A PC card communication system for facilitating both wireless and hardwire based communication between a host device, in which the PC card communication system is received, and one or more remote devices. Force and displacement measurements are taken and the property determined from those measurements. A cap supply is configured to dispense caps and to position an edge of a cap in a path defined by movement of the closure spout through the applicator. The protocol interface device may include a front-end proxy module for communicating with the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using respective operating protocols, and a protocol engine module communicating with the front-end proxy module using a common interface protocol. The mixer is especially suitable as a dosing device andor for lubricating extruder andor expander products. At least one of the sliding portions of the sliding parts has a hard carbon coating formed with a hydrogen content of 30 atomic % or less.