As the sole Australian distributor of Interface Force Measurement Solutions, AMS Instrumentation & Calibration know first-hand the advantages of the premium product.
AMS Instrumentation & Calibration continues to work closely with American company, Interface, to supply its force measurement products to the Australian market.
Founded in 1968, Interface Force Measurement Solutions manufacture industry solutions at its 60,000 square foot multi-facility campus in Scottsdale, Arizona, before AMS Instrumentation & Calibration imports them into Australia for local industries, including food and beverage manufacturing.
Interface’s products can measure from grams to millions of pounds in hundreds of models and physical sizes, meaning the company has solutions to meet most, if not all, the needs of clients in the industrial space.
This is achieved by maintaining the entire process, from design, machining, strain gauge manufacturing and assembly, and in our own facilities, we can ensure the highest degree of performance possible.
“Any area within the food sector which requires a measurement of force is where Interface products and solutions are used,” said Dave Gray, product specialist, AMS Instrumentation
& Calibration.
“It prevents excess force being used, especially for machinery that needs protection.
“Anywhere you need to have an accurate scale then Interface can be used.”
Among Interface’s string of solutions is a variety of load cells.
Grey said the company offers load cells across multiple areas, from the cells to load pins, load shackles, and multi-axis load cells.
“Interface themselves are renowned for being very accurate within the force measurement sector,” said Grey.
“The principle behind the load cells is not too complicated, it’s just about having the right materials and that’s something Interface did.”
“For example, the wire they used was purchased in the 1960s, it filled a warehouse, and that has given them better repeatability and accuracy. It shows a forward-thinking mentality to do something like that.”
The force measurement solutions from Interface are also easy for customers to install and use.
“It is pretty much plug and play, it’s not a complicated system,” added Grey.
“Anything purchased from Interface will be set up in the factory and is sent out operational ready. It just needs to be installed when sent to the client.
“Load cells are a pretty simple construction, there is nothing complicated about them. It is all about the quality of the Interface product, the accuracy, and the repeatability.
“They are also durable; they are tested for repeated and continuous use.”
Grey said the product catalogue from Interface Force Measurement Solutions was created to address all critical areas that require force measurement products.
“Everything from the measuring to the reading of those measurements they offer, whether it be wired or wireless or Bluetooth,” he said.
“They cover all the important areas. For example, you can have four load cells and they are averaged out for a single reading of the total weight.”
“They have a wide range of sizes to help address the needs of customers.”
AMS import the solutions into Australia before distributing to the local industrial markets where force measurement is required, and a recent acquisition by Interface will also add European made solutions to the product catalogue.
“They started as a small family business and have managed to retain the family business side of things while also experiencing a lot of growth,” said Grey.
“The company has grown into more of a corporate organisation now, which demonstrated their growth. Just recently they acquired another force measurement company, LCM, which is part of the plan to expand their range.”
Interface CEO Greg Adams said he was thrilled with the acquisition.
“LCM Systems is an established and recognized leader in the design and manufacture of specialized load cells and instrumentation, and we are proud to officially welcome them to the Interface family,” he said
“Adding their quality, proficiency and long history, the LCM team further bolsters our global capabilities in meeting the rapidly growing demands for exceptional products including their load pins, load shackles, load cells and other sensor technologies.”
Because of the North American, and now European Interface manufacturing centres, turnaround times for orders vary depending on the requirements of customers.
“Turnaround times depend on what type of load cell is needed, some of the smaller stuff might already be on the shelf but the bigger stuff is made to order,” said Grey.
“It could be anything from four to six weeks to 20 weeks, it all depends on what the requirements of the solution are.
“Some cases where it’s a bit more technical we have Interface engineers involved to help consult with the customer to come up with the best solution for them.”