Competencies Our options for the optimal solution
Developing innovative, technologically sophisticated products and offering these successfully on the market is just as much a part of our goals as the systems solutions developed together with the customers and individually customized to their needs.
We consider our key competency to be the development, production and marketing of sensor solutions for a variety of different fields of application.
Application know-how
Many years of application experience, high flexibility, short communication paths and quick response to new market requirements are the foundation for a successful partnership with our customers.
Sensitec offers technical application support in order to help customers select and layout our products in their systems.
Our assistance ranges from the discussion of possible usage condition for our sensors in your applications, to answering detailed questions about performance characteristics, to designing mechanical or electrical interfaces for our products.
Production
Our production area covers a high bandwidth of possibilities and depth of value added. It is no simple task to manufacture high numbers of units in the automotive industry at the same time as flexibly producing a large variety of different industrial products in medium and small batches.
In order to offer our customers more than just one sensor, we have a system assembly with various construction and production technologies. This enables us to satisfy the most varied requirements ranging from the chip to the complex plug-and-play system solution.
AMR/GMR/TMR chip production
As the owner of Europe’s most modern and efficient chip factory for MR micro-systems, you will find us to be a competent and experienced partner. Our chips are electrically and magnetically tested and selected. For delivery, you have the option of a serrated wafer on foil or sorted into waffle packs.
As an additional service, depending on your application requirements, we offer you, for example,
- the adjustment of parameters of the AMR and/or GMR layer systems,
- the characterization of magnetic materials and
- magnetic measurement technology
Sensitec offers you a comprehensive range of services in the field of thin layer technology and MR sensors. You receive all production services from coating for 5” wafers with metals and insulations all the way to structuring (≤0.2 µm structural width). The use of state-of-the-art plasma technology, micro-lithography and micro-galvanization combined with our years of experience guarantee a customized production service of the highest quality.
System assembly
Within the system assembly, the entire production process for sensor systems, consisting of sensors, sensor electronics and magnetic scaling, is covered, from the prototype with, in some cases a high level of manual assembly, through to series production in automatic production facilities.
The following processes are available:
- COB / COC
- Wire connections US / TU
- Flipchip and underfill
- Dispensations
- Joining mechanical components
- Active function calibration (laser or electronic)
- Housing assembly and casting of sensor elements
- Final test
Manufacturing measurement scales
In order to measure angles and distances accurately and with high resolution, magnetic measurement scales are used in conjunction with our sensors. These measurement scales are alternately magnetized with opposite polarized poles (north and south pole).
Linear scales are produced in lengths of < 1 cm up to several meters or as pole rings with different diameters suitable for each measurement task. Pole lengths between 0.5 mm and 10 mm are magnetized highly precisely using a patented magnetization procedure.
In addition to conventional incremental magnetization, various encodings and several tracks are possible, for instance, for manufacturing measurement scales for absolute measurement systems.
The measurement scales consist of flexible plastic material with embedded ferrite powder for standard applications. For higher levels of accuracy and with regards to thermal behavior, measurement scales made from ceramic material are also used.
Depending on the task at hand, measurement scales are often coordinated with the user and thus optimally adapted to the measurement task.
Design
Sensitec's IP portfolio is secured with well over 60 patents on MagnetoResistive sensors. Many solutions on the market, even from competitors, are based on Sensitec's protective rights and bear witness to the high innovative capacity of the company.
We use extensive FEM simulations to ensure the electrical functionality of a sensor design. This guarantees that the "first silicon" is electrically flawless and that unnecessary redesigns are avoided.
To ensure the magnetic functionality, we use simulation tools developed specifically for the magnetic behavior of the sensors. We have an extensive model library for both AMR as well as GMR layer systems.
The test laboratory integrated into development allows a quick review of new sensor designs. The mechanical design of the test benches and the corresponding test algorithms are based on the years of experience of our engineers and scientists.
Electronic design
In addition to developing MR sensor parts, Sensitec offers a wide range of analysis concepts in the form of sensor modules for signal processing.
The competencies and possibilities in the field of electronic and hardware-integrated software development, coupled with the high level of experience as well as the interaction between MR sensors and analysis electronics allow the implementation of an optimal sensor system tailored to the application.
Just like standard tools for circuit and PCB layout design, Spice and FEM (Finite Element Method) simulations are used to perfect the electronic design.
For this purpose, ASICs (Application Specified Integrated Circuits) developed in-house are available to the developers, as well as analysis ICs, electronic components and micro-controllers that have been established on the market for years, using which signal conditioning and further processing as well as standardized and customized interfaces can be implemented.
Sensor modules are conceptualized, simulated, produced and evaluated using these components, taking into account the wishes of the customers and standard design rules.
Furthermore, a multitude of standard modules has been created, whose low cost and simple handling make them easy to integrate in the customer's own application.
Mechanics
Sensitec uses state-of-the-art CAD tools to develop our catalog products as well as our customized variations.
We use the Solid Works® package for mechanical designs. The parametric modeling allows us to quickly implement changes or adaptations.
We can make the 3D-CAD files of our products available in different formats in order to save our customers time and money in the mechanical design of new systems.