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Interface Solutions for Research and Development

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Among the many roles of force measurement in engineering and manufacturing, the role of force sensing in research and development may be the most exciting and important. Load cells and other types of force sensors qualify and collect data on exploratory projects across a wide variety of industries. These tests determine the viability of a potential project and eventually new innovations.

Research and development are core to most businesses to stay competitive. R&D is essential in creating new products and anticipating customer demands. Whether it is assessing the viability of a new IoT home technology for consumers or designing a component used in a new surgical medical device, research is core to the technical and technological development of most any product.

In an R&D environment, force testing helps to compare product materials, determine the strength materials and components, and evaluate environmental, ergonomic, and other features. Additionally, force testing is common across industries as a quality control measure to accurately check that a given group of products meet targeted design specifications, per performance, safety, and regulatory requirements.

Interface often works with engineers whose role it is perform research and development within their organization. R&D engineers use research theories, principles, and models to perform a variety of experiments and activities. Not only do R&D engineers create new products, but they often are responsible for the redesign of existing products.

Our goal at Interface is to help R&D engineers identify the best sensor-related products they can use to work through the problems they are seeking to solve. The products we provide validate findings through highly accurate sensor test and measurement data. There are some R&D applications that need just one or two load cells and basic instrumentation to conduct the project testing. Other times Interface is asked to create an application-specific engineered to order part or design a custom measurement solution to achieve the desired test and measurement outcomes. The later is often the case if a sensor is an actual part of the product design. Interface has helped R&D engineers assess all kinds of prototypes and early designs using our precision force measurement devices.

Force measurement is used throughout the product research and development lifecycle, from ideation and prototyping, to robust testing and eventual commercialization phases.

  • IDEATION: In the ideation phase, we provide force measurement solutions for testing materials for compatibility with the idealized product’s use cases.
  • PROTOTYPING: In prototyping, force sensors help engineers select a minimum viable product (MVP) design. Sensors are used in the lab environment to validate a product or component, or as an actual embedded sensors utilized for real-time feedback and performance monitoring.
  • TESTING: When a product moves into the testing phase, it ready for a more thorough batch of tests including cycle and fatigue testing. Our load cells, torque transducers and instrumentation are commonly used in these environments. Every product will require a sensor model that fits by specifications and capacity.
  • COMMERCIALIZATION: Finally, when a product is ready for commercialization, we provide products used to run a variety of tests to ensure the product is constructed in a way that is safe for the user and meets certain force related specifications for intended use.

To give you an example of how an R&D engineer utilizes force sensors, we have included a few application examples below.

R&D Testing for Bicycle Manufacturer

A bike manufacturing company R&D engineer created a new handlebar design. They need to test the handlebar concept for their bikes during the R&D phase to ensure they will perform for a rugged trail ride experience, while ensuring safety of the recreational equipment. The R&D team took the concept and conducted fatigue tests on their handlebars to observe its structure and performance durability before mass production.  Interface suggested using Interface Mini™ product SSMF Fatigue Rated S-Type Load Cells. Two of these s-type load cells are attached on either end of the bike’s handlebar stem, where it will measure the forces applied as the handlebar undergoes its fatigue test. Results can be measured, logged, and graphed with the SI-USB Universal Serial Bus Dual Channel PC Interface Module.

Research Rig Used for Testing Prosthetic Designs

Prosthetic limbs must undergo rigorous R&D testing prior to manufacturing. These critical apparatuses are tested for extreme loading that can occur during falls, accidents, and sports movements. Fatigue testing of prosthetic components determines the expected lifespan of the components under normal usage. R&D engineers use testing data to determine whether prosthetic materials and designs will withstand the rigors of daily use and occasional high load situations. For the R&D project, various configurations of compression and tension test machines can be used depending on the type of prosthetic device being tested. Often the same machine can be used for static and fatigue testing. For this application, an SSMF Fatigue Rated S-Type Load Cell is mounted between a hydraulic actuator and the device being evaluated. During static testing, loads are applied to the specimen using the load cell signal as force feedback control of the test machine. During a fatigue test, the actuator repeatedly applies and removes the force to simulate activity such as walking. Tilt tables may be used to apply forces at various angles to simulate the heel-to-toe movement of walking or running. The 9890 Strain Gage, Load Cell, mV/V Indicator with Logging Software was used to store the research data.

