In the whirlwind of daily activities, from calibrating load cells to machining a flexure, Interface wants to take a minute from the hustle to express our unwavering gratitude. For 55 years, thousands upon thousands have graced our path. Everyone that we have encountered in this journey makes an impact. We learn from you. You inspire us. Your success drives us.
At Interface, we believe that gratitude is more than a polite gesture. It’s a powerful force that can transform our lives and our world.
We want to take a moment to express our tremendous gratitude to our incredible test and measurement community. To our customers, partners, suppliers, representatives, team members, and extended Interface family, we say thank you.
As an expression of giving thanks, we came up with a list of why we are so thankful today and every day. We selected these as our 10 reasons to say thanks out of the hundreds of expressions.
1. For letting us be part of your test and measurement plan
2. For putting your trust in our products and services
3. For sharing your feedback and insights
4. For helping us create solutions that truly matter to you
5. For challenging us to improve constantly
6. For providing different perspectives and experiences, which makes Interface a truly vibrant and innovative company
7. For an unwavering dedication and commitment to requiring accuracy and quality
8. For asking questions and seeking answers to ensure we provide the right support
9. For working together to find the best solutions
10. For being a part of the Interface extended family
There are a thousand more reasons and expressions. Ultimately, it’s simply two words for us: thank you. You are the driving force behind our success, and we are deeply grateful for every one of you.
We are in a perpetual cycle to learn and do what matters most. This past month, we asked how to help improve our semi-annual customer survey. It is through this and our ongoing conversations that we get valuable information on how to best be of service to you. We did learn some interesting bits of information. The overwhelming majority of our customers are engineers and technicians. About 10% are metrologists. In the survey, you let us know the most important online resources are our specification datasheets, troubleshooting resources, and technical library. Here is a quick list based on the Interface Fall 2023 Survey feedback.
CUSTOMER PICKS FOR TOP 10 INTERFACE ONLINE RESOURCES
Specifications: Visit the product page to retrieve the specification datasheet. To learn more about specifications, go here.
Product Design Files – Every product has a downloadable STEP file. If you need help, request a CAD file here.
We will be closed for Thanksgiving and the day that follows. In celebration of our upcoming holiday, we will continue to reflect on ways we can continue to say thanks.
With gratitude, The Interface Team
https://www.interfaceforce.com/wp-content/uploads/thank-you.png800800Jamie Glass/wp-content/uploads/Interface_White_Red.svgJamie Glass2023-11-20 08:08:012023-11-20 14:41:37Giving Thanks to You
As the use of robotics expands across industries and the types of robotic motions grow in complexity, advanced testing using quality measurement solutions is essential. Contact momentum and gross measurements of indicators are not enough for sophisticated robotics. With the requirements for robots and cobots to have fluid and inertial movement capabilities, control and feedback demand maximized feedback and resolution.
Related to the testing of inertia, load shifting, and interaction, is defining the center of gravity for robots’ actions and applications. The center of gravity (CoG) of a robotic system is a critical factor in its stability and performance.
The CoG is the point at which the entire weight of the system is evenly distributed. If the CoG is not properly located, the system may be unstable and prone to tipping over, which could damage the robot.
For any robotic application that deploys advanced mobility features, the center of gravity can affect the way the system moves. It can also impact the exactness of its movements. Thus, it is essential to use measurement solutions that are highly precise. See: Advancements in Robotics and Cobots Using Interface Sensors.
Why Robotic Engineers Care About CoG Testing
Stability: The CoG is a major factor in determining the stability of a robot. If the CoG is not properly located, the robot may be unstable and prone to tipping over. This can be a safety hazard, and it can also damage the robot. It is an expensive mistake to not have stability proven before moving forward with the design.
Performance: The CoG can also affect the performance of a robot. If the CoG is located too high, the robot may be less maneuverable. If the CoG is located too low, the robot may be less stable. By optimizing the CoG, robotic engineers can improve the performance of the robot and use for actions that rely on exact movement.
Safety: In some industries, such as manufacturing, medical and aerospace, there are safety regulations that require robots to have a certain CoG. For example, in the automotive industry, robots that are used to weld cars must have a CoG that is below a certain point. By testing the CoG of their robots, robotic engineers can ensure that they are meeting safety regulations.
