Mark-10 5 User Manual
Series 5
DIGITAL FORCE GAUGES
User’s Guide
Series 5 Digital Force Gauges User’s Guide
Thank you…
Thank you for purchasing a Mark-10 Series 5 digital force gauge, designed
for tension and compression testing applications from 0.12 to 2,000 lbF (0.5
N to 10,000 N) full scale. The Series 5 is an essential component of a force
testing system, typically also comprising a test stand, grips, and data
collection software.
With proper usage, we are confident that you will get many years of great
service with this product. Mark-10 force gauges are ruggedly built for many
years of service in laboratory and industrial environments.
This User’s Guide provides setup, safety, and operation instructions.
Dimensions and specifications are also provided. For additional information
or answers to your questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our
technical support and engineering teams are eager to assist you.
Before use, each person who is to use a Series 5 force gauge should be
fully trained in appropriate operation and safety procedures.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
OVERVIEW .........................................................2
POWER ...............................................................3
SETUP ................................................................4
HOME SCREEN AND CONTROLS ...................5
OPERATING MODES .........................................7
DIGITAL FILTERS ............................................11
SET POINTS .....................................................11
DATA MEMORY AND STATISTICS ................13
COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTPUTS .............14
CALIBRATION .................................................19
PASSWORDS ...................................................24
OTHER SETTINGS ...........................................25
SPECIFICATIONS ............................................28
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Series 5 Digital Force Gauges User’s Guide
1 OVERVIEW
1.1 Included Items
Part No.
M5-012 –
Qty.
1 12-1049 12-1049 12-1049 12-1049 12-1049 Carrying Case
1 08-1022 08-1022 08-1022 08-1022 08-1022 AC adapter body with US, EU,
1 08-1026 08-1026 08-1026 08-1026 08-1026 Battery (inside the gauge)
1 G1024 G1024 G1031 G1031 G1024 Extension rod
1 G1026 G1026 G1033 G1033 G1026 Cone
1 G1025 G1025 G1032 G1032 G1025 Chisel
1 G1027 G1027 G1034 G1034 G1027 V-groove
1 G1029 G1029 G1036 G1036 G1029 Flat
1 G1028 G1038 G1035 G1042 G1028 Hook (not incl. with M5-1500
1 - G1039 G1037 - - Coupling
1 - - - G1041 - Thread adapter
1 - Certificate of calibration
1 09-1165 USB cable
1 Resource CD (USB driver, user’s guides, MESURTM Lite software, MESURTMgauge DEMO
1.2 Safety / Proper Usage
M5-20
software, User’s Guide)
M5-50 –
M5-100
M5-200 –
M5-500
M5-1000 –
M5-2000 M5-2-COF
Description
or UK prong
or M5-2000)
Caution!
Note the force gauge’s capacity before use and ensure that the capacity is not exceeded.
Producing a force greater than 200% of the gauge’s capacity can damage the internal load cell. An
overload can occur whether the gauge is powered on or off.
Typical materials able to be tested include many manufactured items, such as springs, electronic
components, fasteners, caps, films, mechanical assemblies, and many others. Items that should not be
used with the gauge include potentially flammable substances or products, items that can shatter in an
unsafe manner, and any other components that can present an exceedingly hazardous situation when
acted upon by a force.
The following safety checks and procedures should be performed before and during operation:
1. Never operate the gauge if there is any visible damage to the AC adapter or the gauge itself.
2. Ensure that the gauge is kept away from water or any other electrically conductive liquids at all
times.
3. The gauge should be serviced by a trained technician only. AC power must be disconnected and
the gauge must be powered off before the housing is opened.
4. Always consider the characteristics of the sample being tested before initiating a test. A risk
assessment should be carried out beforehand to ensure that all safety measures have been
addressed and implemented.
5. Wear eye and face protection when testing, especially when testing brittle samples that have the
potential to shatter under force. Be aware of the dangers posed by potential energy that can
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Series 5 Digital Force Gauges User’s Guide
accumulate in the sample during testing. Extra bodily protection should be worn if a destructive
failure of a test sample is possible.
6. In certain applications, such as the testing of brittle samples that can shatter, or other applications
that could lead to a hazardous situation, it is strongly recommended that a machine guarding
system be employed to protect the operator and others in the vicinity from shards or debris.
7. When the gauge is not in use, ensure that the power is turned off.
2 POWER
The gauge is powered either by an 8.4V NiMH rechargeable battery or by an AC adapter. Since these
batteries are subject to self discharge, it may be necessary to recharge the unit after a prolonged period
of storage. Plug the accompanying charger into the AC outlet and insert the charger plug into the
receptacle on the gauge (refer to the illustration below). The battery will fully charge in approximately 8
hours.
USB connector
Power input jack
Serial connector
Caution!
