Interface ForceLeaders Summit 2024 in Arizona happens on Tuesday, January 16, Our force measurement solutions engineers and experts will share valuable tips and experience using load cells, torque transducers, multi-axis sensors, and advanced instrumentation. Register to join the live conversation, ask your questions, and learn from industry professionals. The event takes place at ASU SkySong.
As a trusted supplier to automotive testing labs and automakers of precision sensor technologies for force, torque, and weighing applications, the depth of our product line is vital to support research, testing, and innovation in the industry. In particular, there is a high increase in the use of Interface torque transducers for automotive test and measurement use cases.
We strive to provide the latest sensor technology to help our customers move at the pace of automotive innovation. Over the years, we have developed new products for testing and monitoring advancements in all vehicles and supporting R&D into new automotive types like electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous vehicles. Learn more in the case study: Accelerating Automotive Excellence with Interface Testing Lab Solutions.
Based on current demands for Interface measurement solutions, the auto industry is experiencing a high upsurge in using torque transducers. Specifically, EV manufacturers and parts makers are using torque measurement in testing the performance of electric motors and powertrains.
EVs have become a significant force and torque measurement sensor technology user, including our popular AxialTQ™ Rotary Torque Transducer product line. Many of our transducer models are also being used to test EV battery technology, including storage, capacity, and more.
Another growing use case requiring cutting-edge torque transducers is testing advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) performance. ADAS systems rely on various sensors, including our torque transducers, to measure and control the vehicle’s dynamics. In these use cases, automotive engineers rely on supreme accuracy due to the critical nature of this safety feature. These types of use cases are pushing the requirement for accuracy further.
Finally, our torque transducers are being used in experiential automotive technologies such as fully autonomous and driver-assisted vehicle innovations. The accuracy of measurement is instrumental in bringing these inventions to market. Size, weight, and power (SWaP) is also a premium factor in these types of sensors. As more and more sensor technology is added to autonomous vehicles, the sensors must become more compact and efficient.
Specific products that Interface is supplying for these types of testing programs include high-accuracy reaction and rotary torque transducer technologies. This includes more miniature lightweight torque transducers to make integrating into test machines, production lines, and vehicles easier. Our expansion of Interface Mini Torque Transducers is helping with this requirement. We also provide more wireless torque transducer capabilities, eliminating the need for cables and wires and making testing more convenient and efficient.
Use Interface’s Torque Transducer Selection Guide to find the right product for your application requirements. Join Interface at the next Automotive Testing Expo to see live demonstrations of Interface measurement solutions.
Tire Force And Moment Using Contactless Force and Torque Transducer
A tire production company wants to put their tires under a stress test. They want to research the dynamic control capabilities of their tires. They want to measure both the torque and lateral force of the tire. Interface suggests using the AT105 Contactless Force and Torque Transducer to measure the tire lateral force and torque. Torque and force results can be displayed and graphed when connected to the SI-USB4 4-Channel USB Interface Module. After conducting a stress test on their tires, the tire production company could record and log the measurements of the torque and lateral forces implemented on their tires. Read Tire Force and Moment App Note
Vacuum Testing Using Rotary Torque Testing to Optimize Automotive Performance
The vacuum pump in a car plays an integral part in several systems, such as power brakes, HVAC, and sometimes even in the turbocharger or emissions control systems. Its primary function is to create a vacuum or negative pressure within a specific system. A torque test needs to be performed to ensure it is performing correctly. Interface’s T2 Ultra Precision Shaft Style Rotary Torque Transducer with torque couplings can be attached to the vacuum pump during performance testing. It will measure the amount of torque that is being used on the pump’s motor or drive system. When connected to the customer’s computer, results can be displayed, recorded, and logged using the SI-USB4 4-Channel USB Interface Module. Read Vacuum Testing for Automotive Performance
Torque Measurement For Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicle manufacturers need a torque measurement system for motor testing. These motors run at significantly higher rotational speeds than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts and have much higher power densities due to their small size and lightweight. The system would be used to test the torque and speed of their electric motors to achieve and ensure optimum instant peak torque performance. Interface’s AxialTQ™ Wireless Rotary Torque Transducer is highly accurate with the highest quality torque measurement. This product comes with the AxialTQ™ Output Module and the provided AxialTQ™ Assistant software that can be installed on a test bench. Data results are calculated and collected in real time. Read Torque Measurement for Electric Vehicles App Note
Motor Test Stand Using Torque Transducer
In the quality control lab at a major automotive manufacturing company, a test engineer needed to test, record, and audit the torque produced by a new motor design under start load. Interface supplied our AAxialTQ™ Wireless Rotary Torque Transducer connected between the motor and the differential on the drive shaft that could measure and record these torque values. Based on the data collected using the AxialTQ, AxialTQ Output Module, and customer laptop, the Test Engineer recommended optimizing the torque of the new motor design.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Anniversary of Interface Miniature Torque Transducers
Fuel Pump Optimization and Rotary Torque
Choosing the Right Torque Transducer
A Comparison of Torque Measurement Systems White Paper
Advancing Auto Testing with Interface Measurement Solutions
Among the many highly regulated and incredibly complex industries, the medical industry is highly dependent on tools and resources that are precise and measure with high accuracy.
