Date
09/01/2010
PDF
Gleichmann Electronics, a specialized distributor of electronic components requiring a strong technical support, is now pan-European distributor for the complete sensor and ASIC product portfolio from SensorDynamics, a MEMS specialist with its headquarters in Lebring near Graz, Austria.
Founded in 2003, SensorDynamics is one of the pioneers of MEMS sensor technology. The company developed, for instance, the eutectic wafer-to-wafer bonding and test methods in close cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institut für Siliziumtechnologie ISIT. These methods ensure an operating lifetime of 17 years and more for SensorDynamics' MEMS devices. SensorDynamics also holds an international technological lead position with dual-cavity devices for inertial combo sensors, fail-safe inertial measurement systems with up to six degrees of freedom (6DoF IMUs) as well as 2D and 3D MEMS gyroscope sensors. SensorDynamics currently concentrates on three product groups: Inertial Microsensor Systems (IMMS), Intelligent Sensor Interface (ISIF) and Wireless Sensors (WISE). Features of the inertial sensors include embedded DSP cores, integrated microcontrollers and fail-safe functions that fulfill the safety requirements of the automobile industry in accordance with SIL2 and SIL3. The product group Intelligent Sensor Interface (ISIF) contains various standard products for discrete sensors like Eddy current, and AMR/GMR sensors or Wheatstone bridge type sensors such as position sensors, rotation sensors, flow sensors and pressure sensors. In the product group Wireless Sensors (WISE), systems such as ‘Keyless go' and ‘Keyless entry' in the low frequency range (20/125 kHz) and HF frequency range (315/433/868/915 MHz) are a special discipline of SensorDynamics. One of the key products in the high frequency range is a power management ASIC with integrated RF link capability for energy harvesting applications where the energy for power supply of the chip is generated from environmental sources like vibration, light or temperature differences. The cutting edge circuit has so far been used mainly in building automation, but is also ideally suited for use in battery and wireless automotive applications such as, for example, tire pressure sensors. "In recent years, with the help of partners such as the Fraunhofer-Institut für Siliziumtechnologie ISIT, TSMC, ASE and ST Microelectronics, SensorDynamics was able to build up unique system know-how that has enabled us to also integrate analog, digital and HF functions in addition to sensors in the smallest space. With the support of Gleichmann Electronics, we now want to make this knowledge available to an expanded range of customers. Gleichmann Electronics is an ideal distributor for us, because the company, which is part of the MSC Group, has a high level of system competence and, as a design-in oriented system integrator, is in a position to technically competently support the customers in the evaluation phase through to the end of the product's lifetime over the entire supply chain", said Juergen Tittel, Vice President Marketing & Sales at SensorDynamics. Ralf Sommer, Business Development Director at Gleichmann Electronics, sees an ideal complement in the current and planned product portfolio of SensorDynamics to the present range of products of the MSC-Gleichmann Group. "Sensor technology plays an increasingly important role in automotive manufacture, but also in industry and building automation, in high-end consumer sectors and medical technology. With the help of single and multiple axis gyroscope sensors in SOIC and QFN packages from SensorDynamics, the fail-safe combo sensors and the capability to already be able to combine analog, digital, and HF functions on a single chip, we can further expand our system competence and help our customers achieve a stainable competitive advantage in the previously mentioned business segments," commented Ralf Sommer. www.msc-ge.com www.sensordynamics.cc