 

Electric Vehicle Structural Battery Testing for Prototype

Battery technology is critical to the evolution of electric vehicles, so there are a variety of tests performed on new innovations in EV battery technology. As electric vehicles push advancements in efficiency gains, structural battery packaging is at the forefront for optimization. This drives the need to validate structural battery pack design, both in terms of life expectancy against design targets as well as crash test compliance and survivability.  Interface’s solution for this challenge included 1100 Ultra-Precision LowProfile Load Cells in-line with hydraulic or electromechanical actuators in the customer’s test stand. Also utilized were 6-Axis Load Cells to capture reactive forces transmitting through pack structure. Multi-axis measurement brings greater system level insight and improved product success. The tests performed using Interface’s force measurement products were able to validate the battery packs strong structural design.

Proving Theoretical Cutting Forces Of Rotary Ultrasonic Machining

Rotary ultrasonic machining is a hybrid process that combines diamond grinding with ultrasonic machining to provide fast, high-quality drilling of many ceramic and glass applications. This new method has been theoretically proven using computer models. Rotary ultrasonic machining generates forces of an exceedingly small magnitude. To prove this theory, any load cell used for measurement must be sensitive, while at the same time retaining high structural stiffness within a compact, low-profile envelope. Interface’s 3A120 3-Axis Load Cell was installed in the rotary ultrasonic machine to measure the forces being applied to a sample part. With clear signals and minimal crosstalk, the applied forces are recorded and stored using an the BSC4D Multi-Channel PC Interface Module. The 3-Axis load cell provided excellent data helping uncover the relationship between machine cutting parameters and the forces applied on the component. Using this knowledge, the machining process was reliably optimized for new materials and operations.

The role of Interface as it pertains to R&D is constantly growing as engineers create new innovations to solve a myriad of challenges throughout the world. We provide the most accurate and reliable force measurement systems to help advance technology across industries.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCE

Interface OEM Solutions Process

Interface Solutions for Machine Builders

Interface Solutions for Consumer Product Goods

CPG Bike Frame Fatigue Testing

CPG Treadmill Force Measurement

CPG Golf Club Swing Accuracy

Interface Sensors Used for Development and Testing of Surgical Robotics

Fitness Equipment Makers Require Extreme Accuracy

Interface Introduces SuperSC S-Type Miniature Load Cell

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Interface has released its latest load cell invention, the SuperSC S-Type Miniature Load Cell. Interface’s new product is an s-type miniature load cell that offers capacities in a form factor 80% smaller and 50% lighter than other models of s-type load cells. It’s ideal for industry 4.0 applications.

The Interface SuperSC is an economical general purpose load cell with a compact design. It is perfect for all types of test and measurement applications in confined spaces and for OEM use cases with smaller product dimensions. The miniature sensor is also environmentally sealed and insensitive to off axis loading.

Designed by Interface’s engineer Raymunn Machado-Prisbrey, SuperSC comes in 12 capacities ranging from 25 to 1K lbf and 100 N to 5 kN. Six designs for international standards of measurement (metric) and six are imperial standards. They are environmentally sealed with an IP66 rating and offer high stiffness with low detection.

“S-type load cells have grown in popularity every year since their introduction in 1974 by Interface’s founder, primarily due to their design features and performance for use in diverse force measurement applications.” Mark Weathers, VP of Advanced Manufacturing and OEM Products

Due to its high capacity and compact housing, it is an ideal sensor for weighing and test machines, as well as in OEM product designs for ongoing performance measurement and monitoring. S-type load cells are some of Interface’s most popular products. The new product release of the SuperSC represents the next generation of the versatile Interface Mini product offerings.

