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Trending at Interface

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As in years past, the Interface team looks at trends in what products caught the greatest interest of our customers, along with those that are top sellers throughout the year.

We’ve gathered our key findings based on searches and purchases by industry-leading engineers, product designers, testing labs, manufacturers and T&M pros using Interface solutions. Here is a summary of the trends over the past 12 months.

TRENDING PRODUCT CATEGORES IN 2020

#1 LOAD CELLS – There is no surprise that topping the 2020 list is what we are best known for, our precision load cells. When quality, accuracy, and reliability matter Interface Models 1000, 1100, 1500 and 1600 in various capacities ranked highest in interest. What’s the top seller? The 1200 Standard Precision LowProfile® Load Cell ranks number one, with the 1000 Fatigue Rated Load Cell in second place.

#2 TORQUE TRANSDUCERS – Torque is definitely trending, taking the number two spot. Hot picks are the MRT Miniature Flange Style Reaction Torque Transducer, T8, T25 and our proprietary AxialTQ. Read Torque 101 here.

#3 INSTRUMENTATION – One of the most popular adds to any purchase is instrumentation like the DMA2, SGA, 9320 or 9840.

#4 MULTI-AXIS SENSORS – Watch Dimensions of Multi-Axis Sensors to learn more about why multi-axis is trending, including the popular 3AXX 3-Axis Force Load Cell.

#5 MINIATURE LOAD CELLS – Interface’s expertise for engineering force measurement applies to a wide range of capacities and sizes, including Interface Mini best sellers: SSM and SSM2 Sealed S-Type Load Cells, SM-S Type and SMT Miniature Load Cells followed closely by MB, MBP, WMC Stainless Steel Miniature Load Cell and SMTM models.

#6 CALIBRATION SYSTEMS – These Interface systems are growing in popularity. Read why here.

#7 CALIBRATION SERVICES AND REPAIR ­­­– Our customers can depend on us for our services. Click here to request service today.

#8 DIGITAL INSTRUMENTATION – Interface has expanded our line of digital instrumentation based on growing demands. See what’s hot here, like our BX8.

#9 LOAD PINS, LOAD SHACKLES AND TENSION LINKS – A new entry to the trends list this year based on the high interest for these specialty products including the wireless options.

#10 LOAD BUTTON LOAD CELLS – Robotics, automation and testing in confined and compact spaces has raised greater interest in highly-accurate load button load cells, including our new ConvexBT and our popular LBM and LBS models.

Based on feedback and our analysis of trends, we know that getting exactly what you want is as important as the product category selection. Engineered to order, custom solutions and complete systems are rapidly growing in demand as Interface customers evaluate ways to embed sensor technologies into products or utilize advances sensor technologies, along with wireless and Bluetooth communication capabilities.

Take a look at why Interface Engineered to Order Solutions continue to be in high demand by helping our customers get exactly what they need.

Interface has played an important role in shaping the test and measurement industry and though we know our standard catalog is robust, we are always here to get the exact product for our customer’s exact requirements. How can we help you get what you want in 2021 and beyond?  Reach out and let’s start the conversation now.

Looking Forward to the New Year

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2020 has been a challenging year for most. Despite the disruption every person and industry has faced this past year, Interface continues to keep our eyes on the future. What can we do to meet our customer’s needs today and tomorrow?

One of the ways that Interface has accomplished this intense focal point is by setting our sights on the increasing number of requests for specific drawings and engineered to order force, torque, and specialized product lines. These requests provide us unique visibility in evolving product development concepts and the overall T&M landscape for the customers we serve.

Through Interface’s continued investments in R&D, analyzing the marketplace, and anticipating customer needs, we’ve identified key trends that we believe will have a significant positive impact in meeting our customer’s current requirements and preparing for future demands.

The first trend we see today is our customer’s increased focus on miniaturization. Innovation using sensor technologies continues to shrink in dimensions yet require the same or greater level of precision performance. We see this in all types of devices and hand-held technologies, industrial automation, robotics, as well as in automotive and consumer product inventions.