There are different methods for determining the CoG of a robotic system. One common method is to use strain gage load cells. Not all load cells are designed for precision measurement. Interface specializes in precision. Center of gravity testing demands strict measurement. For example, Interface compression load cells are often used in center of gravity testing for robotics because they are very accurate and can measure remarkably small forces.
Interface load cells measure force, and they can be used to determine the weight of a system at different points. By measuring the weight of a system at different points, it is possible to calculate the location of the CoG.
Interface load cells used for center of gravity testing are typically in our miniature load cell line, due to the size of the installation and testing environment. Miniature load cells are easily embedded into robotics, as well as can be used for continuous monitoring.
Surgical Robotic Haptic Force and CoG
Robots used for surgery often utilize haptic force feedback for ensuring that the surgeon does not apply too much force, creating harm or greater impact on the patient. Haptic is the use of force, vibration, or other tactile stimuli to create the sensation of touch. In the context of invasive surgery, haptic force feedback from robotics is used to provide the surgeon with feedback about the forces they are applying to the patient’s tissue. CoG testing can help to prevent the robotic arm from tipping over during surgery.
CoG testing is important for haptic force feedback in invasive surgery because it ensures that the robotic arm is stable and does not tip over during surgery. The CoG is the point at which the entire weight of the robotic arm is evenly distributed. If the CoG is not properly located, the robotic arm may be unstable and prone to tipping over. This can be a safety hazard for the surgeon and the patient.
CoG testing is also used to optimize the design of the robotic arm for haptic force feedback. CoG testing using precision load cells can verify the performance of the robotic arm in haptic force feedback applications. After the robotic arm has been designed and optimized, CoG can ensure that the robotic arm is able to provide the surgeon with the feedback they need to perform surgery safely and accurately.
Robotic Center of Gravity on Production Line
A company is developing a new robotic arm that will be used to simulate human behavior on a manufacturing product line. The robotic arm will be used to pick and place products, and it is important that the arm is stable and does not tip over. To ensure the stability of the robotic arm, the company needs to determine the CoG of the arm. The load cell is placed on the arm, and the arm will be moved through a range of motions. The data from the load cell will be used to calculate the CoG of the arm.
CoG Testing and Multi-Axis Sensors
Multi-axis load cells are growing in use for robotics testing to provide data across 2, 3 or 6 axes at any given time. These high functioning sensors are ideal for robotic tests where there are simulations of human behaviors. This is detailed in Using Multi-Axis Sensors to Bring Robotics to Life.
To perform CoG testing using precision load cells, a robotic system can be placed on a platform that is supported by the load cells. We call these force plates. The load cells measure the weight of the system at different points, and the data is then used to calculate the location of the CoG. Visit our 6-Axis Force Plate Robotic Arm application note to learn more about force plates and multi-axis sensors.
Benefits Of Using Precision Load Cells for CoG Testing:
Interface precision load cells provide advanced sensors functional beyond contact and simple indicator measurement, to maximize robotic feedback and optimize performance.
Interface precision load cells can provide accurate measurements of the weight of a robotic system at different points.
Interface precision load cells are repeatable and dependable, which means that the results of CoG testing are consistent when testing robots and cobots.
Interface precision load cells are easy to use, which makes them a practical option for CoG testing and integration into the actual robot.
First, the miniature load cell is small and lightweight, which makes it easy to attach to the robotic arm. Second, the load cell is designed for precision measurement, which ensures that the CoG of the arm is accurately determined. Third, the quality of Interface precision load cells provides repeatable and dependable measurement, which means that the results of CoG testing are consistent.
Using a miniature load cell of high accuracy is a valuable way to test the CoG of a robot used to simulate human behavior on a product line. This ensures that the robot is stable and does not tip over, which is critical for safety and efficiency.
In addition to testing the CoG of a robotic arm, other tests for these types of robotics include the weight of the arm, the distribution of the weight of the arm, and the friction between the arm and the surface it is moving on. By considering these factors, it is possible to accurately determine the CoG of a robotic arm and ensure that it is stable and safe to operate.
There are many factors that can affect the accuracy of CoG testing using load cells, including the design, capacity and range of measurement of the load cells, the stability of the platform, and the distribution of the weight of the system.
CoG testing is an important part of the design and development of robotic systems. By determining the CoG of a system, it is possible to improve its stability and performance. If you are interested in learning more about CoG testing using Interface precision load cells, please contact us.