The medical industry is a broad, encompassing hospitals, medical professionals, payers, medical devices and pharmaceuticals. In each sector, Interface has a long history of providing precision measurement solutions for R&D, prototyping, testing, manufacturing, packaging and monitoring use.
In every use case, safety of patients and quality of products is predicated on extreme accurateness. Throughout a pharmaceutical product’s life cycle, specialized measurement equipment and sensor technologies are used by scientists, engineers, researchers, lab technicians, regulators, quality groups and manufacturers. These instruments are utilized in design and maintenance to provide unmistakable evidence of process quality and safety.
Medical and healthcare companies, including those specifically in pharmaceuticals, turn to Interface because our high accuracy force measurement solutions are designed for reliable performance test and measurement projects. The science used in the pharmaceutical industry depends on quality measurement of force and weight. Interface load cells are designed for these types of precise requirements. There is also tremendous demand for Interface’s ability to customize solutions that meet the exact measurement requirements of these sensitive applications. Visit our new Interface Pharmaceutical Industry Solutions.
Interface supports a range of pharmaceutical applications including:
Interface force measurement solutions are used for a variety of pharma-related products and machines that help biotechnology and pharmaceutical product engineers to design, test, and manufacture their products. When it comes to equipment used in the manufacturing of medicine, Interface products are used to optimize production and reduce waste. Our miniature load cells are often integrated into machines and equipment to provide precision measurements during operations.
Types of Interface Load Cells Used by Pharmaceutical Companies
Pharmaceutical Tablet Forming Machine Optimization
A pharmaceutical tablet producer wanted to monitor the forces applied by the tablet forming machine to understand the relationship between raw material, die set, forming force, and the motor’s cycle speed. The goal was to improve productivity and efficiency of the tablet forming process, while reducing losses such as cracked tablets or voids, by adding a dimension of feedback that could be used to assign specific press adjustment criterion for given inputs. An Interface WMC Sealed Stainless Steel Mini Load Cell (10K lbf Capacity) was mounted in the section of the downward press bar. The machine was modified to accomplish this. The load cell was then connected to a 9320 Portable Load Cell Indicator to collect the needed data. After analyzing the data, the tablet producer was able to quantify adjustment levels by monitoring which forces produced the most optimal results for a given cycle speed, die set, and raw material. Productivity and efficiency were greatly improved by the enhancement of the data feedback.
Tablet Hardness Testing for Pharmaceuticals
A pharmaceutical producer wanted to test and monitor the hardness of the pills being created in their tablet forming machine. Interface’s SML Low Height S-Type Load Cell was mounted to the hardness device inside the tablet forming machine. The SML Low Height S-Type Load Cell was then connected to the 9870 High-Speed High Performance TEDS Ready Indicator to record the force measurements. The tablet producer was able to verify and test the specific hardness needed for their tablets being produced by their tablet forming machine.
