Read tension and compression measurements with a glance—these gauges have three color-coded indicator lights to show you if a part is at your desired force. Red means the force is too high, orange means too low, and green is just right. These gauges come with a calibration certificate traceable to NIST that states they’ve passed a test for accuracy. They have a backlit LED display to easily read force measurements, even in low light. The display is reversible, so it will be readable whether you have the gauge positioned with the shaft on top or bottom. All have a threaded male shaft to connect tips, hooks, and other attachments. Use the included software to upload measurement data—it downloads peak data from the gauge’s memory or captures continuous data. These gauges cannot be sold to California or Oregon due to energy efficiency regulations.

Test stands help keep your measurements uniform. Attach the gauge, and the stand will push or pull it. Test stands with a lever quickly engage and release, so you can test high volumes. However, they are less precise than stands with a wheel. Test stands with a wheel are best for testing low volumes. They are more precise than stands with a lever. Motorized test stands operate with the push of a button.

Safely view your tension force measurements on a handheld receiver up to 450 ft. away when moving bulk material with cranes and hoists. These gauges are also called dynamometers and crane scales. Made of steel, they’re durable enough to briefly hold heavy loads up to 500% of their capacity. But, they will no longer take measurements if the load exceeds 200%. Warning lights will flash first when your load exceeds capacity, then again when it reaches 133% capacity. To prevent overloads, the peak-hold setting displays the highest measurement. The tare function lets you reset the gauge to zero after attaching a container to weigh only the material inside. These gauges include a calibration certificate traceable to NIST that states they’ve passed a test for accuracy. They also meet IEC and ASME safety and fatigue standards.

Because their indicators and load cells are IP rated, these gauges stand up to washdowns and brief submersion common to food and chemical plants. They’re also safe to use outdoors since they’re NEMA rated to seal out weather.

These gauges come with two shackles that work with other lifting fittings, such as clevis hooks. The included batteries power their load cells for up to 2,000 hours.

Measure tension force as well as weight. These gauges come with a calibration certificate traceable to NIST that states they've passed a test for accuracy. All are NEMA 4X rated for protection from dust, water, and mild corrosives. They can be manually reset to zero and have a peak-hold setting that retains the highest reading on the display when activated. Also known as dynamometers.

Check that your products have the right balance of grip and slip. For quality control, these testers are commonly used to measure friction generated by packaging materials such as plastic film and cardboard. They’re also used in critical applications, such as to confirm separator film in EV batteries is slippery enough to resist tearing during assembly.

These testers are both easier to use and more sophisticated than performing a tilt test or dragging a force gauge by hand. Just place a sample of material on the platform and dial in your setting on the built-in screen. The test weight drags across your sample, generating readings for both static and dynamic coefficient of friction (COF), the force required to first move an object and keep it in motion. The included software charts measurements in real time on your PC for analysis and documentation. All meet ASTM D1894 standards for friction testers.

Testers with 17 oz. force capacity are suitable for measuring materials that you’d expect to slide, including plastic and cardboard. Testers with 4 lbs. force capacity are for rougher surfaces with a higher COF, such as textured rubber.

Often used on packaging films, food seals, and gloves, these tools test the puncture strength of thin materials. The tester will stop once the peak puncture force has been reached. Export the data you collect using the included software and USB cord. The included pins are made of stainless steel, so they won’t rust and are easy to clean. The tester can accommodate multiple pin diameters up to 3.2 mm.

Measure the force needed to carry out tasks in your facility, such as pushing carts, pulling pallet trucks, or lifting containers. These testers come with nonslip rubber handles for testing a variety of movements—attach one to the top of the tester or attach both to the sides. For strength analysis, mount padded attachments to the base of the tester to press against a surface. Use the snap hook to suspend loads from the bottom of the tester. It has a snapping clasp to hold loads steady, and it swivels to make sure they’re lined up properly.

With included software, these testers can gather continuous data or select a single data point. They also record the peak force used during a task. Export your measurements to Excel via the USB cable. All come with a calibration certificate traceable to NIST that states they've passed a test for accuracy.

Note: For the most accurate performance, the maximum force you apply should fall near the middle of the tester’s range.

Calculate how hard it is to peel tape off a surface, separate the layers within a laminate, or unfasten a hook and loop. These testers are often used for prototyping and quality control with packaging and electronics to check the bond strength between two materials. To test, stick your sample onto the testing tray and secure one end of it to the force gauge above. The tray moves as the force gauge pulls your sample up, so the sample is always peeling at a 90° angle. Program your test settings on the display. You can start or stop the test manually, set it to run for a certain amount of time, or let the test run until your sample is completely peeled off. All testers meet ASTM standards for peel testing.

Use the USB cord to transfer data and view measurements with the included computer software. The software identifies the first peak, or the maximum force recorded when your material first starts to peel. It also generates graphs and makes it possible to export data into a CSV file.

Testers cannot be sold to the listed areas due to energy efficiency requirements.

Stress test an electrical connection to make sure it won't come apart. Often used to check the quality of electrical connections during manufacturing, these pull testers measure the force needed to pull terminals and other connectors off of wires and tubes. They work with many different wire diameters, including most insulation types—turn the wire end fixture until you find a slot that fits your wire. To help you automate tests, you can set these testers to automatically store or output data, and to zero out when a test sample breaks. For pass/fail testing, you can set high and low points—an alarm will sound if the sample falls out of the set range. A backlit LCD makes it easy to read measurements, even in low lighting.

These testers include software that lets you gather continuous data or focus in on a single data point. Export your measurements to Excel using the included USB cable. You can also send data to your computer or PLC via RS-232, Digimatic code, or analog outputs. These testers come with a calibration certificate traceable to NIST that states they've passed a test for accuracy.

Manual testers have a large, easy-to-grab lever. Press it toward the wire end holder to apply force and pull it away to release the wire. A loading bar on the screen shows you how much force you’ve applied, so you know when the sample is close to breaking. Arrows indicate whether the force is high, low, or in your set range.

Automatic testers begin pulling as soon as a sample is loaded and reset once the test is complete. Red and green indicators next to the screen light up to show whether your sample is high, low, or in your set range.

Ring terminal fixtures have pins instead of grooves to hold your wire end. Fit a ring terminal onto a pin with a matching diameter to test it.

Determine if an adhesive or an epoxy creates a strong enough bond on a surface. Often used in construction and manufacturing, these testers measure the amount of force needed before an adhesive pulls off. They run on batteries, so you can use them anywhere around your facility or jobsite. Transfer data, such as the date and time of each test, to your computer with the included USB—no software download needed. All meet ASTM and ISO standards for adhesion testing.

The 20 mm dollies that come with these testers are the most common and work well for super glue and standard epoxies. To test, attach a dolly to your surface and wait until the adhesive has fully cured. For the best results, score or separate the test area from the surrounding surface with the included cutter before pressing the tester down onto the dolly.

Use 10 mm or 14 mm dollies (both sold separately) to test stronger adhesives, such as specialty structural epoxies.