Interface recently conducted our semi-annual customer survey. We appreciate everyone that took time to share their experience based on collaborating with us over the past year. We prioritize all the individual and collective input and share all feedback and results across our entire company. Customer experience is a top initiative at Interface, and direct feedback is a critical measure of how we are doing to meet and hopefully exceed expectations.
We asked six questions in the latest survey to gather valuable insight and feedback about products, vendor selection, lead times and overall satisfaction. For four years, we have asked the most popular and standard question that measures customer satisfaction and reliability across all industries, “How likely are you to refer Interface to a friend or colleague.”
The importance of this question is to measure consistency. The responses to this question tell us how we are performing based on customer loyalty and brand recognition. The results of how people answer this question produce what is known as a Net Promoter Score (NPS). For this past survey, this question resulted in a +52 NPS. We are incredibly pleased to learn that the majority of respondents did select 10, on a scale of 0-10. We value the confidence.
Our trend for the past eight NPS surveys tells us that we are consistent in how we are operating as a company based on the feedback from our customers. Interface remains in the higher rankings of a NPS, where top performing companies are above +30. Most respondents also selected they were “exceedingly satisfied” with Interface when we asked, “How satisfied are you with Interface and your customer experience?“ to measure overall customer satisfaction. What we also learn in every survey that is there is always room to improve. As a customer-centric company, we are equally focused on being quality-driven as a precision manufacturer of force measurement solutions on which you can depend for accuracy and quality.
We also asked a question related to lead times on products. We learned that the faster we can deliver the products you need, the better. This is helpful as we plan our production for 2023 and beyond. We’ve been manufacturing more of our standard load cell product inventory for availability in our QuickShip48 program. The QS48 program is an online ordering program that guarantees delivery within 48 business hours. We are continually growing stock of these products that do not require any customization. Be sure to check out the QS48 products available here.
Our team also asked the Fall 2022 Customer Satisfaction Survey respondents to tell us what criteria they use for selecting a force measurement product and service company. We asked, “What factors help you decide to continue using Interface as a supplier of force measurement solutions? Here are the top five selected category responses:
#1 – Quality of Products
#2 – Accuracy Specifications of Measurement Devices
#3 – Past Buying Experiences (Relationship)
#4 – Services
#5 – Breadth of Product Offering
The other selections included: Customization and Modification of Products, Convenience, Lead Times, Product Fit and Test & Measurement Expertise.
Customer experience matters to us. We do value all the input and will use this direct feedback to measure how we do in growing your loyalty and satisfaction in 2023 and beyond.
https://www.interfaceforce.com/wp-content/uploads/survey.jpg800800Jamie Glass/wp-content/uploads/Interface_White_Red.svgJamie Glass2022-12-16 14:17:092022-12-16 14:17:09Interface Fall 2022 Customer Survey Results
Interface is committed to listening, learning, and sharing. It is embedded in our mission to go above and beyond to attract and retain customers, invest in our team members, foster innovation, strengthen our brand, and create a partnering and thriving environment.
One of the tools we use to gather feedback is through our semi-annual customer surveys. It is a formal process where we reach out to our customers to ask for their opinions, ideas, and suggestions for improvement. Though this only one of the tools we use, we also gather feedback through our team members and customer interactions every day. As an organization and throughout our global sales network, we value every response and shared experience. It helps inform our team members and provide us with insight into what matters most to our customers.
In our most recent Customer Satisfaction and NPS Survey, conducted throughout April 2022, we asked five questions. The first question, known as Net Promoter Score® identifier, we asked customers How likely is it that you would recommend Interface to a friend or colleague? They were able to select 0-10, with 10 being extremely likely and 0 not at all likely. The percentage of people that answer with a 9 or 10, are considered promoters. Responses that are 6 or less are considered detractors. The NPS rating is decided by the percentage of promoters minus the percentage of detractors. This is how you calculate an NPS rating.
We are incredibly pleased to announce that our NPS rating in April 2022 is +54. According to the creator of the NPS, the average company scores less than +10 on the NPS, while the highest performing organizations are between +50 and +80. These values vary considerably from sector to sector and from culture to culture. Interface recognizes the importance of our customer input through this question and though we have ranked in the highest performing category in six surveys, we do take this as a measure that offers opportunity to continuously improve to exceed expectations.
