific steps to account for COVID-19 (coronavirus).

As a US-based manufacturer, we have taken steps to provide continuous cleaning and support for our team members to lessen any production impact at our Arizona headquarters.  We are continuously engaging with our distributors, representatives and supply chain partners around the world.  In our planning, we also have provided technical support and capabilities for our office teams to work remotely as a precaution.

Please rest assured, we are ready to maintain the high-quality application engineer support and customer service.  In the current situation, the health and safety of our employees, customers and partners are vital. We are limiting employee travel, both international and domestic. In addition, given many of our customers have implemented similar travel policies, we have instructed employees to leverage technology and conduct internal and external meetings virtually as much as possible.

This is an extraordinary time for everyone. We are monitoring the changing situation daily. We are committed to maintaining our business operations and ensuring you continue to receive the highest quality service without disruption.

Thank you for your continued trust in Interface.

Greg Adams, CEO at Interface, Inc.

To locate an Interface Rep or Distributor, click here.

To contact us at Interface, click here.

Interface Awarded Arizona Manufacturers Council 2019 Manufacturer of the Year

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It is with great honor that Interface is recognized in the Outstanding Small Manufacturer category for Quality Products and Involvement in Community by the Arizona Manufacturers Council as recipients of the “2019 Manufacturer of the Year” award.

Interface received the award at a gala luncheon held at the Arizona Biltmore on October 3, 2019. The annual award program recognizes the best companies in the state that exemplify how manufacturing betters their local communities and the state of Arizona.

“Interface takes great pride in the role we play in manufacturing excellence, and our entire company is honored to have received this distinguished award,” said Joel Strom, CEO of Interface. “We are especially pleased because as the builders and makers of precision force measurement solutions, the award recognizes Interface for the three aspects of our business we pride ourselves on: quality products, continued innovation, and involvement in our community.”

The Arizona Manufacturers Council plays a vital role in the state as the voice of Arizona manufacturing. They are associated with the National Association of Manufacturers and work tirelessly to promote and enhance a positive business climate for manufacturing and related industries in Arizona.

“Interface’s depth of expertise of breadth of products serves as a shining example in the manufacturing sector,” said Alison Gilbreath, executive director, Arizona Manufacturers Council. “We’re delighted to have presented Interface with this year’s well-deserved award and are confident they will continue to be a best-in-class example of what it means to successfully compete in the global economy and create jobs in Arizona.”

Interface is well known for premium accuracy and reliability when it comes to force measurement solutions. In the last 12 months, Interface launched one of its most disruptive and innovative solutions to date, the AxialTQ™ Wireless Rotary Torque Transducer and expanded its Wireless Telemetry System (WTS) for use in the automotive market. In the area of community involvement, the company introduced the Interface University Program to provide discounted products, services, and educational materials to innovators and educators. Interface is also continuing its involvement in the local STEM community, the Arizona Science and Engineering Fair and local Arizona universities.

PRESS RELEASE

A Visit to The Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab

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In 2015, Interface’s visionary founder Richard F. Caris had many legacies, one of which is the donation he made to The University of Arizona’s (UA) Mirror Lab. This endowment was a testament to his unwavering commitment to innovation, exploration, and science. Because of his deep personal interest and generous donation to the lab, UA named it the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab.

At the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, scientists, engineers, and technicians are developing large, lightweight mirrors with unparalleled surface accuracy. The actual mirrors are helping to advance science and discovery around the world with the new generation of optical telescopes that can explore the universe through optical and infrared light. The actual mirrors developed at the lab represent a sweeping departure from the old conventional solid-glass mirrors.

Buell Tomasson Jannuzi, Jeffrey Kingsley, Ted Larson, Ken Vining in front of GMT Primary Mirror Segment 5 (S5). Photo Credit: Damien Jemison UA

Interface’s Chief Engineer Ken Vining and VP of Product Management and Marketing Ted Larson recently took a trip to Tucson, Arizona, to get an up close and personal view of the advancements that have been made over the last four years at the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab. The experience is breathtaking for anyone that gets the opportunity to visit the lab.

Although the lab has been using Interface’s load cells long before 2015, the purpose of the Caris donation was to aid in the construction of the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) with the lab’s revolutionary mirror casting capabilities.