The trend towards miniaturization in the medical device industry has been happening for quite some time; however, the capabilities and precision requirements continue to become more stringent and demanding of higher levels of performance. For example, with trends in at-home care remote monitoring has caused medical device manufacturers to develop mobility for devices. They’re also taking diagnostic machines and turning them into a handheld version so doctors can administer medical tests quickly and efficiently at the point of care, rather than sending patients out of home for administering or tracking.

To address product development challenges related to devices that becoming more compact, Interface is engineering and manufacturing precision components that excel in confined space. We’ve already begun to address this in 2020 with the release of our ultra-precision ConvexBT™ Load Button Load Cells.

ConvexBT is a first of its kind load button load cell, providing better temperature resistance and more enhanced eccentric load rejection than other competitive products. For many years, miniature load cells categorized as load buttons have been sensitive to off-axis, eccentric or misaligned loads. This means if the load is not exactly perpendicular to the surface it is resting on, the data could become skewed or inaccurate. Interface designed the ConvexBT load button load cell to confine misaligned loads to the primary axis of the cell providing superior performance in comparison to similar products on the market. Read more about the product release here.

The next key trend we are prepared to address in 2021 and beyond is test and measurement systems that address complex and multi-dimensional testing requirements. Historically, load cells and torque transducers have addressed force, torque, and weight in a variety of single product groups. And these devices would be added to a test series with a host of other sensors or get multiple outputs through a variety of tests. More and more customers want measurement devices that include additional outputs from the sensors to account for things like acceleration, temperature, humidity, and more.

We see this in growing requests for adding accelerometers in our load cells and torque transducers. In industries like automotive, we often use a torque transducer to measure rotation with components like car engines and tires. By adding an accelerometer, the device can be used to measure both torque and acceleration. This addresses our customer’s desire to simplify their test process and it provides more data in a single test to expand use cases and applications.  As this desire for more data and fewer testing devices grows, Interface is continuing the expansion of engineered to order and customized load cells to allow for dual measurements in a single component.

This trend is closely related to the need for a complete system. Systems are often completely customized to a single project or program that provides the measurement device, instrumentation, cabling, and housing. These systems can also be mobilized with wireless components for field applications.  The group of custom solutions engineers have created multiple versions of these systems used in energy, aerospace, and T&M labs.

Despite the challenges of the last year, Interface is hyper-focused on innovation and the ability to address the evolving needs of our customers. If you want to measure it, then Interface is here to help you create the right solution to get exactly what is required for your invention, product improvement or test. How can we help you win in 2021?

Interface Launches Global G Series for International Markets

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Interface has launched a new international Mini™ Load Cell product line, the Global G Series, under it’s new product brand the Global Standard® Force Measurement.

The new miniature load cells were developed to meet the increasing demand for Interface high-precision, accurate and reliable force measurement solutions designed and manufactured in the International System of Units (SI), commonly known as the metric system.

The G Series debuts with Interface’s most popular Mini™ load cells, enabling international customers to purchase these Global Standard Force Measurement products through the company’s large network of distributors exclusively outside of the United States.

“The Interface brand is well-known worldwide for representing the premium standard for precision force and torque solutions. As demand for our products grew globally, we received many requests for SI-based designs of our load cells. We listened to our customers and are proud to launch our first G Series products that are the most popular miniature load cells used in aerospace and defense, automotive, medical and industrial automation industries worldwide.” ,” Greg Adams, CEO, Interface

Interface is manufacturing the Interface G Series lineup in the Asia-Pacific region, to provide customers with a near market advantage and access to the best force measurement solutions available today. Manufacturing these products near demand shortens the time and cost for customers to receive quality Interface products. Every product in the G Series has passed a rigorous Interface quality and engineering testing and calibration protocol to meet the highest in accuracy and quality standards.