Additional Spring 2022 Questions
Where do you go to get your technical questions answered related to Interface products or use requirements? We want to ensure we are supplying valuable support resources, so this is an informative question. We learned that most responders either contact Interface directly (41%) or reach out to their local representative (44%). Here are resources that responders use for Interface Technical Support:
How much do disruptions across the global supply chain influence your purchasing decisions today? Interface understands that there are challenges across the entire global supply chain for all industries. It is important that we recognize how this can affect our buyer’s experience. It’s clear that this a concern for most of our customers, with more than 70% stating there are moderately to very concerned and taking actions for advanced planning. Our team members are here to assist with longer planning cycles and help in meeting your future demands.
How satisfied are you with Interface and your customer experience? (5=Extremely Satisfied, 1=Very Unsatisfied) This important customer satisfaction survey helps us to understand how we are doing overall in meeting expectations. With 93% rating they are satisfied and a remarkable 50% saying they are extremely satisfied; we are pleased and optimistic there is opportunity ahead.
What can Interface do that will improve your overall satisfaction with our products or services? Our favorite part of our semi-annual survey is to listen to your ideas, suggestions, and concerns. Every person in our company reviews this feedback. It is that important to us. We want to know what we can do to ensure you get what you need, you are supported, and you find your experience with Interface best-in-class.
We want to thank you for everyone that provided this valuable feedback. It matters.
Most of all, thank you for trusting Interface. We take that responsibility seriously and appreciate you taking time to give us feedback. This survey is an important part of our process; however, it is a floor rather than a ceiling on customer input. We are always happy to receive your observations and suggestions at any time. – Greg Adams, CEO at Interface
We are fully committed to not just listening but applying what we learn. It is an initiative that permeates every part of our company, as customer experience is a team effort. Proven throughout our history starting way back in 1968, our customers define our success and how we meet their expectations is what we work on every day.
If you would like to share your experience, do not wait for a survey. Contact us, we are here to listen.
https://www.interfaceforce.com/wp-content/uploads/2022-CSAT-NPS.jpg800800Jamie Glass/wp-content/uploads/Interface_White_Red.svgJamie Glass2022-05-03 09:53:522022-05-03 09:53:52Results of April 2022 Customer Satisfaction Survey
Two times a year, Interface conducts our formal Interface Customer Satisfaction Survey. The survey is sent to valued customers and partners to listen and learn. The results allows us to prioritize feedback on how we can continuously improve.
It is paramount to Interface that as we engineer and build the world’s leading force measurement solutions, we earn our customer’s confidence by providing high quality products and an exceptional customer experience. To sustain that focus, we have committed to engaging with and learning from all those that depend on us.
Our Fall 2020 Interface Customer Satisfaction Survey concluded in October. It consisted of four questions to gather customer insights, and one question to measure our execution by a Net Promoter® Score (NPS).
The NPS rating is drawn from responses to the question, “How likely is it that you would recommend Interface to a friend or colleague?”Fred Reichheld, the creator of NPS, developed this methodology that uses a single question to drive customer-centric focus within organizations. According to global benchmark data, using NPS data and compiled by SurveyMonkey from more than 150,000 organizations, the average score is +32.
Interface’s NPS score in the Fall 2020 Customer Satisfaction Survey is +62, qualifying us as a top performing company based on the survey responses. Though this gives us great confidence, it does mean we have room to improve. Our average score from this recent survey is 8.9, with most respondents indicating they are extremely likely to recommend Interface products and services to a friend or colleague.
We also asked, “How are we doing?” Of those that participated in the survey, 90% said excellent or better than average. We were also able to gather ideas and suggestions on areas where we can exceed expectations.
It was important for us to learn what types of value-added services are important to our customers. We asked, “What types of extended services can interface offer to improve your experience?” Expedited calibration services and technical product information ranked first and second in all responses, followed by live and real-time technical support services. As is expected with the growing use of the internet, online ordering, product availability and shipment tracking were top requests. This customer intelligence helps Interface prioritize current and future service offerings.
Living in our new normal, we also wanted to know, “Have you changed your testing, design, or development plans for 2020-2021 due to the pandemic?” We learned that only 15% said it had changed their plans.