Do not use chargers or batteries other than supplied or instrument damage may occur.
If the AC adapter is plugged in, an icon appears in the lower left corner of the display, as follows:
If the AC adapter is not plugged in, battery power drainage is denoted in a five-step process:
1. When battery life is greater than 75%, the following indicator is present:
2. When battery life is between 50% and 75%, the following indicator is present:
3. When battery life is between 25% and 50%, the following indicator is present:
4. When battery life is less than 25%, the following indicator is present:
5. When battery life drops to approximately 2%, the indicator from step 4 will be flashing.
Several minutes after (timing depends on usage and whether the backlight is turned on or
off), a message appears, “BATTERY VOLTAGE TOO LOW. POWERING OFF”. A 4-tone
audio indicator will sound and the gauge will power off.
The gauge can be configured to automatically power off following a period of inactivity. Refer to the Other
Settings section for details.
If battery replacement is necessary, the battery may be accessed by separating the two halves of the
gauge. Refer to the Setup section for details.
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Series 5 Digital Force Gauges User’s Guide
3 SETUP
3.1 Mechanical Setup
3.1.1 Loading shaft orientation
In order to accommodate a variety of testing requirements, the orientation of the loading shaft may be set
up in either of the two positions shown below. In order to change the loading shaft orientation, loosen the
two captive screws on the back side of the housing, separate the two housing halves, rotate one half 180
degrees, and reassemble. Contact between the two halves is made by the spring pins and contact pads
on the printed circuit boards. Note that models M5-1000, M5-1500, and M5-2000 do not utilize a load cell
shaft, however, the same rotation procedure applies.
Load cell shaft up Load cell shaft down
3.1.2 Mounting to a plate
Although the gauge may be used by hand, proper mounting is important if attached to a fixture or test
stand. The round steel insert with a hole in the back of the housing is provided to withstand the load
during a test. A mating dowel pin should be used (see illustration below). Mounting plates on Mark-10 test
stands include a dowel pin and clearance holes for the four threaded holes located near the corners of
the housing. These holes are designed to accommodate screws in order to hold the gauge in place
(Mark-10 test stands include a set of thumb screws for gauge mounting). The screws must not
for load bearing purposes. Failure to use a dowel pin properly can result in a hazardous situation.
3.1.3 Mounting attachments to the gauge
The force gauge’s threaded loading shaft is designed to accommodate common grips and attachments
with female mounting holes. To mount a grip, gently thread it onto the shaft. Other mounting adapters are
be used
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Series 5 Digital Force Gauges User’s Guide
also available to prevent rotation. Ensure that the grip or fixture is positioned to ensure axial load with
respect to the loading shaft of the force gauge. When using a grip, ensure that it secures the sample in
such a way that it is prevented from slipping out during a test, preventing a potential safety risk to the
operator and others in the vicinity. If using a grip or fixture from a supplier other than Mark-10, ensure that
it is constructed of suitably rugged materials and components.
Do not use jam nuts or tools to tighten grips or attachments onto the shaft. Finger-tighten only
3.2 Installing the USB driver
If communicating via USB, install the USB driver provided on the Resource CD. Installation instructions
may also be found on the CD or may be downloaded from www.mark-10.com
.
.
Caution!
Install the USB driver before physically connecting the gauge to a PC with the USB cable.
Further instructions for configuring and using the gauge’s outputs are provided in the Communications
and Outputs section.
4 HOME SCREEN AND CONTROLS
4.1 Home Screen
1
12
11
10
9
No. Name Description
1 Tension /
compression
indicator
2 Compression
Peak
3 Tension Peak /
Static COF
- indicates a compression (push) direction
- indicates a tension (pull) direction
These indicators are used throughout the display and menu.
The maximum measured compression peak reading. This reading may be
reset by pressing ZERO or by powering the gauge off and on.
The maximum measured tension peak or static coefficient of friction (for M52-COF gauge). May be reset by pressing ZERO or by powering the gauge off
678
2
3
4
5
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Series 5 Digital Force Gauges User’s Guide
and on.
4 Primary reading /
Kinetic COF
The current displayed force reading. See Operating Modes section for
details. For the M5-2-COF gauge, this reading represents the kinetic
coefficient of friction when the gauge is set to COF unit of measurement (see
Units indicator below) and has completed an Average sequence (see
Operating Modes section for details).
5 Load bar
Analog indicator to help identify when an overload condition is imminent. The
bar increases either to the right or to the left from the midpoint of the graph.
Increasing to the right indicates compression load, increasing to the left
indicates tension load. If set points are enabled, triangular markers are
displayed for visual convenience. This indicator reflects the actual load, which
may not correspond to the primary reading (depends on operating mode).
The ZERO key does not reset the load bar. See Operating Modes section for
details.
