STW at SENSOR+TEST 2022: Sensors for a digital world

The requirements of industrial digitalization and mobile machines are growing constantly. Increasingly, the acquisition of measured values is no longer enough to satisfy customer demands. Responding to these challenges – and fulfilling SENSOR+TEST 2022’s special theme “Sensor and Measuring Technology for the Digital World” – STW is presenting its latest smart sensor solutions. Based in Kaufbeuren, Germany, for more than 35 years STW has specialized in robust and intelligent sensors for high performance automation applications, offering both standard and customer-specific products.

At SENSOR+TEST 22, STW is giving its Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensor SMX.igs-e its first showing. Specially developed for harsh operating conditions, such as mobile working machines or in industrial applications, the SMX.igs-e has been designed for the measurement of inclination, acceleration and rotation rate. Acceleration and rotation are measured in 3 axes. It delivers data pre-processed and features various algorithms for the compensation of dynamic disturbances, including a Kalman-filter to improve and stabilize measured values. With E1 certification STW’s SMX.igs-e sensor is already approved for use on road-going vehicles. For simplified integration into vehicle architectures it features interfaces such as CAN, CANopen and SAE J1939.

Commissioning of the IMU into to a vehicle’s automation system, including parameter setting and monitoring, can be implemented using the STW’s comprehensive “openSYDE” toolchain for OEM developers. Based on intuitive opensource software, openSYDE enables system development in a single programming environment. All system-related information is available at one location while drag-and-drop support and predefined widgets simplify system engineering tasks, even for safety-relevant functions up to SIL2/PL d.

Of course, STW would not belong to the innovation leaders in its sector if it could only introduce a single innovation at SENSOR + TEST 22. Also new is STW´s SMX.dms-a sensor for strain and deflections in structural elements such as turntable ladders. Naturally, the SMX.dms-a sensor also has E1 approval for road-going vehicles and, if necessary, can be readily exchanged in the field without extensive calibration. As with the SMX.igs-e range, system development of the SMX.dms-a sensor is supported by the comprehensive functions of the openSYDE software environment.

A further emphasis at the STW stand is the thin-film sensor technology that STW produces in synergy with its sister-company KMW. KMW’s know-how in this area forms the basis for STW’s high performance sensors for pressure and temperature which deliver data for control, monitoring and safety in both mobile machines and in a series of classic industrial applications.

KMW’s measuring cell expertise is based on a broad spectrum of standard and proprietary coatings and substrate materials that enable high-precision, high-duty measuring tasks in a wide variety of applications. Steel, ceramics, special alloys and synthetic materials are utilized, paired with a selection of insulating, functional and passivation layers.

The resulting thin-film structures form the core of STW’s own standard sensors but are also offered on the global market to other sensor manufacturers. As well as thin-film measuring cells and sensors, finished and semi-finished sensor products are offered, and can be complemented by STW’s signal processing electronics and connection and packaging technologies.

As well as sensors for pressure, inclination and strain, STW’s range of competences is characterized by its sophisticated control systems which, in combination with modules for telemetry and communication, allow the established technology leader from Kaufbeuren to cover a full range of needs in the advanced automation of machines and vehicles. High-performance, environmentally friendly data acquisition, processing and transfer between machines, or to a master control station and the cloud can be readily implemented.

Stationary applications can, of course, equally benefit from STW’s robust sensor and automation solutions – for example in the form of cylinder pressure sensors for the control of large engines or hydrogen sensors for the management of fuel cells. Further stationary applications in industry include process automation in the sectors technical gases, chemicals, and water treatment. With this portfolio STW can supply the comprehensive needs of machine manufacturers for the digital iza tion and automation of their applications – fulfilling the promise of SENSOR + TEST’s special theme “Sensor and Measuring Technology for the Digital World“.

STW at SENSOR+TEST 2022: Stand 1-144