“The SuperSC is the next generation of s-type load cells with the Interface’s distinguishable high quality, accuracy, reliability, and range of capacities, while also offering a more compact design and options for customization and embedding into products and machines,” said Mark Weathers, VP of Advanced Manufacturing and OEM Products

The Interface SuperSC is manufactured at Interface’s headquarters in Arizona. It has accessories and different build options, including a high-temperature rated version, fatigue rated, special calibrations, and it also can be pre-installed with rod end bearings. Interface also plans to introduce a submersible, IP68 rated version and a model specialized for load compensation.

The new Interface SuperSC S-Type Miniature Load Cell and review specification sheets and pricing are here.

Interface highlighted the product in the recent Superior S-Type Load Cells webinar recording.

PRESS RELEASE

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Superior S-Types Webinar Recap and New SuperSC

SuperSC S-Type Miniature Load Cell

Superior S-Type Load Cells Webinar

S-Type Load Cells 101

New Interface Case Study Exams Weighing and Scales

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Test and measurement are used in the development and monitoring of manufactured goods across all industries. With a history of producing force measurement solutions for more than five decades, Interface has supplied a myriad of sensor devices for hundreds of thousands of different use cases and applications.

From the scales we use in packaging centers to the enormous weigh check equipment used in transportation, weighing and scale measurement solutions are instrumental in the successful design, engineering, launch, and maintenance of products and components.

Many of the earliest force sensors were designed for the purpose of weighing objects, and they continue to be a large part of test and measurement today. As products evolve and new inventions enter the market, sensors must maintain their durability, quality, and accuracy for large and miniaturized uses. Therefore, you see inventors and innovators turn to Interface today for sensors that are designed for use in robotics, IoT, and factory automation equipment used for weighing.

Historically, the only difference between now and then is that Interface has perfected accuracy in measurement across with an extensive range of force sensors models, configurations, sizes, capacities, and specification requirements that can measure weight at “jumbo” scale, as well precisely measure exceedingly small, minute forces as an embedded sensor.

Determining accurate weight is a key data point manufacturers need throughout a product lifecycle. Whether they need the information for transporting an object, lifting the object, or just creating a specification sheet, accurate data for weight measurements is fundamental for safety and function. This includes weighing single and combined parts in early design, weighing the manufactured equipment during assembly and production, using scales for weighing output with exact measure, as well as obtaining real-time weight in distribution and transport.

To accomplish this, Interface provides a host of load cells and instrumentation devices. Since our first load cells were designed in 1968, we have built millions of these products for engineers and designers that require the highest precision force sensors for accurate and reliable data collection in test and measurement (T&M). Our customers represent a wide swath of industries, products, equipment types, tools, and electronics that depend on us for proving accuracy, consistency, and reliability in performance in T&M.

In our latest case study, we outline four weigh and scale use cases that utilize Interface sensor technologies. Defined weight as a product specification requires extreme accuracy in measurement. Utilizing precision force sensing solutions and instrumentation enables product engineers and manufacturers to collect data and use it as part of the product design.

Accuracy Matters for Scales and Weighing focuses on weighing and scale applications used with heavy machinery, medical devices, operational containers, and distribution solutions. In each of these instances, utilizing weight in the design, build, and supply of these products is fundamental to each use case and the success for the product.

Weighing and Scales Case Study

 

Interface Sensor Mounting and Force Plates

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Test and measurement systems are defined by the sensor, instrumentation, and mounting hardware. Mounting considerations are crucial when designing your system. Utilizing best practices in mounting is also extremely important, especially if you are utilizing multi-axis sensors. Deflections in the system can introduce errors and apparent crosstalk into the sensor measurement.

Mounting plates are used to secure sensors during use. The plates should emulate how the sensor was calibrated, so if it was calibrated on stiff plates these characteristics should be duplicated when using the sensor. Plates should be stiff in design, as a flimsy plate secured on corners can introduce errors, such as off-axis loading, due to bending.

