Applications

Pressure sensors play critical process and quality control roles in industrial applications. The Industrial market covers a broad scope of applications that range from very low vacuum (negative pressure) and very low pressure (around 1-IN H₂O or less) to very high pressure (10,000 psi or more). In addition to the pressure range, engineers must consider several parameters to select the appropriate pressure sensor. The desired measurement media and application packaging requirements are next step considerations in the sourcing process.

All Sensors employs a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) piezoresistive technology housed in durable, printed circuit mountable packages. Our pressure sensors (transducers) are designed for dry air and gas with a focus on low pressure (< 150 psi) for applications that benefit from high accuracy and repeatability. Higher pressure applications require alternate sourcing. Harsh media requires the user to isolate the plastic package and its sensitive components. Alternate sourcing is required for stainless steel and other packaging considerations. With the pressure range and packaging limitations taken into consideration, there are several industrial applications that can benefit from the use of All Sensors pressure sensing products and technology. The following represent a sample of the applications where pressure sensors are currently being used.

Energy conservation is increasingly important to reduce power consumption and its associated costs for any enterprise as well as minimizing the environmental impact including a businesses’ environmental footprint. For improved energy conservation, accurate pressure sensor measurements are required in portable and stationary weather stations, testing devices for diesel truck emissions, wind energy systems, wind engineering in relation to new building design aerodynamics, ocean research, high-altitude weather research balloons, water pollution devices, smoke stack mercury sampling, and atmospheric studies.

The technology industry requires accurate pressure sensors in its products and in the regulation of environments that house massive data centers around the world. Pressure sensor applications consist of altimeters, barometers, sensing printer ink levels, air flow rate in equipment, IT center/ computer cooling systems, semiconductor process equipment, and laser measurement, as well as clean room monitoring devices.

Manufacturing industry applications for MEMS pressure sensors continue to increase based on the need for more tightly controlled processes with their associated quality control requirements. Increased monitoring of pressure and/or vacuum can detect the need for equipment maintenance prior to untimely failures that cause excessive downtime and increase manufacturing costs. In addition to general instrumentation requiring static measurements, pressure sensors play an increasing role in applications such as: bottle and equipment leak detection, Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems, air blades, compressed air pressure monitoring, industrial flow monitoring, filter pressure monitoring, duct air flow, gas detection, pneumatic controls, mine safety instrumentation, industrial degassers, and suction check in pick and place applications such as the printed circuit boards and semiconductor process equipment.

One type of industrial pressure measurement that All Sensors has addressed with an improved sensing approach is a differential application where a pressure is applied to the front and back side of the sensor in the application and improved front-to-back linearity is required.