Force Measurement

Dynamic Load Monitoring (DLM), of Southampton, UK is celebrating 30 years.

The manufacturer of force measurement equipment will stage a series of events, including a staff away day, culminating in a celebration in the summer, which chimes with Martin Halford, managing director, completing 14 years of ownership.

Today, DLM provides running line monitors (RLMs), saddleback monitors (used in pre-lay grapnel run and route clearance operations to measure line tension), load pins, and load cells that capture data as tension is applied to lifting and marine equipment. Turnover has grown almost 10 times since 2009, when Halford and his father, Jeff, acquired a company based in a converted barn, where a state-of-the-art, 8,000 square-foot facility forms headquarters today. It employs 25 members of staff and has a facility in Singapore.

Halford said: “We bought the business on 1 October 2009, and I started the following month. My father was working in the offshore industry and joined me five years later, before retiring last year. I had no idea how to buy a business and didn’t really think it was possible, but that’s history now.”

Halford first walked through the DLM—that has always been the company name—door on work experience as a 15 year old. He continued to visit during holidays, while studying electronic engineering at university. He started work as a technical sales engineer elsewhere but kept in touch with DLM’s previous owners and was aware of their plans to eventually sell-up and retire.

A proven innovator

The company’s journey can be charted through various product innovations. It started supplying subsea load pins to the offshore cable laying industry, while tensile and compressive load cells were in demand from local and national lifting companies. Growth overseas dovetailed with expansion of calibration services, as DLM expanded into electronics over time. All these products and expertise remain central to the company’s offering today.

Halford said: “We still work in the same industries but have expanded and improved our product offerings and scope of our supply internationally. We have always tried to maintain the mentality that customer service is our priority, and our ethos is built on finding a way to solve project challenges. This in turn leads to product innovations, such as our de-trenching and other grapnels. As we’ve expanded, there’s been a requirement to reinforce our product provision with [ISO, ATEX, and other] accreditations.”

DLM has now purchased its facilities, with set-up of a marine sales division (2015) and moving into new offices (2017) standing out as major milestones. Investment has continued in the hire fleet, as demand grows for short- and mid-term use of products such as its RLMs. Halford also pointed to development of the TW-3.0 handheld, which is a wholly owned DLM product; expansion of computer-aided design and engineering technology and personnel; and increased presence in subsea and renewables sectors. In fact, subsea load pins are a best-seller.

He added: “We are constantly innovating and looking at how our products can be better. We want to totally digitise the company and all its processes, and in the next three years we want to go paperless. We also want to position ourselves as the prominent load cell manufacturer in the lifting industry and continue to be known for offering custom solutions to clients’ requirements. Longer term, we aim to be the key equipment supplier to the offshore cable lay industry and be able to offer a complete package to clients ahead of projects.

“We will likely also need to expand both domestically and internationally, with nearly half of our current business already being generated overseas.”

For over 25 years Interface Force has been supplying businesses with force, torque and pressure measurement sensors, Interface Force has an extensive range of products to meet all customer requirements.

Established in 1996, Interface Force is based in Crowthorne, Berkshire and works throughout the UK.  A wide range of industry sectors and businesses benefit from the vast amount of expertise and experience Interface Force has at its disposal.  These sectors include automotive, aerospace, oil and gas, defence, education, renewable energy, pharmaceutical, food and drink and many more.

Interface’s engineers will  guide clients through what can be a difficult decision-making process, ensuring all requirements are met. All force, pressure and torque sensors and instrumentation products supplied by Interface Force are benchmark industry standards, manufactured by leading brands such as Interface Inc, AMTI, XSENSOR and GP:50.

As an internationally recognised brand, Interface Force’s range of products from multi-axis load cells, load buttons, load pins and supporting products enable them to offer the client a complete solution. These include multi-channel signal amplifiers, displays, data loggers and data logging software, Bluetooth and wireless telemetry systems for remote data collection and evaluation, repair and calibration services.

Interface Force supply high-quality products and have vast expertise in advising on load cell proving devices. Our load cells offer very high accuracy and come in many different configurations Each load cell is supplied with a NIST or ASTM E74 calibration with ISO-376 or UKAS also available.

Interface Force Measurements has always been strong in the supply of calibration grade load cells, with the 1600, Gold Standard being a particular favourite with National Calibration labs and calibration houses in the UK and around the world. The 1600s are supplied with locked-in calibration adaptors and ASTM E74 calibration (equivalent to ISO376) from just 4% of capacity as standard.