Interface mounting plates are made from the best grade alloy and stainless-steel, machined to the tightest specifications, and are designed exclusively to maintain the performance of the sensor in your application.

Interface Mounting Plates Features and Benefits

  • Designed to work with Interface products
  • Made with the highest quality components and processes
  • Created to maintain the specification of the sensors
  • Distributes the load over the foundation of the supporting structure
  • Provides a prepared surface for the load cell
  • Eliminates the requirement for expansion assemblies in most installations
  • Available in standard and custom options

Mounting instructions are specific to each sensor model. Interface offers complete product datasheets and drawings to locate the features for mounting. We also publish mounting instructions for our torque transducer models, as highlighted in our recent Inventive Multi-Axis and Instrumentation Solutions webinar. The instructions we offer include model, material, capacity, mounting holes, threads and dowel pins and pilot specifications, for both live and dead-end use.

Plates must deflect uniformly to minimize local deformation at the mating surfaces. You may need to use a double plate mounting arrangement, also known as a sandwich mount. In this case, they need to be suitably thick. They must be flat and smooth and the same material as the sensor for thermal matching.

Interface offers top plates and bottom plates for load cells. Mounting Plates for Low Profile™ Load Cells are used in the installation of a compression load cell under a weigh bridge, tank, or other structure normally requires that mounting plates be used. The bottom plate is designed to mate with the load cell and is fabricated of mild steel. It distributes the load over the foundation or supporting structure and provides a prepared surface for the load cell.

The top plate distributes the load to the weighing structure and provides a hard surface for the load button. The top plate will move on the button due to thermal expansion, load shifting, wind loading, and other side loads. The high side load capacity of the Interface load cell eliminates the requirement for expansion assemblies in most installations. Mounting plates are suitable for compression loads only; they will not properly support a universal load cell used in tension.

Interface has recently introduced force plates. Interface Force Plates are a system of multiple multi-axis sensors mounted between two plates. They are ideal for larger capacities than single 6-Axis sensors and can react high moments. Results dependent on characteristics of the plates and other system components and for load introduction and bigger sensors, you should consider in-situ calibration.  Force plates are used for applications such as robotic arms. When secured at the base of the arm, the four sensors are providing feedback during use.

You can learn more about force plates and mounting plates for multi-axis sensors in our latest webinar. Learn more by watching the multi-axis webinar here.

Interface offers mounting plates in our accessories product line. For custom applications, such as our force plates or multi-axis mounting plates and systems, contact our Application Engineers today.

Additional Resources

3A Mounting Instructions

 

Interface Multi-Axis Sensor Market Research

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Recently, Interface commissioned an independent research report on multi-axis sensors demand and use cases. This is a product line that Interface has made significant investments in as more customers require increased load cell functionality and additional source data from their force sensors. The research results confirm that the current demand is in fact expanding worldwide, and the overall users and market size is expected to grow by double digits over the next six years.

Included below is a brief overview of the state of the multi-axis, as well as an explanation of their overall purpose and why the growth of this type of test and measurement device continues to increase in popularity. We will also continue to break out the results of this research paper, so tune into the InterfaceIQ blog for more multi-axis research content. To learn more about these advanced sensors, view our ForceLeaders webinar Dimensions of Multi-Axis Sensors.

Multi-Axis Sensors Market Overview: The rise of IoT and Industry 4.0 had enabled automation. Machines continue to get smarter and can make split-second decisions using real-time data. Force measurement plays a key role in this transformation. Load cells that are tracking performance and reliability have more insights than ever before. They will continue to grow in their accuracy and capabilities. Load cell and sensor technologies are being used to identify precisely when and where something went wrong on a production line. Load cells will be growing in playing a key role in making production lines more efficient, less reliant on human resources and less costly.

There has been increased need for multi-axis sensors that measure and collect data points on up to six axes. Multi-axis sensors were invented because of the increased requirements for data, both in testing and during actual product use. And this is not slowing down anytime soon. Over the next decade, load cells will continue to keep up with the demand to handle more measurement data points. More sensors will need to be packed into a single device to collect more data with less equipment.

