Mecmesin, a leading global designer and manufacturer of force, materials, and torque testing equipment, announced today the launch of its ground-breaking VFG digital force gauge. The VFG combines a highly responsive, capacitive 5” colour touchscreen with sophisticated force and torque measurement features driven by the power of Mecmesin’s Vector OS.

Vector OS is the technology platform at the heart of the VFG enabling operators to customise the touchscreen interface, configure the tester to their requirements and analyse test results quickly in the field.

Established for over 40 years as a British manufacturer of force & torque test equipment, feedback from Mecmesin’s global customers across all industries has been instrumental in shaping the latest generation of digital force gauges.

The VFG is packed full of innovative features and the intuitive touchscreen interface makes it easy to navigate. Just swipe or press and hold to access menus, toolbars, and settings.

Available in 10 models with capacities ranging from 2.5 to 2500 N (0.5 to 550 lbf), the VFG caters for a diverse range of applications. Each gauge is highly accurate to ±0.1% of full-scale with readings displayed in all common measurement units; N, kN, mN, gf, kgf, lbf and ozf.

The VFG offers enhanced test features and data analysis capabilities:

• Max and 1st Peak mode - registers the key values from the test.
• Graphing mode - generates a live curve on the display to help identify critical events during the test.
• Fast data-acquisition rate of 2,000 times per second - ensures sudden break-force readings are captured accurately.
• 5 MHz internal sampling rate – detect events with greater precision.
• Enhanced alarm configurations, including a ‘pre-alert’ warning, notifies operators if the test specimen is inside/outside tolerance
• Onboard statistics - stores displayed readings to a built-in memory for statistical analysis within the gauge  
• Output data directly to a PC or printer for further analysis
• Expandable external memory - saves all the raw data-points on a 32GB micro-SDHC card so you can test rapidly now and download results later.

The VFG is constructed in a rugged aluminium housing, shaped to fit the hand and small enough to be comfortably used as a hand-held device. It is easily attachable to a motorised stand, thereby making it an affordable first step to more controlled tension and compression testing where optimum repeatability is required. Alternatively, this powerful digital force gauge can also be integrated as a key component into custom test rigs.

The VFG also acts as a universal display for a selection of external ‘smart’ force and torque transducers, just ‘plug-and-play’. This means users can expand a VFG by connecting additional sensors to perform tests of all capacities for tension, compression and torsion – all with one gauge.

It is powered by a fast-charge lithium-Ion battery and is supplied in a robust carry case with a standard accessory kit plus a USB-C charging/data cable and USB-C to -A adapter. A removable rubber bumper is pre-fitted to protect against accidental damage if the gauge is dropped.

A calibration certificate traceable to national standards is included at no extra charge - ensuring full compliance during external audits.

Designed for the most demanding tension and compression measurement applications across a wide range of industries, the VFG is the ultimate force gauge for assessing product and material quality.

“Mecmesin has been manufacturing digital force and torque gauges for over 30 years and the new VFG represents the perfect blend of performance and functionality combined with the very latest touch screen technology.”, said John Page, PPT Group Managing Director,” The VFG has clearly reset the bar in the industry and represent the best-in-class force and torque instrumentation on the market today.”