An aspect of the invention is a testing system for applying loads to a test specimen. The testing system includes the actuator and the first support portion supporting the actuator. The actuator is configured to support a first end of the test specimen, while a second support portion configured to support a second end of the test specimen. In various embodiments, combination of sensors that can include displacement sensor and/or accelerometer(s) provide associated output signals that are received by a displacement compensator that is configured to provide a displacement output signal indicative of differential displacement between first end and the second end of the test specimen.

Provided are a striking device and a natural frequency measuring device capable of simply and accurately measuring a natural frequency of a system including force detector. The striking device includes an arm capable of swinging around a spindle, and a steel ball arranged in an end part of the arm on a side opposite to the spindle. The spindle is supported by a supporting part capable of lifting up and down relative to a post erected on a magnet stand. A supporting part for supporting a supporting plate is arranged at a position in the post and above the supporting part. A permanent magnet is placed above the supporting plate. The steel ball falls down in an arc shape from a standby height position when the permanent magnet is removed.

An example flexible substrate testing system includes: a first substrate support structure configured to hold a first portion of a flexible substrate under test; a second substrate support structure configured to hold a second portion of the flexible substrate; one or more actuators configured to move the first and second substrate support structures at respective angles to fold the flexible substrate; and load cells configured to measure loads on the first substrate support structure and the second substrate support structure while the actuator moves the first substrate support structure and the second substrate support structure.

Provided are a material testing machine and a gripping force detecting method that can easily judge whether a test piece is gripped with an appropriate gripping force by a gripper. A controlling section is connected to a FFT transforming section via a load cell; the FFT transforming section calculates a natural frequency of a system comprising a test piece and an upper gripper which is connected to a load cell based on a detected value of a force of the load cell. In addition, the controlling section is connected to a storing section which stores the natural frequency calculated by the FFT transforming section. Furthermore, the controlling section is also connected to a comparing section which compares the natural frequency calculated by the FFT transforming section and the natural frequency stored by the storing section before a test starts.

A sample gripping and heating assembly includes an assembly housing and first and second heating grips coupled with the assembly housing. The first and second heating grips each include a gripping surface, and the gripping surfaces of the first and second heating grips are opposed to each other. Each of the first and second heating grips further includes a heating element adjacent to the gripping surface. Optionally, the sample gripping and heating assembly is included in a heating system including a probe heater having a probe heating element for heating of a probe. The heating system is included with a testing assembly having a stage coupled with the sample gripping and heating assembly, and a transducer assembly coupled with the probe heater.

A multi-component force-torque sensing device contains force- and torque-sensitive elements mounted on a common base so that the axis of rotation of the measured torque coincides with the direction of action of the force being measured. The force and the torque are applied to a test specimen holder simultaneously. For reducing cross-talk between the sensitive elements installed on the base the test specimen holder is connected to the sensitive elements via a cross-talk reducing member with respective adapters which translate the force and the torque to the sensitive elements independently, without affecting or disturbing each other measurements.

The robot system includes a robot having an arm which is provided, on its tip, with two claws which are driven by a servo motor. According to this robot system, a relative position of the two claws is detected when the two claws apply a load of a predetermined force to a welded part welded to a workpiece. The deviation between the detected relative position and a predetermined reference relative position is calculated. The workpiece is determined to be of a good quality or poor quality by comparing the calculated deviation to a predetermined threshold value.

The invention provides a method and a multi-component force-torque sensing device with reduced cross-talk between the sensitive elements. The device contains a mounting base, which supports force sensitive unit and torque sensitive unit. These sensitive units are interconnected by a sensor cross-talk reducing member via respective adapters in such a way that the force is translated to the force sensitive unit without affecting or disturbing the torque sensitive unit, and the torque is translated to the torque sensitive unit without affecting or disturbing the force sensitive unit, thus reducing the cross-talk between the force and the torque measurements.