Five Key Take-Aways from Interface’s Multi-Axis Market Research:

  1. There is a growing requirement for high-performance sensor fusion of multi-axis sensor systems to enable the newly emerging technologies and highly demanding applications.
  2. Advancements in technology enabling effective components at a lighter and smaller size, such as the swift rise of unmanned vehicles in both the defense and civil applications and the increasing applications based on motion sensing, are the factors driving the multi-axis sensor use cases for testing and to embed into products.
  3. Digitizing force sensors is another trend changing our product innovators and manufacturer’s designs of machines and equipment through advanced measurement data. Many have strongly invested in more advanced digital electronics to efficiently harvest and store more data. Revolutions in industries and technologies is the dominant trend in force measurement, not to mention the entire manufacturing and engineering industry. Harnessing big data enables product users to remotely monitor assets and increase use of analytics.
  4. With network-connected force measurement through sensors and instrumentation, OEMs have greater control over testing and product development. Equipment using multi-axis sensors to track performance and reliability provide valuable data on how equipment is performing and predict when machines need maintenance.
  5. Global machine makers and equipment builders want smaller force sensors they can permanently install in the products. Smaller, wireless sensors are easier and less expensive to install. As more industrial networks are created to share higher-quality data, more and more sensors will be added to these machines.

What: Multi-axis sensors allow the user to measure forces and torques, which occur in more than one spatial direction, as with measurements in x- and y-direction. This allows manufacturers to obtain more data on a wider variety of axes, allowing them to make better design decisions and ultimately improve the product quality. A crucial focus is force measurement in manufacturing, where force transducers are frequently used to determine the force for weight measurement or in the process of production.

Why? Data-driven test and measurement is at the forefront of product development, especially in highly regulated markets like aerospace, automotive, medical, and industrial. One of the most significant applications for multi-axis sensors is seen in manufacturing facilities who want to integrate more autonomy and robotic processes. The goal is to streamline logistics procedures and reduce human errors and workplace accidents. The report also found that there is a great deal interest for last-mile delivery robots, either on the ground, on the sea or drones in the air.

Interface’s Role: Interface multi-axis load cells are ideal for industrial and scientific applications. They are used by engineers and testing labs in various industries and market segments including aerospace, robotics, automotive, advanced manufacturing, for medical devices and research. Our products designed to provide the most comprehensive force and torque data points on advanced machinery. With our industry-leading reliability and accuracy, these multi-axis sensors can provide the data our customers need to ensure performance and safety in their product design.

In fact, their unique capabilities are helping the medical industry optimize prosthetic designs and usability standards with multi-axis sensor testing. The automotive industry is using Interface’s multi-axis products in wind tunnels, and the military is using them to test the center of gravity in aerospace applications.

Here are a few applications use cases that show how multi-axis is advancing products in multiple industries:

Wind Tunnel

Seat Testing Machine

Friction Testing

Industrial Robotic Arm

Ball and Socket Prosthetic

Prosthetic Foot Performance

Syringe Plunger Force Measurement

Research was conducted independently by Search4Research.

Faces of Interface Featuring Jeff Boyd

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Interface Regional Sales Director Jeffrey Boyd has a long history in the force measurement industry and is an incredible addition to the Interface sales team. You see, force measurement runs in Jeff’s blood!

Jeff originally got into the industry because he watched and listened to his dad talk about his experience at another force measurement manufacturer, Sensor Development. In fact, his dad actually helped start the company when he joined the owner shortly after the company was founded. You could say that Jeff was somewhat groomed for success in this field.

To prepare for his destined career, Jeff spent a few years at Oakland University. After that, he quickly joined up with his dad at Sensor Development. Jeff started in the calibration department, learning the ins and outs of strain gages, load cells, torque sensors and everything in between. After a few years, he was leading both the calibration services and customer service department. Jeff was in charge of ensuring customer satisfaction when products came in for repair, service or calibration.