Pharmaceutical Tablet Machine Hardness Calibration
A customer wanted to regularly recalibrate tablet hardness testers. The customer needed a miniature load cell the size of a sugar cube that replaces the tablets and fits horizontally in the tablet test-box. Therefore, a special cable exit was important for the compression only calibration application. In the past, the machines had to be rebuilt for calibrations, or a complex mechanism had to be integrated to enable vertical calibration. However, Interface’s MCC Miniature Compression Load Cell measures forces on its side with a special cable exit on the flat side that attaches to the calibration indicator, such as the Interface handheld indicator and datalogger Model 9330. The MCC load-cell calibration set compared the applied forces with the hardness tester to make sure that the tablet hardness tester uses the correct force for future tablet hardness tests. The BlueDAQ software helped to log and compare the data of the MCC reference load cell. The customer successfully verified and calibrated the tablet hardness tester machine horizontally to conduct accurate hardness testing on tablets in the future. Interface’s MCC Miniature Compression Load Cell was perfect due to its small size, and convenient to measure the forces on its side.
Like medical devices, pharmaceutical machines and products must undergo a variety of mission-critical tests before they are safe for distribution to uses. Interface products are selected by the pharmaceutical industry is due to our product’s accuracy and reliability, in addition to our deep experience in supplying solutions to those in the medical business.
Pharmaceuticals_InfographicPosterADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Spotlighting Medical Device and Healthcare Solutions
Force Solutions for Medical Tablet Forming Machines
Interface Ensures Premium Accuracy and Reliability for Medical Applications
Interface Solutions for Medical Devices and Healthcare
Interface Solutions for Safety and Regulation Testing and Monitoring
Accuracy Matters for Weighing and Scales
Understanding GUM and adherence to good test and measurement practices are essential to minimize uncertainties and ensure reliable measurement results for every application.
In the context of test and measurement, GUM stands for Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement. The GUM is a widely recognized and internationally accepted document published by the Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology (JCGM), which provides guidelines for evaluating and expressing uncertainties in measurement results.
GUM establishes general rules for evaluating and expressing uncertainty in measurement that are intended to be applicable to a broad spectrum of measurements. A critical portion of any measurement process, the GUM outlines a thorough framework for uncertainty estimation. GUM defines terms and concepts related to uncertainty, describes methods for uncertainty calculation, and offers guidance for reporting and the documentation of uncertainties in measurement results.
The GUM provides a systematic approach to assess and quantify uncertainties by source, including equipment constraints, environmental conditions, calibration procedures, and human factors. The standards set by GUM emphasizes the need for considering and quantifying all substantial uncertainty components to ensure reliable and traceable measurement results.
By following the principles and guidelines outlined in the GUM, test and measurement professionals, metrologists, and scientists ensure standardized approach to uncertainty evaluation and reporting, facilitating comparability and consistency of measurement results across different laboratories and industries.
The uncertainty requirement varies for different use cases and industry applications. For example, for aerospace, defense, and medical devices there are strict uncertainty requirements compared to commercial scales or measurement tests that do not need precision accuracy.
When estimating uncertainty in load cell calibration, it is important to refer to the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM). The GUM provides a comprehensive framework with general rules for evaluating and expressing uncertainty in measurement. It serves as a guide applicable to a wide range of measurements, providing valuable guidance on uncertainty assessment in load cell calibration and other measurement processes.
In test labs that utilize load cells and torque transducers, the principles and guidelines GUM should be consistently applied to accurately evaluate and express uncertainties associated with the measurements obtained from these devices.
The application of GUM in test labs using load cells and torque transducers requires a thorough understanding of the measurement process, relevant standards, and calibration procedures. Read Understanding Uncertainty in Load Cell Calibration for more information.
Different considerations to measure uncertainty
GUM is used to identify and characterize uncertainty sources that can affect the measurements obtained from load cells and torque transducers. These sources may include calibration uncertainties, environmental conditions, electrical noise, stability of the test setup, and other relevant factors. Each of these sources should be quantified and considered in the uncertainty analysis.
Quantitative estimates of uncertainty component contributions to the overall uncertainty need to be determined. This can involve conducting experiments, performing calibration procedures, analyzing historical data, or utilizing manufacturer specifications to obtain uncertainty values for each component.
Once sources and estimates are complete, next step is to combine the individual uncertainty components using appropriate mathematical methods prescribed by the GUM. These methods include root-sum-of-squares (RSS), statistical analysis, and other relevant techniques. The aim is to obtain an overall estimate of uncertainty that accounts for the combined effects of all relevant sources.
The GUM provides guidelines on expressing uncertainties in measurement results. It emphasizes the use of confidence intervals, expanded uncertainty, and coverage factors. The uncertainty should be reported alongside the measurement values, indicating the level of confidence associated with the measurement. This allows the users of the measurement data to understand the reliability and accuracy of the obtained results.
