Force measurement keeps factories running and product quality high

In the recent article “May the Force Be With You: Force Measurement Keeps Factories Running and Product Quality High,” writes Dan O'Shea from Firm Electronics about the growing demand for sensors in industrial automation applications.

After his interview with Interface's Keith Skidmore, Dan writes:

While some sensors focus more on monitoring equipment or measuring environmental conditions around a manufacturing process, force sensors measure mechanical forces that occur in the equipment and processes as well as in the products manufactured. They measure things like load, tension, resistance, weight or total pressure. By using this type of sensor technology, manufacturers can monitor the health of their assets and improve quality assurance for their products.

“Testing things by applying a force is very common. Many products in many industries are tested this way, from aerospace to automotive to consumer products. Chairs, furniture, mattresses, ladders – everything that is manufactured can make you want to find out how strong the different parts of these products are.” Keith Skidmore, engineer and regional sales manager at Interface

Interface provides industrial automation and IoT solutions for manufacturers, equipment builders and factories around the world. Sensors play a central role in production and optimization through tools and process improvements.

Industrial robotic arm

Robotic arms are often used in production facilities throughout the manufacturing process. The suppliers of these devices rely heavily on accurate and high-quality sensors to provide feedback. In this application, the designer needed to test the strength of the arm device to ensure that it could securely secure packages onto a moving conveyor belt without damaging materials or products. This automated feature helps improve packaging quality and increase facility productivity.

Interface provided that 6-axis load cell Model 6A40A with the Model BX8-HD44 data acquisition amplifier. The 6-axis load cell allows measurement of all forces and torques (Fx, Fʏ, Fz, Mx, Mʏ, Mz), and the BXB-HD44 data acquisition amplifier logs, displays and graphs these measurements while providing scaled analog output signals for these axes to the robot's control system. The customer installed the 6A40 6-axis load cell between the robot flange and the robot gripper. The multi-axis sensor's extensive data outputs provided the accurate, detailed measurements needed for the industrial robot application.