A natural phenomenon in the service of industry

Since the very beginning, humans and animals have used sound as an information medium and as a means of measurement. Bats can locate their position by means of ultrasound. Dolphins can detect shoals of fish and other objects underwater using ultrasonic frequencies of up to 120 kHz, and are even able to determine the heartbeat rate of other animals. Probably the oldest type of sonic measurement used by human beings is to count the seconds between seeing a bolt of lightning and hearing the thunder in order to determine just how near a storm really is.

The idea of exploiting such measuring techniques-albeit very much refined-for industrial purposes led to the development of ultrasonic sensors. These emit high-frequency sound pulses, inaudible to the human ear, and measure the time taken by the signals to return after being reflected from an object.

The robust sensors prove their capabilities in the most diverse applications, particularly through their ability to operate without any contact with the objects being measured or detected. This is even possible under extreme ambient conditions. Also impressive is their ability to detect accurately a vast range of different materials and colours.

It is exactly this huge potential variety of practical applications and the need to overcome traditional performance boundaries with product innovation that have driven microsonic for over 35 years. Since 1990, the internationally active company, headquartered in Dortmund, has concentrated on the development and production of innovative ultrasonic sensors for industrial automation technology.

Concentrating on core skills

Today, microsonic is a globally recognised specialist in ultrasonic sensors for applications in industrial automation technology and industrial vehicles. A large number of patent applications and a constantly growing assortment of products are witness to the power of innovation at microsonic.

Examples are ultrasonic dual sheet control systems that work with no calibration at all, label sensors that use special teach-in methods to be able to detect even critical labels and splices at high transport speeds, and ultrasonic proximity switches with switching frequencies of up to 250 Hz.

Certified quality

The objectives of microsonic's quality management have always been to deliver maximum product quality and to be fully in control of every single step in the process from development to full-scale production, and to provide verifiable documentation for those processes.

The company's quality management system has been certified by the ICG Zertifizierung GmbH and complies with the international standard DIN EN ISO 9001.

Responding to customers' needs without ifs and buts

It is the aim of all employees at microsonic to respond quickly and flexibly to the wishes of our customers. Even when this results in a one-off for a particular company-a special length of cable, an individual software adaptation or a complete new development.

At microsonic we always try to implement your wishes, requirements and ideas as rapidly as possible. We regard them as the prime movers for further progress in terms of development, production, sales and service.

microsonic prefers to answer this question by way of practical examples. What that means is together with you, in a constant exchange and directly on site. The development of solutions to customers' specifications for special applications, requirements or installations is quite often a technical necessity-and at the same time the expression of what we at microsonic understand as "focusing on the customer".

The starting point for an individual development can be an inquiry about a different, tailor-made housing for a sensor, or a modified output signal, or evaluation logic that must be altered because in its present form it does not fit with your specific conditions or design.

And there is also the case where you wish to know whether it is even possible to solve your task with an ultrasonic sensor at all. We are happy to answer this question too. To realise your ideas and conceptions, we follow a systematic path. Firstly, we analyse your particular task or problem and the technical options, and then show you specific solutions.

In this way we can clear up right at the outset which sensor or which system is the most cost-effective-and hence profitable-for your application. From the prototype to large-scale production, you are always involved and kept well informed.