Another growing area of interest is in 3-axis and 6-axis load cells. Designed to measure force in X, Y and Z and the moments around those axes in the case of 6-axis load cells. These 3 and 6 axis devices can be used for applications as diverse as control stick design and testing rocket engine test stands or wave tank tests  Interface offers both 3 and 6 axis load cells in several form factors to suit such a wide range of applications. Multi-axis load cells will have multiple-output channels, so we also supply the multi-channel signal amplifiers required to provide the excitation voltage and multiple-output channels required by multi-axis load cells.  Models like the BSC-4 and BX-8 multi-channel amplifiers also offer USB output, data logging software and internal cross-talk correction, offering the complete multi-axis measurement solution.

Interface Force also distributes XSENSOR’s pressure mapping systems. These systems are used in the automotive, aerospace and bedding sectors or for any application that requires the measurement and display of pressure distribution between any two contacting surfaces.  XSENSOR’s innovative high-speed impact system is the first system to allow product designers and safety testing engineers to see, record and evaluate the distribution of force from high-speed impacts on safety equipment. Perfect for the automotive sector,   the HSI system can be used for collecting crash testing data or impact data in a way not seen before. It can record the force or pressure that’s distributed during impact from whiplash, seat belt and airbag testing. However, applications for this technology are not limited to the automotive sector but can be used in any impact testing application such as safety helmets or protective sports equipment.

Interface Force has long offered, services individual to each client’s requirements. The company works with the client offering advice pre and post-sale and develops bespoke custom solutions or devices to meet a client’s needs. Interface is using this experience to move into new directions, working with customers needing remote monitoring capability. A good example of this would be remote monitoring of airport luggage systems and conveyor belts. Interface’s R&D team developed a wireless multi-axis vibration sensor that’s specifically developed for a single customer. However, this product has multiple applications that can serve any business needing to remotely monitor its conveyor systems. Alongside this, we also offer custom-designed wireless load pins that replace existing components, enabling the customer to monitor load changes on the conveyor system. They can then schedule maintenance for the system when it’s not in use, rather than respond to a breakdown.

Lastly, we want to be the easiest company to do business with, so we have just launched our e-commerce site at store.interface.co.uk. Here you’ll be able to order the Interface G-series of mini, in-line and button load cells.  Our aim is to offer the shortest possible lead time with next business day delivery being the target.  The store displays current stock with orders being placed with a credit or debit card. These are early days for our e-commerce offering, but we will be expanding the range of products being offered.

Mecmesin‘s pioneering VFG digital force gauge combines a highly responsive, capacitive 5” colour touchscreen with sophisticated force and torque measurement features driven by the power of Mecmesin’s Vector OS.

Vector OS is the technology platform at the heart of the VFG enabling operators to customise the touchscreen interface, configure the tester to their requirements and analyse test results quickly in the field.

Established for over 40 years as a British manufacturer of force & torque test equipment, feedback from Mecmesin’s global customers across all industries has been instrumental in shaping the latest generation of digital force gauges.

The VFG is packed full of innovative features and the intuitive touchscreen interface makes it easy to navigate. Just swipe or press and hold to access menus, toolbars, and settings.

Available in 10 models with capacities ranging from 2.5 to 2500 N (0.5 to 550 lbf), the VFG caters for a diverse range of applications. Each gauge is highly accurate to ±0.1% of full-scale with readings displayed in all common measurement units; N, kN, mN, gf, kgf, lbf and ozf.

The VFG offers enhanced test features and data analysis capabilities:

• Max and 1st Peak mode – registers the key values from the test
• Graphing mode – generates a live curve on the display to help identify critical events during the test
• Fast data-acquisition rate of 2,000 times per second – ensures sudden break-force readings are captured accurately
• 5 MHz internal sampling rate – detect events with greater precision
• Enhanced alarm configurations, including a ‘pre-alert’ warning, notifies operators if the test specimen is inside/outside tolerance
• Onboard statistics – stores displayed readings to a built-in memory for statistical analysis within the gauge
• Output data directly to a PC or printer for further analysis
• Expandable external memory – saves all the raw data-points on a 32GB micro-SDHC card so you can test rapidly now and download results later

The VFG is constructed in a rugged aluminium housing, shaped to fit the hand and small enough to be comfortably used as a hand-held device. It is easily attachable to a motorised stand, thereby making it an affordable first step to more controlled tension and compression testing where optimum repeatability is required. Alternatively, this powerful digital force gauge can also be integrated as a key component into custom test rigs.

