Curtiss-Wright launches robust pressure sensors

Curtiss-Wright’s Industrial division has today announced the launch of a new range of robust pressure sensors, which have been designed for numerous industrial pressure sensing applications across sectors including: factory automation, process control, automotive and specialty vehicles, hydraulics, pneumatics and environmental systems.

The wide range of models and configurations offer an extensive choice of cost-effective solutions from low-cost, high-volume OEM production to high-performance Research & Development.

Featuring thin-film and diffused-silicon sensing elements, the piezo-resistive sensing technology is inherently accurate, small and robust with stainless-steel body construction.

Stainless-Steel Technology: Thin-film polysilicon resistors are applied to a stainless-steel diaphragm that deflects under pressure from the measured media, providing a varying voltage that can be converted into other electrical outputs. Benefits include long-term stability exceeding 0.1% per annum and excellent compatibility with a wide range of gas and fluid media, operating at ranges up to 0 to 4000 bar.

Silicon Technology: The sensing element features a silicon diaphragm into which pressure-dependent resistors have been diffused. The technology is a cost-effective solution for high-volume manufacturing, and especially suited to large-batch production. This technology is more suited to non-aggressive gas and fluid media, operating at ranges from 0.1 to 40 bar.

Both technologies are integrated into stainless-steel housings with a choice of pressure port and electrical connection options. This enables it to be readily adapted into numerous different sensor configurations to suit specific customer needs.

Pressure modes include absolute (relative to a vacuum), gauge (relative to ambient atmospheric), differential and sealed reference options, with measurement accuracies nominally 0.5% at room temperature, with an option to 0.1% in the high precision range. Special intrinsically safe ATEX/EX approved versions are also available for use in Zone 0 and 1 hazardous areas.

This extensive pressure sensor range complements the existing range of Curtiss-Wright position sensors from the Penny & Giles brand family, and offers existing and new customers a wider choice of sensing solutions from one supplier.