The
Series 5 force gage provides an affordable solution for tension and compression
force measurement applications.
As
Mark-10’s (Copiague, NY) Series 5 force gage begins shipping this year, it is
the result of feedback from customers around the world.
The company wanted to introduce a new force gage that would offer sophisticated
capabilities and ease of use, but at an affordable price. They had been
discussing ideas on and off for years, and began working on it in earnest two
years ago, according to sales and marketing manager Mark Fridman. As a result,
the gage brings together many existing technologies into one package that
previously had not been available in a force gage.
The sampling rate of 7,000 hertz produces accurate peak measurements, and the
gage’s large backlit LCD—unique for the industry—makes it easier to read those
measurements.
The reversible housing separates into two halves, which are joined together by
gold-plated spring pins. This reversibility allows the load cell shaft to be
pointing up or down, for handheld or test stand use. The menu navigation was
designed so that an operator can use the gage without the user’s guide.
However, the simplicity does not come at the expense of the instrument’s
capability.
This $995 force gage competes against other force gages on the market, as well
as more expensive materials testers and force testers that often are
underutilized in the field, Fridman says. With respect to other force gages
available in the marketplace, the Series 5 is one of the first to offer USB
output, has the fastest peak capture rate in the industry and offers a number
of features for its price bracket, says Fridman.
“These are pre-existing technologies,” Fridman says. “We didn’t invent USB, but
we put that into a force gage. There are not too many others out there with USB
built in.”
Still, force gages cannot be used for all applications, and do not take the
place of a materials tester, which often is required for sophisticated testing
of materials and components, Fridman points out. “A force gage’s functions,
though sufficient for numerous applications,” he says, “do not take the place
of a material tester, which offers high-resolution deflection indication as
well as sophisticated software calculations and data
management.”
But for applications up to 500 pounds with more basic production testing, “this
is definitely fits the bill,” Fridman says.
Series 5 force gages can be used to assess the quality of a material, component
or assembly across a range of industries. Typical applications include the
testing of packaging materials, medical devices, automotive components, springs
and wire assemblies.
Onboard data memory, go/no go indicators with outputs, statistical calculations
and data outputs make this gage a useful tool in achieving quality control and
analysis objectives.
Digital force gages are not the only way to measure force. Mechanical force
gages are still readily available, and may be used as well; however, the
functions are limited to observing the current force and peak force on an
analog dial, Fridman says. A load cell with indicator also may be used for some
applications, but this setup can be more expensive and difficult to set up.
Initial feedback from customers has been good, Fridman says, and they
particularly like the look of the display with the large, visible numbers. Some
sophisticated gages may show a lot of information but the main number, the
current force reading, remains tiny. Though the display numbers are large, the
gage itself is compact.
In creating the new force gage, the company wanted to keep what worked from
their legacy gages—the overall dimensions, mounting pattern and ease of use—and
add more features. The new Series 5 gage mounts the same way as previous gages,
but offers a new platform, microprocessor and PC.
For more information, contact:
Mark-10 Corp.
11 Dixon Ave., Copiague, NY 11726
(888) MARK-TEN
mf@mark-10.com
www.mark-10.com
