Sensor Integration Services

Do you want to obtain sensor data anytime anywhere?

Do you need engineering help to integrate a sensor into your product?

We can support you by contract development and contract manufacturing of sensor assemblies that fit your needs.

Get more insight below on our accurate, differential pressure sensor already used for FDA approved and CE certified products. Or get introduced to the best pH ISFET sensor in the world, that is used for medical as well as analytical, environmental and food applications.

More info
Leaflet

Sensor Integration Services

Do you want to obtain sensor data anytime anywhere?

Do you need engineering help to integrate a sensor into your product?

We can support you by contract development and contract manufacturing of sensor assemblies that fit your needs.

Get more insight below on our accurate, differential pressure sensor already used for FDA approved and CE certified products. Or get introduced to the best pH ISFET sensor in the world, that is used for medical as well as analytical, environmental and food applications.

More info

Vertical Integrated Capabilities

At our inhouse semi-conductor production facility, we leverage many years of experience to develop and produce high quality miniature sensors. We perform the lithography and chemical vapor deposition ourselves, as well as the diffusion and annealing furnaces. After testing the wafers, they are diced and picked by well-trained special operators.

Our portfolio contains various dimensions of ISFET pH sensors and Wheatstone full bridge pressure sensors. And more sensors will follow.

Sentron can do the whole process: starting with semiconductor processing to documentation required for the MDR. Any part in between is possible, depending on the expertise and preferences of the customer.

At the start of the partnership, we will discuss what processes the customer would like Sentron to do. The sensor assemblies that are delivered so far vary between the bare sensor die and the sensor assembly in which the sensor is integrated in a housing including a GUI. OEM pressure sensor modules typically consist of assemblies containing the pressure sensor, housing parts and control electronics. OEM pH sensor component includes the same, plus a custom reference electrode.

During the prototyping phase the sensor module design can be rapidly adapted and concepts can be tested. After the engineering project has been finalized, Sentron offers standardized volume assembly of the sensor assemblies. The sensor component is subsequently assembled into the end product by the customers.

Thanks to specific know-how of die attaching, wire bonding, encapsulating, steering and compensating the sensor, we can provide successful R&D engineering services for any sensor integration into your product. This contract development and manufacturing of sensor assemblies is feasible for any shape or dimension and for any kind of product and application.

Processes required for the pH prototypes include the placement of our pH ISFET sensor at the PCB after which it will be wire bonded, glob-topped and encapsulated. The reference electrode has to be designed such that it fits into the assembly. A diaphragm is placed in the reference chamber wall and the chamber will be gel filled. For the pressure sensor prototypes the outline is similar, although this sensor does not require the reference electrode.

The design of the electronics that is required for the steering of the sensor is included, as well as the custom-made housing for the assembly. Finally, a cable is attached, if required.

We have all the necessary equipment in place at our Leek facility including the semi-conductor production and testing factory, a fully equipped tooling shop (including a 5-axel CNC milling machine), an electronic and PCB circuit design facility, a software development unit and a fully equipped sensor and product assembly facility.   

We have a clean room facility for development, manufacturing, product testing, and qualification services of sensors, assemblies and meters. These are necessary for the determination of physical and chemical values measured in the engineering field.

We are ISO 13485:2016 certified and have the required REACH and RoHS compliance declarations. See Ctact

Contract Development and Manufacturing

Sentron has a broad experience in and has the in-house capabilities for performing contract development based on sensor solutions. Typically, these projects start in the project idea & concept phase and the engineering team assists in the design and integration of the pH ISFET or Wheatstone full bridge pressure sensor in the product of the customer. 

Based on the requirements, the application and the annual forecast we will propose the most suitable sensor assembly that fits the customer needs the best. When we do not have a suitable sensor in our own portfolio, we will propose a 3rd supplier sensor or we will develop the sensor ourselves. The sensor will have a seamless connection to your product or production process, including mounting the hardware, cabling, connectors and housing.

After the prototypes are build and tested at your own site for your own application, the test results will be evaluated and the conclusions of the verification and validation process are taken into account. Next, the phase of transfer to manufacturing will be started.