The VFG also acts as a universal display for a selection of external ‘smart’ force and torque transducers, just ‘plug-and-play’. This means users can expand a VFG by connecting additional sensors to perform tests of all capacities for tension, compression and torsion – all with one gauge.

It is powered by a fast-charge lithium-Ion battery and is supplied in a robust carry case with a standard accessory kit plus a USB-C charging/data cable and USB-C to -A adapter. A removable rubber bumper is pre-fitted to protect against accidental damage if the gauge is dropped.

A calibration certificate traceable to national standards is included at no extra charge – ensuring full compliance during external audits.

Designed for the most demanding tension and compression measurement applications across a wide range of industries, the VFG is the ultimate force gauge for assessing product and material quality.

“Mecmesin has been manufacturing digital force and torque gauges for over 30 years and the new VFG represents the perfect blend of performance and functionality combined with the very latest touch screen technology.”, said John Page, PPT Group Managing Director,” The VFG has clearly reset the bar in the industry and represent the best-in-class force and torque instrumentation on the market today.”

Analog Devices, Inc. and Gridspertise, the new subsidiary of the Enel Group providing cutting-edge sustainable solutions to distribution system operators (DSOs), have announced a collaboration to advance the resiliency and quality of smart grids around the world. The collaboration enables the development of new hardware and software that support distribution grid self-healing and adaptation in response to the significant changes in energy supply and demand as renewable energy sources are brought online.

The joint effort is built on the long-term smart meters and grid digitalisation solutions collaboration between ADI and Enel over the last fifteen years. Today, ADI is working with Gridspertise to deliver even more precise and accurate measurement and monitoring capabilities through real-time data. This results in enhanced grid reliability, thanks to faster response times, improved resiliency, and higher quality of service to customers, while allowing utilities to improve their operational efficiency and a rapid transition to clean energy as well as enabling flexibility services. The technologies are suitable for the enhancement of legacy infrastructures of different geographies and life stage, and do not require costly rebuilds; also, they minimise the environmental impact of the assets, making digitalisation a key driver for more sustainable power distribution grids.

“Leveraging an open innovation approach, Gridspertise collaborates with key players from different sectors to industrialise and deliver the most advanced hardware and software solutions in the market for the digitalisation of power distribution grids, supporting DSOs around the world to accelerate the energy transition,” said Robert Denda, Chief Executive Officer, Gridspertise. “We are excited about our collaboration with ADI following Enel’s footsteps. We look forward to continuing offering the most up to date grid edge technologies that enable operators to better manage aggregated demand from residential and commercial buildings and support the future of the energy system in which our customers become prosumers.”

ADI’s power and precision technologies also deliver enhanced analogue-to-digital conversion, protection, precise measurement, metrology, and isolation capability for the QEd – Quantum Edge device, Gridspertise’s groundbreaking solution at the heart of the digitalisation of secondary substations. This solution is a first in the industry to fully virtualise the physical components of secondary substations, turning them into customisable edge applications, while enabling new use cases and improved management of key grid functionalities.

“ADI technologies span across the electrification ecosystem, from vehicles to energy storage to charging stations, and today they are becoming even more important for the electric power distribution grids, where precision measurement and digitalisation is essential to ensure greater flexibility and resilience,” said Patrick Morgan, Corporate Vice President of Automotive Electrification and Sustainable Energy at Analog Devices. “We are pleased to expand our collaboration with Gridspertise into our next generation of advanced energy measurement, isolation, sensing, and control solutions.”

Mecmesin, a leading global designer and manufacturer of force, materials, and torque testing equipment, announced today the launch of its ground-breaking VFG digital force gauge. The VFG combines a highly responsive, capacitive 5” colour touchscreen with sophisticated force and torque measurement features driven by the power of Mecmesin’s Vector OS.

Vector OS is the technology platform at the heart of the VFG enabling operators to customise the touchscreen interface, configure the tester to their requirements and analyse test results quickly in the field.

Established for over 40 years as a British manufacturer of force & torque test equipment, feedback from Mecmesin’s global customers across all industries has been instrumental in shaping the latest generation of digital force gauges.

The VFG is packed full of innovative features and the intuitive touchscreen interface makes it easy to navigate. Just swipe or press and hold to access menus, toolbars, and settings.