All feedback is important to us. Thank you to all those that shared their experience and provided valuable feedback. If you would like to share information with us about your buying experience, you can always contact us directly at 480-948-5555, or through our website at https://www.interfaceforce.com.
https://www.interfaceforce.com/wp-content/uploads/CSAT-2020-1.jpg800800Brian Johnson/wp-content/uploads/Interface_White_Red.svgBrian Johnson2020-10-22 15:00:492020-10-22 15:00:49Interface Customer Satisfaction Survey Results for October 2020
Interface is well-known for our force measurement expertise. We work hard to earn our customer’s trust by delivering exceptional products and services.
We are also obsessed about customer experience, with a focus on delivering force measurement solutions that exceed expectations in quality, accuracy, and reliability. Precision in all areas of our business is core to who we are today and helped us navigate our business since our founding in 1968.
What helps us maintain our customer-centricity and innovative concentration is our commitment to listen. We constantly look for opportunities to learn from our valued customers, distributors, and representatives about their unique applications. In our pursuit to gather this direct feedback, we recently conducted our semi-annual Interface Customer Satisfaction Survey. It consisted of four questions to help us gather market intelligence and customer insights, and one question to measure our performance by a Net Promoter® Score (NPS).
An NPS score can vary considerably from industry to industry. NPS is derived from responses to the question, how likely is it that you would recommend Interface to a friend or colleague? The NPS methodology is based on asking customers this single question to predict repurchase and referral, essentially measuring customer loyalty. According to Reichheld, the creator of NPS, the average American company scores a +10. He also suggests that the highest performing organizations typically score between +50 and +80 NPS.
Interface is a high performing organization by NPS standards. Interface’s NPS score for its Spring 2019 Customer Satisfaction Survey is +63.
The NPS scoring is based on a scale of 0-10 for how likely they would recommend us, zero being least likely and 10 being extremely likely. Our average score from this recent survey is 8.9, with the highest majority of respondents indicating they are extremely likely (10) to recommend Interface products and services to a friend or colleague.
In addition to the NPS question, we asked survey participants their top considerations when buying force measurement solutions. Quality ranked number one, followed closely by accuracy, and reliability. Customer service and technical support rounded out the top five considerations.
We also learned that more than 81% of our buyers will purchase force measurement products, services, or custom solutions in 2019.
We finished our survey with questions that provided valuable feedback about their experiences and expectations.
All feedback is important to us. If you are a customer and would like to share information with us about your buying experience, you can always contact us directly or complete our feedback survey here. If you would like to learn more about our customer satisfaction and NPS survey, please feel free to reach out to us directly at marketing@interfaceforce.com.
https://www.interfaceforce.com/wp-content/uploads/CSAT-Interface-1.png800800Brian Johnson/wp-content/uploads/Interface_White_Red.svgBrian Johnson2019-05-07 16:00:222021-10-14 12:29:47Interface Customer Satisfaction Survey and NPS Results for Spring 2019
We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking "Accept All Cookies", you consent to our use of cookies.
We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.
Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.
Essential Website Cookies
Essential Website Cookies
These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.
Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, you cannot refuse them without impacting how our site functions. You can block or delete them by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website.
Google Analytics Cookies
Google Analytics Cookies
These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.
If you do not want us to track your visit to our site, you can disable tracking in your browser here:
Other external services
Other external services
We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.
Google Webfont Settings:
Google Map Settings:
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
I agree to the terms and conditions laid out in the Privacy Policy
In the whirlwind of daily activities, from calibrating load cells to machining a flexure, Interface wants to take a minute from the hustle to express our unwavering gratitude. For 55 years, thousands upon thousands have graced our path. Everyone that we have encountered in this journey makes an impact. We learn from you. You inspire us. Your success drives us.
As the use of robotics expands across industries and the types of robotic motions grow in complexity, advanced testing using quality measurement solutions is essential. Contact momentum and gross measurements of indicators are not enough for sophisticated robotics. With the requirements for 
CoG Testing and Multi-Axis Sensors
Interface recently conducted our semi-annual customer survey. We appreciate everyone that took time to share their experience based on collaborating with us over the past year. We prioritize all the individual and collective input and share all feedback and results across our entire company. Customer experience is a top initiative at Interface, and direct feedback is a critical measure of how we are doing to meet and hopefully exceed expectations.
Interface is well-known for our force measurement expertise. We work hard to earn our customer’s trust by delivering exceptional products and services.