After several years getting hands on with the products and developing critical expertise in the various sensors the company sold, Jeff decided it was time to transition into a sales role. He originally began as a sales engineer helping to develop customer quotes and working directly with the engineering department on custom applications. His success in sales lead him to become a regional sales manager in 2014.

From 2014 to 2017, Jeff served as regional sales manager for Sensor Development until it was bought out by HITEC Sensors and was renamed to HITEC Sensors Development. Jeff remained with HITEC for another four years before it was time for exploring new opportunities.

Due to his experience in the industry, Jeff was familiar with the Interface brand and our product’s reputation for quality and accuracy. Right about the time Jeff’s time with HITEC was coming to end, Interface had an opening for a Regional Sales Position due to Keith Skidmore‘s promotion to our specialized Custom Solutions team.

Jeff joined Interface in the Spring of 2021 and is a perfect fit, technically and professionally. Not only because of Jeff’s years of experience, also because he continues to live in Michigan and will be covering Interface’s Central U.S. region working with our manufacturer’s representative firm, Stress Analysis Services. He’ll be working with our sales reps, including John Guy, and our customers to ensure they get exactly what they require from Interface. He knows the area and knows the needs of the industry well.

As for why Jeff chose Interface, he says it’s because of the people. Throughout the interview process and during these first few weeks, Jeff mentioned how supportive and friendly his teammates and the leaders of the company are working to ensure his success. He also sees the trajectory that Interface is currently on and knows that he will have an opportunity to grow and thrive alongside Interface.

When he’s not helping customers find the perfect product or customer solution for their test and measurement needs, Jeff is spending time with his wife and his five grown sons and granddaughter. Living through the cold Michigan winters make vacationing to the warmth a must. Jeff and his wife frequently travel to Las Vegas and Arizona or any other warm state to escape. Though, they also like to spend some of their time cheering on their favorite football teams. Notably, the household is a bit divided when it’s game time. Jeff is also an avid golfer and spends a lot of his down time on the course.

We’re so glad to have Jeff on our team as our new ForceLeaders member and we can’t wait to see what we’ll achieve together in interest of our valued Interface customers.

Interface Continues Expansion in International Markets

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Interface is well-known across the U.S. for being the leading provider of premium force measurement products. We are heralded for our products’ and systems’ accuracy and reliability from coast to coast, and tens of thousands of manufacturers, test labs and more use our equipment every day to verify designs and test hardware.

However, did you know that Interface also has a strong presence in international markets including Europe, China, India and more? Interface has a long history of serving customers around the world. Our global outreach is supported by a very formidable network of distributors who work in-market to help customers with their force measurement needs.

In a continued effort to meet the global demands for precision sensor solutions, we have expanded our reach to customers across all continents to deliver the Interface products. In fact, despite the challenges of the past year, we had our best year in China in Interface’s 52-year history. Additionally, we’ve had substantial growth each month, and at the start of 2021 in global sales in APAC, LATAM and EMEA. We are at parity with our domestic sales in fulfilling demand.

Our growth in these markets is due to a concerted effort to speak directly with customers across these regions and find out more about their specific needs. Prior to the pandemic, we were attending more shows than ever and visiting customer sites internationally more frequently. Now, as like most of the world, we are conducting business around the clock via online meetings and with a hyper-focus on listening, learning and feedback mechanisms.

One of the direct results of these efforts was the creation of our Global Standard® Force Measurement (G Series) offering. Due to the increased requests for its high-precision, high-accuracy and high-reliability force measurement sensors designed and manufactured in the International System of Units (SI), commonly known as the metric system, Interface launched the new International G Series product lineup in August 2020.

The G Series debuted 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 more than 37 distributors outside of the United States. You can locate a distributor in your area here. These products are the first Interface manufactured products near market. The facility’s proximity to core markets in Asia shortens the time and cost for customers to receive quality Interface products.

The G Series products available today include:

GLBM Series Load Button Load Cells – The GLBM Series Load Button Load Cells are strain gauge-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 gauge-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 gauge-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 gauge-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.