These primary mirrors for the GMT are described as “a marvel of modern engineering and glassmaking.” Five of the seven 8.4-meter segmented mirrors have been cast thus far. The first mirror is complete and the other four are in various stages of production.

Completing any telescope project is a significant time commitment. In the last four years, a few segments have been cast. The project is expected to run until 2027. Although completing the GMT is a long-term endeavor, the lab is starting to think about future projects.

During Interface’s recent visit, our engineers made sure to provide careful guidance on product selection to promote future achievements and inventions.

“The Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab team has all these ideas they’re thinking about and we knew if they engaged Interface early, we could help them solve a lot of problems.” – Ken Vining, Chief Engineer at Interface

While our experts were touring the Mirror Lab, they also discussed our new Interface University Program that provides special incentives for students and higher education programs. Interface knows that when programs learn with the best force measurement products, they can advance their learnings and encourage future innovations.

One of the additional benefits from the onsite visit was advancing Interface and the Mirror Lab’s collaboration in providing additional technical education, support, and resource to UA engineering students and Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab personnel. Interface has developed a variety of topics for educational seminars, including humidity’s effect on load cell performance, the basics of metrology, how to properly calibrate a load cell, and the impact of high elevation on load cells.

In case you’re curious about the last topic, elevation doesn’t have much of an effect on load cell performance. However, a telescope of this magnitude can test the boundaries like no other.  It is 18,000 feet at installation altitude, which gets a telescope above the ‘dirty’ parts of Earth’s atmosphere. If you are looking to learn more about the Interface University Program, contact us here.

Interface was founded in 1968 by Richard F. Caris.  You can read more about our history here.  If you would like to tour The University of Arizona’s Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, you can get tickets online.  Tours are Monday through Friday at 1 pm, and as available at 3 pm. Click here for tickets and information.

About UA:  Established in 1885, the University of Arizona, the state’s super land-grant university with two medical schools, produces graduates who are real-world ready through its 100% Engagement initiative. Recognized as a global leader and ranked 16th for the employability of its graduates, the UA is also a leader in research, bringing more than $622 million in research investment each year, and ranking 21st among all public universities. The UA is advancing the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships and is a member of the Association of American Universities, the 62 leading public and private research universities. It benefits the state with an estimated economic impact of $8.3 billion annually.  https://www.arizona.edu

 

 

Exceptional Leadership Begins in Your Community

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We love our community. We have established a meaningful history in Scottsdale, Arizona, and we enjoy giving back where our Interface family began and thrives today. Because of our sentimental connection to our community, we strive to be exceptional stewards in our neighborhood.

Throughout the year, we team up several times as a company to participate in community events and volunteering opportunities to do good. It is central to our culture and an example of our core leadership principles. Our employees demonstrate impeccable pride in their service to others because they see the difference they make for their neighbors. They gravitate toward helping others.

Interface’s development of various community initiatives has seen team members show exceptional passion for serving younger generations.  As a result, most of our social impact initiatives at Interface focus on helping children and teens.

“At Interface, social impact is more than a day of service, it’s ingrained in our company culture.” Lilian Gaithe, CHRO at Interface

Each year, we collect backpacks and school supplies for foster children in Arizona. Employees donate essential goods like pens, paper, notebooks and glue for different age groups. After the donations are collected, the team chooses a day to fill the backpacks.

Interface also organizes an annual Christmas Angels program where employees donate gifts for children of all ages. Participation never fails to exceed expectations, and our employees always go above and beyond for children in the program. Because of the success of our backpack and Christmas Angel programs, we plan to initiate a new community program this year to provide pajamas to kids in need.

In addition to our giving initiatives, Interface is partnering with local schools to make STEM education more accessible. Since we are an organization with expertise in technology and engineering, we are going to volunteer time to teach grade school children the basics of robotics. Our goal is to guide students into competing in state-wide robotics competitions, in the hopes they will want to continue their STEM education throughout their high school years and beyond. Perhaps they will even join our Interface team in our 2nd 50, as we just started our 51st year in business as the leaders in force measurement solutions.

Our community service initiatives provide us with the indelible opportunity to see the human side of our employees.  We couldn’t be more thankful to serve our community as a team. By focusing our efforts on children, we’ve fostered an internal community at Interface with an unwavering passion to make a difference.