6 Units
The current measurement unit. Abbreviations are as follows:
lbF – Pound-force
ozF – Ounce-force
kgF – Kilogram-force
gF – Gram-force
N – Newton
kN – Kilonewton
mN – Millinewton
COF – Coefficient of friction (M5-2-COF gauge only)
Note: not all gauge capacities measure in all the above units. Refer to the
capacity / resolution table in the Specifications section for details.
7 Mode
The current measurement mode. Abbreviations are as follows:
RT – Real Time
PC – Peak Compression
PT – Peak Tension (static COF for M5-2-COF gauge)
A – Average Mode (kinetic COF for M5-2-COF gauge)
ET – External Trigger Mode
See Operating Modes section for details about each of these modes
8 Number of stored
data points
9 Battery / AC
adapter indicator
10 Automatic data
output indicator
The number of stored data points in memory, up to 1000. Displayed only if
Memory Storage is enabled for the DATA key.
Either the AC adapter icon or battery power icon will be shown, depending on
power conditions. Refer to the Power section for details.
If Auto Output has been enabled under Serial / USB Settings, this indicator
is displayed. When automatic data output is occurring, the icon becomes
animated. See Communications and Outputs section for details.
11 High / low limit
indicators
Correspond to the programmed set points. Indicator definitions are as follows:
– the displayed value is greater than the upper force limit
– the displayed value is between the limits
– the displayed value is less than the lower force limit
12 Set points
The programmed force limits. Typically used for pass/fail type testing. 1, 2, or
no indicators may be present, depending on the configuration shown in the
Set Points menu item.
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Series 5 Digital Force Gauges User’s Guide
4.2 Controls
Primary
Label Primary Function
ZERO
MENU
MODE
DATA
UNITS
CLEAR
4.3 Menu navigation basics
Most of the gauge’s various functions and parameters are configured through the main menu. To access
the menu press MENU. Use the UP and DOWN keys to scroll through the items. The current selection is
denoted with clear text over a dark background. Press ENTER to select a menu item, then use UP and
DOWN again to scroll through the sub-menus. Press ENTER again to select the sub-menu item.
For parameters that may be either selected or deselected, press ENTER to toggle between selecting and
deselecting. An asterisk (*) to the left of the parameter label is used to indicate when the parameter has
been selected.
For parameters requiring the input of a numerical value, use the UP and DOWN keys to increment or
decrement the value. Press and hold either key to auto-increment at a gradually increasing rate. When
the desired value has been reached, press ENTER to save the change and revert back to the sub-menu
item, or press ESCAPE to revert back to the sub-menu item without saving. Press ESCAPE to revert one
step back in the menu hierarchy until back into normal operating mode.
Refer to the following sections for details about setting up particular functions and parameters.
Powers the gauge on and off. Press
briefly to power on, press and hold
to power off. Active only when the
home screen is displayed.
Zeroes the primary reading and
peaks.
Enters the main menu.
Toggles between measurement
modes.
Stores a value to memory, transmits
the current reading to an external
device, and/or initiates automatic
data output, depending on setup.
Toggles between measurement
units.
Zeroes the peak readings, but
retains the primary reading.
Secondary
Label Secondary Function
ENTER
(UP)
ESCAPE
(DOWN)
DELETE
DIRECTION
N/A
Various uses, as described in the
following sections.
Navigates up through the menu and
sub-menus .
Reverts one step backwards through
the menu hierarchy.
Navigates down through the menu
and sub-menus.
Enables and disables Delete mode
while viewing stored data.
Reverses the display during
calibration, and toggles between
tension and compression directions
while configuring set points and other
menu items.
N/A
5 OPERATING MODES
Caution!
In any operating mode, if the capacity of the instrument has been exceeded by more than 110%,
the display will show “OVER” to indicate an overload. A continuous audible tone will be sounded
until the MENU key has been pressed or the load has been reduced to a safe level.
Five operating modes are possible with Series 5 gauges. To cycle between the modes, press MODE
while in the home screen.
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Series 5 Digital Force Gauges User’s Guide
5.1 Real time (RT)
The primary reading corresponds to the live measured reading.
5.2 Peak Compression (PC)
The primary reading corresponds to the peak compression reading observed. If the actual force
decreases from the peak value, the peak will still be retained in the primary reading area of the display.
Pressing ZERO will reset the value.
5.3 Peak Tension / Static Coefficient of Friction (PT)
Same as Peak Compression, but for tension readings.
In the M5-2-COF gauge, the reading in this mode represents the static coefficient of friction.
Note: The static COF is always represented in the upper right corner of the display by the peak tension
value, regardless of the operating mode.
