Fraunhofer IPMS, Dresden carries out customer specific developments in fields of microelectronic and micro systems technology serving as a business partner that supports the transition of innovative ideas into new products. Fraunhofer IPMS develops and fabricates modern MEMS and OLED devices in its own clean room facilities. In addition to R&D services it offers ramp-up within a pilot production. With modern equipment and about 200 scientists and engineers, the range of projects and expertise covers sensor and actuator systems, microscanner, spatial light modulators, lifetronics as well as organic materials and systems.

At the Mikrosystemtechnik Kongress 2011 (Booth 21) Fraunhofer IPMS presents:

Save and clean – the new differential pressure sensor MEDIDUSE

Fuel cells as well as particle filters of modern diesel vehicles require highly precise differential pressure sensors. Those sensors are exposed to adverse environmental conditions, aggressive liquids or gases and high line pressures. Up to now fault or drift of sensor elements led to disturbance of the output signal. This could potentially cause ciritical or suboptimal states of the overall system.

That is why the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS in cooperation with the Intelligente Sensorsysteme Dresden GmbH and the SMT & HYBRID GmbH developed a new differential pressure sensor. Using this sensor it is possible to detect and to even compensate failure of sensor elements.

For instance it would be possible to indicate a failure of a differential pressure sensor to the driver of a fuel cell powered vehicle while continuing normal operation until savely reaching the next repair shop.

Apart from the failure tolerance the new developed sensor reaches a higher accuracy over the full temperature range than standard sensors.

The project was supported by the »Sächsische Aufbau-Bank SAB« within the framework »Innovative technologieorientierte Verbundprojekte auf dem Gebiet der Zukunftstechnologien im Freistaat Sachsen«.