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Metrologists and Calibration Technicians 101

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Interface works with metrologists and calibration technicians worldwide. We are a partner, supplier of calibration grade products they use, and participants in research to advance the science of measurement. We are also proud team members with experienced experts in measurement, including our esteemed force measurement engineers and calibration technicians at Interface.

By simple definition, a metrologist is a scientist who researches and applies the science of measurement. Working in the field of metrology, they often create processes and engineer tools and systems used to measure objects, such as load cell calibration tools used to accurately to measure applied force.

Engineers and technicians work in collaboration with metrologists in the design of products and devices used for measuring objects. Metrologists are keen to maintain the accuracy standards of measurements for organizations, product makers, and manufacturers of measurement devices.

Metrologists practice their expertise in test and measurement at manufacturing facilities, corporate R&D centers, independent test and calibration labs, government entities and standards organizations, as well as at higher learning institutions. The range of industries that utilize metrologists spans from aerospace to medical sciences. It is commonplace for metrologists to participate in research, product design, testing, and repair of equipment.

To preserve accuracy of performance and standards of measurement, metrologists develop calibration procedures to control performance of devices. They use these techniques to also identify enhancements and continuous improvement initiatives. Metrology professionals often share their findings with metrologist groups and associations, for purposes of scientific research and development within the field of measurement science. NIST publishes reports related to metrology from contributors around the world. You can find thousands of reports here.

Calibration technicians calibrate test and measurement equipment, as well as provide quality inspection, installation, troubleshooting support, and regular maintenance. Cal techs operate the machines used to validate performance, then report on the findings.

A calibration technician can work in production or manufacturing environments, onsite calibration labs, or for independent labs that provide services to users and makers of measurement devices. It is quite common to find calibration labs staffed with experience technicians as a part of a manufacturer’s facility, across most industries. Depending on the size of the manufacturer, this could include a small in-house lab or multiple lab sites. These labs are stocked with a variety of sensors, rigs, machines, and tools. As noted by many of our representative firms and onsite customer visits, they often will find shelves of blue load cells ready for use at any time for test and measurement projects and calibration services.

Interface supplies calibration labs with all types of measurement calibration grade transducers and equipment, including:

Calibration technicians work with various testing and calibrating tools and technologies. The role requires a mix of expertise in the science and application of measurement. Interface has multiple onsite calibration labs with full testing rigs, machines, operating tools, instrumentation, and software used for tracking performance. Interface does calibrate every product we manufacture, to certify performance prior to releasing to the customer.

Interface Services Calibration Technicians operate within our Services Calibration and Repair Department at our Interface production facilities in Arizona. They provide services for Interface products for annual and regular calibration check-ups, as well as diagnostic, repair, and warranty evaluations. Interface recommends annual calibration services. If you need to schedule a service, go here.

Technicians perform calibrations and any additional needed services for customer owned equipment, works with quality and inspection managers to maintain the proper records within the services process application. They ensure that the measurements taken with our equipment are accurate. Interface calibration techs work on multiple shifts for a 24/6 operation. Interface is adding qualified technicians to our team to meet the demands in production and services.

Calibration technicians perform inspection, testing and validation to ensure conformance to established accuracy and calibration standards. They also help to create calibration procedures and help n sourcing errors or quality issues reported during calibration activities.

Requirements for Interface Calibration Technicians include:

  • Perform basic to mid-range diagnostics of force measurement equipment
  • Work collaboratively in a team environment to complete discrete tasks
  • Print and Review Calibration Certificates Competencies
  • Able to use fine motor skills to calibrate product
  • Able to work with hand and power tools, lifts, electronic test equipment, soldering and indicators
  • Understands industry and quality concepts and standards such as ISO, A2LA, NIST
  • Offers suggestions and improvements as they see them
  • Organize and schedule work in progress
  • Experience in calibration technology, science, engineering, or a related field

You can apply for positions Interface Calibration Technician jobs here.