For additional information about GUM, errors and setting an uncertainty budget, watch our webinar Accurate Report on Calibration. The video is set to start on the topic of Measurement Uncertainty.
It is essential to consider the specific uncertainty requirement of the application to ensure that the chosen force measurement device is appropriately calibrated for the project. This resource is a helpful recap: Specifying Accuracy Requirements When Selecting Load Cells.
In addition, understanding GUM, reducing uncertainty with regular calibration of testing devices and proper maintenance of the equipment go together with GUM.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Gold Standard® Calibration System
Accurate Report on Calibration
Load Cell Test Protocols and Calibrations
Regular Calibration Service Maintains Load Cell Accuracy
Signal conditioners are used in instrumentation, control systems, and measurement systems where accurate and reliable signal processing is a requirement. The purpose of a signal conditioner is to ensure that the electrical signal from a sensor is compatible with the input requirements of the subsequent signal processing equipment.
Primary features of signal conditioners include amplification, filtering, isolation, and linearization. It can perform various functions depending on the specific application and the type of signals.
Interface Signal Conditioners are used with a wide range of load cell and force measurement devices. Transducers convert force or weight into an electrical signal. The output signal of a load cell is typically in the form of a small electrical voltage that is proportional to the applied force.
Be sure to reference the Instrumentation Selection Guide to find instrumentation with signal conditioners that will best fit your force measurement application.
Amplification: Load cells produce small electrical signals, which may require amplification to bring them to a usable level. Signal conditioners can include built-in amplifiers that increase the magnitude of the load cell signal. This amplification helps to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and enhances the sensitivity of the system.
Filtering: Load cell signals can be affected by electrical noise or interference, which can degrade the accuracy of measurements. Signal conditioners often incorporate filtering capabilities to remove unwanted noise and interference from the load cell signal. This ensures that the signal is clean and reliable.
Excitation: Load cells require an excitation voltage or current to function properly. Signal conditioners provide a stable and regulated excitation source to power the load cell. This excitation voltage is typically supplied to the load cell through the signal conditioner, ensuring consistent and accurate measurements.
Calibration and Linearization: Load cells may exhibit nonlinear characteristics, meaning that the relationship between the applied force and the output voltage is not perfectly linear. Signal conditioners can include calibration and linearization algorithms to compensate for these nonlinearities. By applying appropriate mathematical adjustments, the signal conditioner can provide a linear output that accurately represents the applied force.
Signal Conversion: Load cell signals are typically analog voltages, but they may need to be converted to digital format for further processing or transmission. Some signal conditioners include analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) that convert the analog load cell signal into digital data, enabling it to be processed by digital systems.
Interface Top Signal ConditionersPRODUCT: DMA2 DIN RAIL MOUNT SIGNAL CONDITIONER
PRODUCT: SGA AC/DC POWERED SIGNAL CONDITIONER
PRODUCT: ISG ISOLATED DIN RAIL MOUNT SIGNAL CONDITIONER
PRODUCT: CSC and LCSC-OEM INLINE SIGNAL CONDITIONERS
PRODUCT: VSC2 Rugged Compact Vehicle Powered Signal Conditioner
Signal conditioners ensure that the load cell’s output is optimized for accuracy, stability, and compatibility with the measurement or control system. They help mitigate noise, amplify weak signals, provide excitation, and perform calibration and linearization to ensure precise and reliable measurements of force or weight.
Visit the Interface Instrumentation Selection Guide to see all the products available with signal conditioning functionality.
Watch this Testing Lab Essentials Webinar Part 3 to learn more about the benefits and use cases of Interface Signal Conditioners.
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:
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
Extending Transducer Calibration Range by Extrapolation
Strain Gage Design Under Eccentric Load WRSGC Presentation
Specifying Accuracy Requirements When Selecting Load Cells
Richard Snelson, president of Measurements Incorporated, is the leader of our outstanding manufacturers’ representative firm serving the Mid-Atlantic coast of the US. The origin of the company, that supports customers in this region with application solutions for structural, material, and environmental testing, is an intriguing story.
In this new Faces of Interface feature, Richard highlights one of his favorite projects and provides his thoughts on representing the most reliable and accurate force measurement products in the industry from Interface.