5.4 Average Mode / Kinetic Coefficient of Friction (AVG)
Average mode is used to obtain an average force over time. This reading also represents the kinetic
coefficient of friction for the M5-2-COF gauge. Applications include measurement of peel force, COF,
muscle strength, frictional force, and other tests requiring time-averaged readings.
Before the parameters of Average Mode can be configured, it must be enabled. To do so, select Average
Mode from the menu, scroll to Enable and press ENTER. The display appears as follows:
AVERAGE MODE
Disabled
* Enabled
Stop at Force
+ Settings
The averaging function operates in one of two ways:
1. Averaging occurs between the trigger force and defined time limit, as illustrated below:
2. Averaging occurs only while above the trigger force. As the force drops back down to this trigger,
averaging stops. To enable this function, scroll to Stop at Force and press ENTER.
Select Settings to configure Trigger Force, Initial Delay, and Averaging Time:
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Series 5 Digital Force Gauges User’s Guide
AVERAGE MODE SETTINGS
Trigger Force
1.00 lbF
Initial Delay
1.0 sec.
Averaging Time
5.0 sec.
Parameter Description
The minimum force required to start the averaging sequence. Toggle between
Trigger Force
or
Start / Stop Force
compression and tension directions by pressing the DIRECTION key. Initial delay
follows the trigger force. If Stop at Force is enabled, this parameter is referred to
as Start / Stop Force, denoting the minimum force for which averaging will be
active.
The time delay, after the trigger force, before the averaging sequence
Initial Delay
commences.
Available settings: 0.0 – 300.0 sec., in 0.1 sec. increments
The time duration of the averaging sequence. This setting is ignored when Stop
Averaging Time
at Force is enabled, unless the 300 sec. limit is reached.
Available settings: 0.1 – 300.0 sec., in 0.1 sec. increments
After the parameters have been configured and the menu has been exited, press MODE until AVG is
displayed. Then press ZERO. Average mode is now armed, and the averaging sequence will commence
when the trigger force has occurred. The current status of the averaging sequence is displayed below the
primary reading, as follows:
Step Status Description
1 TRIG WAIT The trigger force has not yet occurred.
2 INIT DLY The initial delay is currently taking place.
3 AVERAGING The gauge is collecting readings. The status will be flashing until averaging has
been completed.
4 AVRG DONE Averaging has been completed. The average force is displayed in the primary
reading.
At the completion of the averaging sequence, the peak values are retained until ZERO is pressed.
Another averaging sequence may be started after ZERO has been pressed. To exit Average mode, press
MODE and select the desired measuring mode.
5.5 COF Sled Weight (for M5-2-COF gauge only)
The M5-2-COF performs COF calculations by dividing the force by the sled weight. For example, a force
of 100 gF divided by 200 g equals 0.5 COF. Although many COF testing applications require a sled
weight of 200 g, the gauge allows the user to change the sled weight to comply with other requirements.
To modify the sled weight, select COF from the menu. The display appears as follows:
COF
* Enabled
Sled Weight Unit
g
Sled Weight
200.0
Available sled weight settings: 100 – 1000 g
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Series 5 Digital Force Gauges User’s Guide
5.6 External Trigger (ET)
This mode of operation is useful for measuring electrical contact activation force as well as
synchronization of multiple instruments for a “snapshot” view of applied forces. It is possible to capture
the reading with a normally open contact (high to low transition of the trigger signal) or a normally closed
contact (low to high transition).
Before the parameters of External Trigger Mode can be configured, it must be enabled. To do so, enter
the main menu, select External Trigger, scroll to one of the four available options and press ENTER.
The options are as follows:
EXTERNAL TRIGGER
* Disabled
Momentary Hi->Lo
Momentary Lo->Hi
Maintained High
Maintained Low
Option Description
Momentary High Low The display will freeze the captured reading until ZERO is pressed. Applies
to a high to low transition of the trigger signal.
Momentary Low High The display will freeze the captured reading until ZERO is pressed. Applies
to a low to high transition of the trigger signal.
Maintained High The display will show the captured reading only for as long as a high signal
is maintained.
Maintained Low The display will show the captured reading only for as long as a low signal
is maintained.
After the selection has been made and the menu has been exited, press MODE until ET is displayed.
External Trigger mode is now armed. Refer to the pin diagram in the Communications and Outputs
section for connection information.
To exit External Trigger mode, press MODE and select the desired measuring mode.
Note: As long as external trigger has been enabled, it is still active even if the gauge is in Real Time
mode. After the display freezes, any programmed set points will be active. However, if the gauge is in
External Trigger mode, any programmed set points will be inactive.
5.6.1 External Trigger Schematic Diagram
+3.3V
SWITCH UNDER TEST
(NO OR NC)
USER - SUPPLIED
14
1
IN
GND
BAT54SLT1G
330 Ohm
GAUGE
22k
TO MICROPROCESSOR
0.1 uF
GND
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