The first release of G Series products available today through our global distributor network include:

  • GLBM Series Load Button Load Cells – The GLBM Series Load Button Load Cells are strain gage-based transducers with temperature compensation and excellent overall performance. This type provides a range of capacities up to 200kN with better than ±0.5% (full scale) non-linearity.
  • GSMTM Series Mini™ S-Beam Load Cell – The GSMTM Series Miniature S-Type Load Cells are a bi-directional aluminum strain gage-based transducer with high performance and built-in temperature compensation. This design provides better than ±0.1% (full scale) non-linearity and includes overload protection in both tension and compression directions.
  • GWMC Series Mini™ Threaded In-Line Load Cells (10kN – 50kN) -The GWMC Series Miniature Threaded In-Line Load Cells are strain gage-based transducers with temperature compensation and excellent overall performance. This type measures tensile and compressive loads up to 50kN with better than ±0.5% non-linearity.
  • GWMC Series Mini™ Threaded In-Line Load Cells (200N – 5000N) – The GWMC Series Miniature Threaded In-Line Load Cells are strain gage-based transducers with temperature compensation and excellent overall performance. This type measures tensile and compressive loads up to 5000N with better than ±0.25% non-linearity.

For more information about Interface Global Standard G Series solutions and to watch for new products for international markets, please visit www.interfaceforceglobal.com. Interface G Series products are not available for purchase in the United States.

 

Addressing Off-Axis Loads and Temperature Sensitive Applications

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As technology progresses, one of the main differences we see over years and years of iteration on a wide range of consumer and commercial technology is miniaturization. There are hundreds of thousands of examples of advancing technology that went from the room-size of a mainframe decades ago, to a handheld device today. As technology grows more compact and convenient, the equipment used to design, test and manufacture these devices has to follow suit.

This is one of the driving factors for Interface to increase the product types and capabilities in our Load Button Load Cells and Interface Mini Load Cell products. Interface’s Load Button Load Cells are designed for customers who require the measurement of forces in a very confined space. They provide the most accuracy in as little space as possible. Diameters range from 1 inch to 3 inches, with heights from 0.39 inch to 1.5 inches.

For many years, load button load cells have been sensitive to off-axis, eccentric or misaligned loads. This means that if the load is not exactly perpendicular to the surface it’s resting on, the data could become skewed or inaccurate. All on-axis load generates some level, no matter how small, of off-axis extraneous components. This can cause a variety of challenges including slight inaccuracies and reduction of the load cells overload capacity.

With Interface’s family of load button load cells, we bring premium accuracy and repeatability, even under eccentric angular loading. The shaped load button has a spherical radius to help confine misaligned loads to the primary axis of the cell. Our design engineers and force measurement experts have purposefully tested applications under a wide variety of load conditions to ensure that the our load button series can continue to deliver premium performance. We have been extremely pleased with the results and continue to advance our offerings, including the soon to be released precision focused ConvexBT load button load cells.

The load button load cells’ size has in the past precluded the use of internal temperature compensation. We have redesigned our ultra precision product line of load buttons to ensure that this is no longer something the user has to account for when testing a product in certain environmental conditions.

Interface engineers have eliminated this issue by taking the technology out of the load button load cells cable and designing it back into the product. This ensures that temperature-sensitive applications do not suffer from errors caused by the load cell being exposed to different environmental conditions than the cable.

These new features open new possibilities to test compression force on a broader range of products and environments. To learn more about our ultra precision Load Cell Load Buttons and how it can make a difference in your design and testing process when dealing with tight and confined spaces, contact our Application Engineer experts here.

To see the complete line of Load Button Load Cells, visit here.  Watch for the release announcement of our new ultra precision ConvexBT product coming out this month.