Richard grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was brought up hearing all about his ‘old man’ and the incredible work he got to do with customers across the technology landscape. His father and two partners started Measurements Incorporated in 1976. The company had spun out of another company called Micro Measurements. At that time, they sold a limited range of product lines to a wide range of customers. Some of the most memorable customers Richard would hear about from his dad included those that worked with bridges, battle tanks and even cadavers.
After high school, Richard attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he would go on to earn a split degree in business, marketing, and management. During his college years, Richard also received a ton of career experience working multiple jobs. His summers were spent as a technician in the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, where his role include working on a reactor. He also worked on the Brooklyn Bridge, replacing cables on the massive structure, as well as working for a friend of his dad in the oil and gas industry. These jobs not only put Richard through college, but they also exposed him to hands-on experience working with organizations and on projects like what his dad would talk about at home when he was growing up.
The experiences and incredible stories he was told throughout his youth pushed Richard to accept a role working for his father’s company. He started out selling one product line, XY plotters, to major test labs and facilities across the Mid-Atlantic. After finding a great deal of success, Richard was given the entire state of Delaware to sell every product line in the company’s portfolio. This eventually expanded into Pennsylvania and Maryland.
As he grew his expertise as a sales rep at Measurements Incorporated, Richard also began buying out the other two owners as they retired and eventually retained sole ownership of the company in 2003. Today the company carries an ever-expanding product line of test and measurement equipment and serves some of the most reputable organizations across multiple industries including, aerospace, defense, medical, industrial, and more.
“I put myself in the customer’s place and offer a complete solution, sometimes reminding them of things they might not initially think of and the end result is that we are all successful.” Richard Snelson, president of Measurements, Incorporated.
Like his father, Richard has also collected many of his own fun, interesting, and sometimes incredibly nerve-racking stories. Among his favorite are the two times he was asked to head over to One World Trade Center to oversee installation equipment and then later assess a challenge with a sensor on the building’s enormous spire on the very top. Richard and few other men from the company charged with some of the tower’s maintenance and caretaking went up to the top together. During the assessment, Richard and the maintenance company’s president were tasked with repelling up the spire to identify and fix the sensor. Richard enjoyed an unforgettable experience and got a sweat-inducing picture in the process that you can see in his photo above!
Richard has a long-time relationship with Interface that began in 2006. He raves about the quality of the brand and the confidence he and his customers have in the accuracy and reliability of our force measurement sensors. He has great respect for the people he works with regularly, including his Regional Sales Director, Elliot Speidell. Richard often finds himself identifying the signature blue paint job on our load sensors during customer facility tours. He’s proud that he’s able to offer the industry’s leading force measurement solutions to some of the world’s most prominent organizations.
When he’s not dangling off one of the tallest buildings in the world or helping solve key customer challenges with a bevy of critical instrumentation, Richard enjoys time spent with family, his wife of 36 years Tracey, their two children Courtney and Derek, and their grandson Everett. The family loves to spend their time outdoors and can often be found sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. Richard also enjoys recreational shooting and cruising around on his motorcycle.
We couldn’t have asked for a better partner in Richard and his team at Measurements Incorporated. We are happy to share his story. Looking for more Faces of Interfaces? Go check out our ForceLeaders here.
Since humans have roamed the earth, there is evidence that science and measurement have played a significant part in the progression of our existence. Early signs of tools and architecture are riddled with measurement references.
History also suggests there was little agreement in any standardization, though there were many proclamations for standard types of units to be used for measurement. One can only imagine how any standardization could take place without our 21st-century technology conveniences used for sharing and collaboration.
Yet, there is a record of the first attempt to standardize measurements by the pharaoh Khufu, in the building of the great Khufu Pyramid around 2,900 B.C. Khufu declared the standard for measurement was to be a fixed unit called the Egyptian Royal Cubit, now recognized as one of the earliest references to any standard of measure.
Scientists have noted that the reason the Great Pyramid is a perfect right angle within 3/1000 of a degree is because of the use of this standard unit of measurement.
With little agreement in standards for nearly 4,500 years thereafter, the use of various weights and measures were littered in the chronicles of designs and renderings by innovators, explorers, astronomers, scientists, and artists that include maps, weapon designs, mechanical inventions, architecture and more.