For metrologists and calibration technicians, quality and control require strict adherence to ensure that the products and equipment are performing properly. As measurement is exact, both are responsible for performing routine audits and quality inspections to maintain compliance with good calibration practices.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Regular Calibration Service Maintains Load Cell Accuracy

Top Five Reasons Why Calibration Matters

Shunt Calibration 101

Extending Transducer Calibration Range by Extrapolation

Strain Gage Design Under Eccentric Load WRSGC Presentation

Specifying Accuracy Requirements When Selecting Load Cells

 

Faces of Interface Special Edition Featuring Human Resources

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We have a special edition of Faces of Interface featuring our Human Resources team members. As a people-centric organization, our HR team is instrumental in creating our culture and bringing us all together to meet the needs of our customers.

Our vision, mission and purpose are solidified by the work of our HR team. Core to our tremendous growth, is a team of people committed to ensuring from day one our team members have the resources and support they need to get the job done.

As with all things related to people, change is constant. That is why our HR team has spent the last few years upgrading our employee experience and HR processes. As a 54-year-old company, the HR team continually evaluates where we can effect change and positive outcomes. There are some original processes that have withstood the test of time and some that need constant refreshing. It is the focus of our team members in the HR department that are putting those plans into action.

Some instrumentation changes our HR leadership have deployed includes updating Interface’s leadership development programs, revamping performance reviews for production employees, and renewing employee recognition programs.

From a recruiting standpoint, the team has implemented a new training program in the critical onboarding process. Benefits have changed as well, including a brand-new benefits package introduced this year to all team members. The HR team designs and orchestrates these changes to maintain Interface’s efficiency in the recruiting process and improving retention to keep the company’s growing and experienced staff together, so everyone that interacts with Interface benefits.

Our team members in the HR department are excited with these changes and look forward to how the new recruitment strategy, as well as the new employee benefits and recognition programs demonstrate Interface’s commitment to the team members, our value chain and represent us as one of Arizona’s best places to work.

Get To Know Our HR Team Member Gabby Simpson

Gabby has lived in Arizona all her life, growing up in Scottsdale and raising her family here. She worked in property management when she initially met Interface, as she helped to work on our expansion in the early 2010s. She joined us in 2014 to help assist with the HR, accounting, and our sales department for three years. In 2017, she got back into real estate doing HR for a brokerage firm while also selling homes as an agent.

We are thrilled that Gabby rejoined Interface after she stopped by to say hello to some old work friends, and we presented her the opportunity to join our HR team. She mentioned that she loved the company and the people, so she was excited for the opportunity to return.

In Gabby’s role as HR Administrator, she helps to facilitate employee needs regarding benefits, payroll, and daily support. She is also part of Interface’s Navigators. This group of peers works to offer ideas for process improvements that help Interface become more efficient and innovative.

Our HR team plays a crucial role in improving the people side of Interface. From process to engagement, our HR is key to accounting for the company’s continued growth.

If you are interested in joining your team, please go to our online to apply for open positions.

Interface Announces Hiring Push to Meet Growing Demands for Products

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In recent news, Interface shared our plans to add 25% additional team members to support the growth and demands for our products and services. The company released an announcement that we are adding several new jobs to maintain our market position as the world’s trusted leader in technology, design, and manufacturing of force measurement solutions.

The current plans include hiring up to 50 new Arizona-based staff members by the end of 2021. The open jobs include positions in operations for machinists, calibration and soldering technicians, as well as professional opportunities in engineering, finance, customer service and support roles.

Interested applicants that want to join our team working at the headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona, can apply on the Interface career page.

“Despite disruptions caused by the pandemic in 2020, we continued to meet our customers’ product needs, as well as launch new solutions and expand our manufacturing and global sales,” said Greg Adams, CEO, Interface. “As a result of our steadfast focus in managing through this unprecedented time, we created innovative ways to grow our product lines and internal capacities to deliver best in class measurement solutions. I am proud of the 53-year legacy that Interface has built in quality, accuracy, and reliability and we are excited to expand our team to meet the growing immediate demands and new opportunities on the horizon.”

