TORRINGTON SENSOR CHIP TAKES TRADE SHOW HONORS

Torrington's innovative 'system on a chip' was one of only seven new products to receive best of show awards at Sensors Expo, the major industry exhibition and conference held earlier this month in Chicago. This honor in the sensor category capped a busy week in which Torrington's technology display attracted an impressive level of attention from potential customers in a variety of industries.

With the Best of Sensors Expo awards, the editors of Sensors (the leading publication in the sensors industry for nearly two decades) recognize new products that they predict will significantly impact the use of sensing in designs and applications.

The editors' Gold Award description explains the impact of the Torrington product:

"The MPS-32X Magnetic Position Sensor from The Torrington Company senses a low-resolution multi-pole magnet and produces a high-res quadrature output similar to that of an optical encoder. But, it is tiny and low-cost, and can handle harsh environments and high temperatures." "We were confident about our sensor potential going into the show, but the industry reception has been beyond our expectations," explains Industrial Division Product Manager John Santos. "Our compact sensor chip offers the performance and reliability that the market needs."

While Torrington is best known for bearings and related motion control products, sensor technology is fast becoming an important new source of unique engineered solutions for customers and revenue growth for the company.

The Torrington chip, officially called the MPS32XF Hall Effect Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), was developed for use in industrial and automotive speed and position motion control products. The MPS32XF integrates several sensor elements, custom signal processing circuitry, and a series of programmable features all on a single chip. Less than ¼ inch in size, it is still capable of producing high-resolution signals comparable to larger and less robust optical encoders.

Its compact dimensions enable the chip to function in applications where space limitations had previously made sensing impossible. Another major benefit is the ability to operate in harsh environments (dirt, high vibration, high temperature, etc.).

The MPS32XF sensor is based on the Hall Effect, which measures the strength and direction of a magnetic field. The chip can serve as the heart of a stand-alone sensor device or be integrated into a special bearing encoder assembly such as those already being used in some antilock braking systems and food processing machinery.

Applications for the MPS32XF include: general optical encoder replacement, brushless motor control for automotive and industrial applications, hydraulic product speed sensing, as well as automotive and industrial steering systems position control. Torrington plans to address market demand through a combination of licensing agreements and unique application-specific sensor solutions.

Additional information about Torrington sensor products is available at www.torrington.com/sensors.

The Torrington Company, a Subsidiary Of Ingersoll Rand, 59 Field Street, P.O. Box 1008, Torrington, CT 06790-1008. Tel: 860-626-2531; Fax: 860-496-3626.