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| About Strain Measurement
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Leading Edge Technology
Prior to the founding of SMD
in 1979, thin-film strain gauge technology had been limited
to aerospace and other ultra-high accuracy applications.
The development of SMD′s proprietary thin-film process
technology has yielded economic and performance benefit′
enabling the company to considerably expand its served
applications, including medical, industrial, automotive,
and process control, SMD thin-film sensors have significant
advantages over silicon, foil strain gauge, capacitance,
and other sensing technologies:
- Substantially improved long-term
stability
- Lower power consumption
- Materially better temperature effects
- Flexible technology for unique
shapes and sizes
- Inorganic dielectric materials
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Custom Engineering
SMD provides a seemingly infinite
variety of sensors to accurately measure force, pressure,
acceleration, and other physical parameters. Approximately
90% of SMD products are custom designed, these sensors
meet the more specialized needs of OEM′s. SMD′s
Peerless engineering team designs sensors for unique requirements
and aggressive cost targets. Typical specialized requirements
include small sizes, high temperature, low capacities,
“Cenelec” dielectric, and overload proof sensors.
SMD′s familiarity, especially with state-of-the-art
medical products, has led to the development of complete,
value-added, SMD produced subassemblies, which incorporate
one or more sensors, signal conditioning, electronics,
and other features.Products range from sensors to fully
packaged transducers all the way to data acquisition systems.
This value-added capability is becoming one of the fastest
growing parts of the business. |
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Applications and Markets
While SMD sensors are used
in a cast array of applications from automotive to automation
and undersea to outer-space, two markets stand out as
extraordinary opportunities: medical instrumentation and
pressure measurement. Medical instrumentations manufacturers
are adding sensing capabilities for closed loop feedback
control at an ever-increasing rate. SMD′s extensive
experience in design (over 20 years) combined with the
flexibility of its proprietary thin film technology, position
the company as an unparalleled medical sensor supplier.
Inorganic dielectrics linked with precision thin film
resistor circuitries are ideal for medical sensing requirements.Applications
included noninvasive disposable set pressure sensing,
reagent reservoir flow and weight sensing, tocody-namometers,
medical scales, bag sensing, plus orthopedic and physical
therapy. Pressure transducers are an ideal application
for the proprietary sputtered thin film strain gauge technology.
Long-term stability is so superior that SMD sensors are
the core sensing technology in some pressure calibrators
used to calibrate other manufacturer′s pressure transducers!
Temperature coefficients are orders of magnitude better
than silicon transducers and are linear from -40°C
to +150°C and higher. Stainless steel and Hastelloy ™
wetted surfaces (without oil fill) offer superior performance.
Diaphragm sensors can include integral RTD′s,
500Vac dielectric strength, and ranges of 30 psi through
30,000 psi (2 bar though 2000 bar). Lower range pressure
sensors to inches of water full scale are available. |
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Typical Standard Products
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Investment and Growth Strategy
SMD has and will continue to,
re-invest a significant share of its earnings in the business.
The commitment to R&D creates future generations of
sensors and the manufacturing processes to make them,
while our capital expenditures ensure the availability
of our state of the art factory to deliver quality sensors
efficiently. More importantly, the company strongly supports
the education and training of its employees. Combined
with the continued outstanding efforts of the SMD team,
these strategic investments are intended to maintain and
improve the company′s technology leadership position. |
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