Interface provides test and measurement solutions to the aerospace, automotive, energy, industrial automation, infrastructure, agriculture, and medical industries. Interface standard and custom OEM products can measure from grams to millions of pounds in hundreds of models and physical sizes. Interface has been operating in Arizona since 1968.

“At Interface, culture is incredibly important, and we pride ourselves on being a diverse and driven team of experts across multiple functions,” said Lilian Gaithe, CHRO. “Our people are passionate, curious, agile and engaging. We are looking for more than just the right skill set, we are looking for the right team to help take Interface to the next level.”

Read the entire news release here.

Robotics and Automation are Changing Modern Manufacturing at Interface

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As the leader in manufacturing force measurement solutions for more than 51 years, the day of carrying out monotonous tasks on the manufacturing line by hand is a history not worth repeating.

Innovation is a core value at Interface. It is essential in helping us advance and grow our production experience and responsiveness to our customer’s advanced application use of our load cells, torque transducers, and thousands of other products that we manufacture.

Continuous Improvement SME Lance Gerdes shares his insight into how a focus on innovation is leading to the introduction of automation tools and robotics onto the manufacturing floor at Interface’s 50,000 square foot headquarters in Arizona.

It is difficult to look back fondly on the days that lacked automation of production line tasks. Line work was straining and tedious during those days, as most technicians would agree. Fast-forward to today, companies who are incorporating new technology are typically experiencing process improvements, increased efficiency, reduced overhead, improved quality output and better run facilities overall.

Results speak for themselves. Manufacturing facilities equipped with automation can significantly reduce time spent on repetitive work, freeing up time for technicians to focus on other areas that advance production and get products to market.

Interface recently invested in a line of collaborative robots to upgrade our facilities. With responsibility for the specialized 1923 Wireless Load Cell product line at Interface, looking back there are many of the typical tasks our technicians used to carry out that involved full days of certain repetitive tasks by hand. The days where my technicians were forced to focus on these tasks represented a significant barrier to peak productivity. Times have changed and so has Interface!

Today with the introduction of automation, we are operating more efficiently than in those dark ages without robotics. We are using collaborative robots to handle tasks, including the application of RTV, which is a silicone sealant used on load cells to protect them from environmental factors. In the past, the technician would be responsible for applying this adhesive in addition to hand-tooling. By automating the adhesive step of this task, those technicians are averaging 50% more efficiency in their workflow.

“Robotics used to facilitate automation is a “must-have” addition to every manufacturing floor.” Lance Gerdes

The return on investment is easily achievable in a year or less. Interface has seen as high as a 15% production increases across the board. As a champion of continuous improvements in our manufacturing, I am excited to see our production results. This success is now leading us to look into more tasks that can be automated using collaborative robotics.

One concern regarding the rise of robotics in the industrial sector we constantly get questions about is the use of robotics as a replacement for our human workforce. This could not be further from the truth at Interface. If anything, robotics will eventually increase the skill set of our current technicians and open up new job openings for Interface as we grow. As we get more advanced collaborative robotics integrated into our work, it improves our capabilities. We will need operators for this automation equipment. And, as we become more efficient and increase profit margins, we’ll have the capacity to grow Interface’s products and services. A win for more jobs, more solutions, and more happy customers!

Robotics and automation are changing the way manufacturing floors operate for the better. At Interface, we look forward to researching and applying new ways that each department can implement automation and robotics technology.

Contributor:  Lance Gerdes, Continuous Improvement SME, Interface

More than half of Interface’s team members work in production. The average tenure for our team is nearly a decade. Our diverse talent in skill and capabilities serve more than 4,500 global customers in various markets each year. For more detailed insights on the inner-working of the Interface manufacturing floor, Interface’s revolutionary products and profiles on our excellent team subscribe to the InterfaceIQ blog.