Interface senses new market opportunity for load cells in space

The applications for load cells and force sensors include green hydrogen production, quality control and maintenance for factory equipment, mechanical force and torque testing in the automotive sector, and almost any manufacturing environment where the structural integrity of a load bearing product–even a piece of furniture like a chair, for instance–needs to be validated before being put on the market. In many cases, marketability and overall quality are not the only concerns, but also safety.

Companies pursuing opportunities for the deployment of such sensors continue to discover new venues where they can make a difference, either in the testing or ongoing monitoring–or both–of mechanical equipment and machines. The newest opportunity lies in the stars above. The World Economic Forum has outlined the potential for a $1.8 trillion “space economy” in the coming years, one that should generate new demand for many companies, including semiconductor firms and others.

The list of beneficiaries also includes suppliers of load cells, torque transducers, multi-axis sensors and similar products. For example, in space applications, load cells and similar devices could be used pre-launch to test launch rockets and thrusting capabilities, but also potentially for pre-launch validation or during space missions to monitor spacesuits, rovers, robotic arms, and many other items.

For Interface Force Measurement Solutions, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based provider of load cells and related products, the emerging space market opportunity grew out of the company’s work in the aerospace industry as those organizations and others have ramped up their space exploration and business ambitions in recent years.

Interface CMO Jamie Glass told Fierce Electronics, “I think what's transitioned over the last two decades is the amount of experimentation that's happening on things related to space, everything from a rover to a space habitat to space farming. All those things are kind of new ventures that have taken off in a whole different way.”

She added, “You also see some global transitioning on the market development side, moving from a more U.S-centric customer base to now we get inquiries and requests for our load cells and multi-axis sensors from international space agencies and governments in many countries.”

As more parties become interested in space exploration, experimentation, or establishing space-related business ventures, it is natural for them to seek out suppliers that have worked with big names like NASA and Boeing, as Interface has. (As for the current concerns with the Boeing Starliner, Glass stated, “We did not have involvement in that project. And typically our cells are used for thrust and launch testing structures.”)

While there is potential for load cells and force sensors to be used in many different applications in space, Keith Skidmore, director of sales custom solution at Interface told Fierce Electronics that the market is still in its “early stages,” adding, “At this point in time, there aren't a lot of load cells in space, but as you start talking more about manufacturing in space, that's estimated to be something like a multi-trillion dollar industry next 20 years, so there's this gigantic push into space that is starting, and for things in space that are supporting other things in space. You can imagine they're not going to be as many people up there, but much more automated environments. All of that lends itself to requiring a lot more sensors, things like torque sensors and multi-axis sensors, devices that can provide feedback on systems as they operate in space.”

Skidmore said the opportunity begins on the ground, where load cells might be used during research and development phases for space projects, and later further pre-launch testing and validation. “At the beginning, load cells would be used for testing on the ground, sometimes in vacuum chambers that simulate space [and altitude]. That could include individual component testing, or it could be an entire flight vehicle or launch vehicle. Satellites, rockets, all of those have propulsion systems, and those systems are tested on the ground in what are called thrust range. There also could be [ground] testing of [pneumatic] actuators and other things that are used to manipulate things in space. Items that go into space might have load cells in them for manipulating and force feedback, and ensuring that operations, whatever it is that they're doing with this equipment, is working properly.”

And then up in space, as more parties start building habitats, manufacturing operations or other facilities designed to exist in orbit, on the moon, or perhaps even on Mars, the need for embedded local cells and related sensors only will increase.

“In the end, a lot of this involves high-value, high-risk projects,” Skidmore said, "and these companies need to ensure that their operations are going as intended… If you're [in space] pushing on something and it's not moving, well, maybe it breaks if you keep pushing, so it is good to know that.”