Contributors:  James Richardson, Interface Mechanical Engineering Manager and Ted Larson, VP Product Management and Marketing

Source:  Interface Load Cell Field Guide

 

Load Button Load Cells 101

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Manufactured devices, technology advancements and product designs are getting smaller and smaller as innovations demand less space to do more for their consumers. As engineers are designing products with miniaturized components, they also need high quality test and measurement solutions that produce accurate results within these smaller testing spaces.

Interface has created a series Load Button Load Cells to meet these exact requirements. These load buttons are designed and manufactured to specifically fit into small and confined spaces, providing the precision-based measurements as expected from larger load cells.

Interface Load Button Load Cells are compact strain gauge-based sensors used in a wide variety of applications, including test and measurement and for general measurement applications. Interface standard LBM and LBS Load Button Load Cells can fulfill the need for compression force measurements at a very respectable precision level for most applications.

Product diameters range from 1 inch to 3 inches, with heights from 0.39 inch to 1.5 inches. The shaped load button load cell has a spherical radius to help confine misaligned loads to the primary axis of the cell. And while these products are small, they are capable of measuring compression forces from 10 lbf all the way to 50,000 lbf. The spherical radius of our Load Cell Load Buttons also help to confine misaligned loads to the primary axis of the cell.

Interface Load Button Load Cells 

Interface’s Custom Solutions Team and Product Engineers can also help to design a specific size and capacity to fit our customer’s exact requirements. Let us know what you need by contacting us here.

Load Button Load Cells Functionality and Proper Use

Applications that use compression loads on load button load cells requires an understanding of the distribution of forces between surfaces of various shapes and finishes.

The first and most important rule is to always avoid applying a compression load flat-to-flat from a plate to the top surface of a load button hub. The reason for this is simple, it’s impossible to maintain two surfaces parallel enough to guarantee that the force will end up being centered on the primary axis of the load button load cell. Any slight misalignment, even by a few micro-inches, could move the contact point off to one edge of a hub, thus inducing a large moment into the measurement.

Minor misalignments merely shift the contact point slightly off the centerline. In addition to compensating for misalignment, the use of a load button load cell of the correct spherical radius is necessary to confine the stresses at the contact point within the limits of the materials. Generally, load button load cells and bearing plates are made from hardened tool steel, and the contacting surfaces are ground to a finish of 32µ inch RMS. If you use too small of a radius it will cause a failure of the material at the contact point, and a rough finish will result in galling and wear of the loading surfaces.

Interface Load Button Load Cells in the Real World 

The evolving world of technology and product design has created a high demand for these types of small and accurate testing equipment. Innovative industries are looking at new ways to fit more capabilities into a single device that is the same size or even smaller. OEM applications that require this type of testing equipment include medical devices, drones, industrial automation, packaging and robotics.

We have highlighted a few examples of how Interface Load Button Load Cells have been used in the medical industry to solve complex challenges related to measuring compression force in confined spaces.

Measuring Vascular Clamp Force

A customer in the medical industry wanted to test various types of vascular clamps to see which type would generate the best clamping force for surgery. Using a Model LBS Load Cell, the clamps were secured onto the compression button. A Model 9330 High Speed Data Logging Indicator provided compression force measurements and allowed the customer to determine the most appropriate clamp type. Read the full application use case here.

Optimizing Surgical Stapler Force

Another customer needed to optimize the design of their surgical stapler to make it easier and more efficient for a medical professional to use. The original equipment manufacturer mounted the surgical stapler onto a test rig to enable force verification, and then connected a Model LBMU Compression Load Cell Button to a Model 9890 Load Cell Indicator. The indicator would collect compression force data from the stapler, and that data was then analyzed to allow the OEM to determine the design changes needed to reduce the amount of force applied to use the stapler.  Learn more about this application here.

For more information on our expanding lineup of Load Button Load Cells, see the overview below. In addition, say tuned in to the IQ Blog for an exciting announcement about new Interface Load Button Load Cell technology.  Most standard Load Button Load Cells are available to ship within 2 business days. Contact us for more information or visit our QS48 now.

Click here to see the full line of Load Button Load Cells.