It is known that Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans were successful in creating standard systems of measurement accepted in their regions; though they didn’t agree with each other’s definitions. As the role of the instrument maker and scientist grew in popularity and prominence, standard weights and measurement tools did too.
At the longing of a Scottish Inventor and Instrument Maker James Watt, a group of scientists was urged to come together to promote a common language in measurement. During the French Revolution, The Royal Academy of Science was instructed to create the new system based on ideas proposed by Watt to promote ‘unity’. Ultimately this is when the meter (Metron) was first set as a standard for measuring distance, and thus the metric system was to be promoted universally for all.
Or would that really be the case? As Europe struggled to accept uniformity, in the independence of the United States, Americans defied the standards and created their own. In the beginning, each state used its own measurement, with little agreement amongst their fellow countrymen. That is until they agreed to a standard called the Parliamentary Yard. This yard was set as a standard by a bar known as Bronze No. 11, which became the US accepted length for a yard and its own standard for measurement. Yet in Europe, the Metric System started to gain traction and greater acceptance.
It wasn’t until 1875, that the International Conference on Weights and Measures got 17 nations to actually agree to a measurement standard under the ‘Treaty of the Meter’ (Convention du Mètre).
It was in 1893 that the United States finally agreed to the standards, using Meter Bar No. 27 and Kilogram No. 20, as fundamental national standards. And to further its commitment to universal standards, in 1901 the US Congress created the National Bureau of Standards, now the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and authorized it to have custody of standards and manage a catalog of hundreds of standards.
As of 2018, there are 60 Member States and 42 Associate State and Economies of the Meter (Metre) Convention and it remains the basis of all international agreement on units of measurement. The International System of Units (SI) is the modern metric system of measurement. The SI was established in 1960 by the 11th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM), which is the international authority of the SI and modifies the SI.
At Interface, our most frequently referenced SI unit in force measurement is the newton (symbol: N), which is the derived unit of force. It is named in recognition of Isaac Newton’s second law of motion. One newton is the force needed to accelerate one kilogram (symbol: kg) of mass at the rate of one meter per second squared in the direction of the applied force.
Measurement is still evolving, read about the redefined kilogram here.
For reference, the most recent Guide to the SI online is the NIST Special Publication 811, 2008 Edition, by Ambler Thompson and Barry N. Taylor.
Interface has been leading the way in force measurement innovation for the last 50 years, and over the course of our history, we’ve been consistently developing and improving upon our solutions.
A perfect example of this focus on continuous improvements and innovation is seen with our 4 Channel Intelligent Calibration Grade Indicator Model 9840-400-1-T. This solution is ideal for anyone who needs to calibrate a load cell with a single, double or triple bridge. And it just got some impressive new upgrades.
The new version of the 9840-400-1-T Intelligent Indicator features a more modern digital display with additional channels available. It’s now easier to use, with the same high stability and industry-leading performance as the older version of the 9840. Although the quality is the same as our older version, the update can be easily integrated with Interface’s Gold Standard® system and frames, as well as with Microsoft’s Windows® 10.
Interface’s 4 Channel Model 9840-400-1-T allows single loads with three measurements to directly compare outputs to Interface’s Gold Standard load cell, and all measurements can be captured through Interface’s Gold Standard software. This allows users to compare multiple load cells and gather data on whether the load cells are accurate or out of calibration. The 4 Channel Model 9840-400-1-T solution also has the option for high-level input channels.
The Model 9840 is already being used in more than 300 labs, most of which have highly-specific metrology requirements.
‘It is the choice for many aerospace and metrology labs that do in-house calibrations because of its reputation as one of the most accurate calibration tools on the market.” Ken Bishop, Director of Sales Engineering, Interface
Other industries that have expressed great satisfaction with the Model 9840 [user_id], including those in test and measurement and automotive.
The 4 Channel 9840-400-1-T features include two Interactive 7″ graphical touch screen displays, remote sense, low noise, 24-bit internal resolution, USB port with RS232 communication, mV/V calibration, store calibrations for up to 25 sensors. 6-point linearization, unit conversion, and front-panel tare. This unit also has self-calibration via TEDS Plug and Play ready IEEE 1451.4 compliance.
For anyone in need of a metrology-grade digital intelligent 4 channel solutions for high-end readings, Interface has the answer. To learn more, visit 4 Channel 9840-400-1-T or call 480-948-5555 to speak to our application engineers.