In addition to the G Series product line, we are also evaluating new low-cost solutions that continue to meet Interface’s signature accuracy and reliability for our international markets. What we are hearing from our global customers about new solution requirements that range from middle ground low-cost, low-reliability force measurement products to Interface’s more premium jumbo or specialty product options.

To learn more about Interface and its solutions for international customers, please visit us at www.interfaceforce.com. Additionally, you can find the G Series solutions here: www.interfaceforce.com/global/.

Contributor:  Lloyd Fisher, VP International Sales

Robotics in Play with New Animated Application Using ConvexBT

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Numerous factors are driving the industry 4.0 revolution. From big data to IoT technology, industrial facilities and manufacturing plants are looking at new ways to automate their process and create a more efficient and cost-effective environment. One of the most important technology advancements in this mix is robotics.

Robotic equipment is a common industry 4.0 innovation used to create an autonomous or semi-autonomous machine capable of carrying out a variety of repetitive tasks that used to take up the time of skilled labor. Some of the tasks or processes that robotics enhance include stock management and logistics, manufacturing automation, janitorial duties and, there are even robotic applications called co-bots that assist human workers when ultra-high precision is needed.

To facilitate the demand for robotics, a variety of sensor and measurement components are necessary to ensure the highest quality and reliability of these application. Many tasks carried out by robotic applications are ultra-precise and require more accuracy than what a human hand or eye can handle.

Sensor technologies embedded in the actual robotics instrument must also be used to constantly calibrate or monitor the robotics. If robotics is used on an automated manufacturing line, any issues with the robotics can disrupt and compromise the entire process. Therefore, robotics manufacturers utilize Interface solutions when they need quality sensors that can monitor the precision of the robotics and ensure that their accuracy and reliability is maintained.

Interface develops high-quality test and measurement solutions designed for hardware testing of all kind. For robotics, our products are frequently used as a component within an OEM device. We understand the premium accuracy and reliability necessary to help develop robotics solutions and have provided both off-the-shelf and custom force measurement solutions designed to meet a variety of applications. We recently created an animated application note on an industrial automation robotic arm using our new light weight, light touch load button load cell, the ConvexBT.

The ConvexBT is designed for testing and also for full integration into the robotic element to measure the force pressure during use.  ConvexBT is available in multiple capacities, including our latest release of the 500lb and 1Klb models.

NEW! Interface Robotic Arm Application Note

A customer came to Interface with a robotic arm product that would be used to lift and move delicate objects, such as a glass bottle, in an automated environment. The goal in using Interface was to find a force measurement product that could ensure the robotic arm did not damage the products it was moving by applying too much force. The main component that Interface products would be applied to is the robotic arms’ clamp. The objective was monitoring the grabbing pressure of the clamp and ensure that the device would stop applying pressure when the necessary force was used to pick up the object without doing damage.

Using its new line of Load Button Load Cells, ConvexBT, and a DMA2 DIN Rail Mount Signal Conditioner, Interface provided a solution that would produce an electric signal on the clamping process that tells a controller to have the device stop applying pressure. Two ConvexBT products were connected underneath the rubber pads on both sides of the robotic arm clamping device. When the clamps made contact and applied pressure, the DMA2 Signal Conditioner converted the signal from the ConvexBT from MV/V to volts to a PLC controller. This signal tells the controller when to have the robotic arm stop applying clamping force.

Ultimately, the two ConvexBT Load Button Load Cells were able to accurately measure the amount of pressure applied to the object the robotic arm was lifting and moving without causing any harm or damage to the object.

This is just one of many examples of force measurement products being used in the robotics and automation industry. As the demand for robotics grows and a wider variety of applications are introduced, Interface will continue to engineer the best solutions to help customers reach the age of Industry 4.0.

To learn more about Interface solutions for the robotics and automation industry, please visit /solutions/. You can also check out our case study on the for industrial automation and robotics use here.

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?