Depending on the outcome of the design verification and validation, the product specification is set and preparations are made for high volume production. Work instructions are finalized and test equipment will be designed and manufactured. If necessary, special tools will be manufactured for the production of the sensor assembly.

When the preparation for production of the sensor is finished, the production of high volumes is of no problem at our facility. We’ll discuss the best delivery schedules and make sure you will receive your high quality sensors in time.

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R&D evaluation pH kit

We understand that you may want to test and evaluate our sensors before contracting us as your partner for the development for a sensor sub-assembly. The R&D evaluation pH kit is specifically designed for these situations. It is a modular and flexible ISFET pH sensor platform for research and development purposes that can be integrated into prototypes and experimental setups.

It’s all about sensors

Besides the wireless and durable pH probe product line, you can also reach out to us for any customized sensor integration into your own product.

The non-glass ISFET (Ion Sensitive Field Effect Transistor) pH sensor is one of the sensors that we produce in our semiconductor laboratory. It is robust and does not require wet storage, which makes it well suited for, e.g., agriculture, water environment, food and other industrial applications. Our ISFET assemblies are proven successful in the market in FDA approved and CE certificated medical devices for the medical application in gastro-enterology.

In our facility we also produce the advanced miniature piezo resistive sensor that is equipped with a full Wheatstone bridge for differential pressure measurements: thus, no influence due to atmospheric changes. The narrow dimensions of this pressure sensor make it ideally suited for medical applications. Our pressure sensor assemblies are already on the market in medical devices for cardiology, as well as for neurology and urology catheters. 

What's Next

By taking a serious look at all applications, we keep entering into new innovations in our semiconductor production facility. Soon we will launch sensors for EC and ORP, with which great multisensor solutions for e.g. water monitoring can be provided. Additionally, we’re looking forward to end the R&D on ion-selective sensors.

For all applications we constantly seek innovations in our semiconductor factory. Soon we will launch sensors for EC and ORP. These can provide great multi-sensor solutions for, e.g., water monitoring. Imagine: all parameters to be monitored using one and the same probe! Additionally, we’re looking forward to finalize the R&D on ion-selective sensors.

The EC is the measure of a material’s ability to allow the transport of an electric charge. This knowledge is important for water-quality monitoring in public water supplies, in hospitals, in boiler water and in industries which depend on water quality such as horticulture and breweries.

Low conductivities are expected for pure water applications like aquaria, household, drinking water and rivers. On the other side, high conductivities are expected for industries like irrigation, greenhouses and manure.

The ORP is the measure of the tendency of aqueous solutions, or any other chemical species, to either acquire electrons from an electrode and be reduced thereby, or to lose electrons to an electrode and be oxidized thereby. This knowledge is important for water-quality monitoring in hydroponics, aquaria, swimming pools, as well as environmental and wastewater sampling. E.g. ORP is an indicator of micro-organism inactivation in a swimming pool or spa pool.

High ORP values (positive potentials) are expected for aerated surface water, rivers, lakes, oceans, rainwater and acid mine water. Low ORP values (negative potentials) are expected in places with limitations in air supply such as submerged soils, swamps and marine sediments.

We started innovative developments on ion-selective sensors that have a membrane mixture suitable for detection of different ions based on the ISFET technology. Selectivity is based on proprietary modifications with several polymer matrix configurations. Nitrate (NO3–), Ammonium (NH4+) and Potassium (K+) are currently in development.

Innovation thanks to
European Union

The European Regional Development Fund, as part of the Union’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has enabled us to work on a sensor to measure pH in extreme environments and a reference that is resistant to high temperatures and contamination.

The aim of the first project is to develop a new construction of the pH-sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET). A new top layer should improve the stability of the ISFET and make it more resistant to extreme pH values. Another improvement is that the sensor should be able to better withstand higher temperatures.

The intended result is a functionally working prototype pH sensor that is more stable with regard to drift and that can measure the pH for a long time in solutions and environments with higher temperatures and extreme pH values.

The aim of the 2nd project is to develop a prototype solid-state reference system, which eliminates the need for liquid in the reference electrode.

Within this project, we will develop a solution that is revolutionary in the market. A solid-state reference has no liquid internally and is coated on the outside with a precious metal, so that it is not subject to aging. This reference will also be resistant to higher temperatures and contamination.