Available in 10 models with capacities ranging from 2.5 to 2500 N (0.5 to 550 lbf), the VFG caters for a diverse range of applications. Each gauge is highly accurate to ±0.1% of full-scale with readings displayed in all common measurement units; N, kN, mN, gf, kgf, lbf and ozf.

The VFG offers enhanced test features and data analysis capabilities:

• Max and 1st Peak mode – registers the key values from the test
• Graphing mode – generates a live curve on the display to help identify critical events during the test
• Fast data-acquisition rate of 2,000 times per second – ensures sudden break-force readings are captured accurately
• 5 MHz internal sampling rate – detect events with greater precision
• Enhanced alarm configurations, including a ‘pre-alert’ warning, notifies operators if the test specimen is inside/outside tolerance
• Onboard statistics – stores displayed readings to a built-in memory for statistical analysis within the gauge
• Output data directly to a PC or printer for further analysis
• Expandable external memory – saves all the raw data-points on a 32GB micro-SDHC card so you can test rapidly now and download results later

The VFG is constructed in a rugged aluminium housing, shaped to fit the hand and small enough to be comfortably used as a hand-held device. It is easily attachable to a motorised stand, thereby making it an affordable first step to more controlled tension and compression testing where optimum repeatability is required. Alternatively, this powerful digital force gauge can also be integrated as a key component into custom test rigs.

The VFG also acts as a universal display for a selection of external ‘smart’ force and torque transducers, just ‘plug-and-play’. This means users can expand a VFG by connecting additional sensors to perform tests of all capacities for tension, compression and torsion – all with one gauge.

It is powered by a fast-charge lithium-Ion battery and is supplied in a robust carry case with a standard accessory kit plus a USB-C charging/data cable and USB-C to -A adapter. A removable rubber bumper is pre-fitted to protect against accidental damage if the gauge is dropped.

A calibration certificate traceable to national standards is included at no extra charge – ensuring full compliance during external audits.

Designed for the most demanding tension and compression measurement applications across a wide range of industries, the VFG is the ultimate force gauge for assessing product and material quality.

“Mecmesin has been manufacturing digital force and torque gauges for over 30 years and the new VFG represents the perfect blend of performance and functionality combined with the very latest touch screen technology.”, said John Page, PPT Group Managing Director,” The VFG has clearly reset the bar in the industry and represent the best-in-class force and torque instrumentation on the market today.”

Jenny Montgomery
PPT Group Marketing Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 7730 199054
Email: jenny.montgomery@PPTGroup.com

Traceable reference measurement instruments used in accredited calibration laboratories, must meet the highest requirements in terms of precision, reliability, and quality.

To this effect, system specialist FORM + TEST relies on HBK’s dependable and high-precision measurement technology, in its ALPHA 2-5000 S compression testing machine, for the calibration of force sensors at a calibration laboratory in Singapore. 

The Singapore-based calibration institution required a special solution to carrying out calibrations for static compression force tests. FORM + TEST had the necessary expertise to provide the required highly precise special solution: its ALPHA 2-5000 S compression testing machine. 

The implemented measurement system guarantees precise calibration of force sensors, as well as continuous calibrations in the compressive direction. The system can also cope with the additional requirement of measuring very small force values The measurement solution can be used with a maximum precision of up to 1% of its maximum capacity. 

FORM + TEST trusted HBK’s measurement technology for implementing its compression testing machine, as HBK was the only supplier to guarantee the precision and reliability of its products and the entire measurement chain.  

The central element of the measurement system is a custom-built system, BU18, with three C18 ring torsion force transfer standards from HBK with a nominal force of 1.7 kN each. The capacity of the entire system is thus 5 MN. In addition, three type C15 reference force transducers, with a 5 kN, 100 kN and 500 kN measurement range, were integrated into the system for high-precision force measurement. These robust (EMC-tested, stainless-steel, shock and vibration-tested) shear force sensors with nominal measurement ranges between 2.5 kN and 1MN meet the requirements of accuracy class 00 according to DIN EN ISO 376 in the exceptionally broad measurement range of 10 to 100 % of the respective capacity. 

The DMP41 reference measuring amplifier completes the measurement system. With its unique accuracy class of 0.0005, the high-precision measuring instrument is the most accurate amplifier for strain-gauge-based measurements worldwide. As a result, HBK’s DMP41 was the first choice for implementing the ALPHA 2-5000 S.