The $5+ billion industrial sensor business is undergoing disruptive change as advances in micromachining have made it possible to produce micro-sized devices. With other technological change and the potential for biosensors, the market is poised for renewed and dynamic growth.

This report analyzes the U.S. passive, active, semiconductor and other sensor technology markets for temperature, position, pressure, chemistry, force, load, flow and level sensing applications. Assessing future trends for growth and the competitive environment, it features forecasts to 2006. The report also profiles the leading competitors and analyzes the changing industry structure, competitive strategies and drivers.

Table of contents:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION.........................IX

• STUDY GOAL AND OBJECTIVES.........................IX
• REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY.........................IX
• CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY AND FOR WHOM.........................IX
• SCOPE AND FORMAT......................... X
• METHODOLOGY......................... X
• INFORMATION SOURCES.........................XI
• RELATED BCC PUBLICATIONS.........................XI
• BCC ON-LINE SERVICES.........................XII

SUMMARY.........................XIII

SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES......................... 1

• INTRODUCTION......................... 1
• PASSIVE SENSOR TECHNOLOGY......................... 3
• ACTIVE SENSOR TECHNOLOGY......................... 4
• ELECTROMECHANICAL SENSOR TECHNOLOGY......................... 6
• SEMICONDUCTIVE/MEMS SENSOR TECHNOLOGY......................... 7
• COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING TECHNOLOGIES......................... 8
• PATENT ANALYSIS......................... 9
  • SENSOR SEGMENT PATENT ACTIVITY.........................10
  • INTERNATIONAL SENSOR PATENT ACTIVITY.........................11
  • COMPANY SENSOR PATENT ACTIVITY.........................11

INDUSTRIAL SENSOR MARKETS BY PRODUCT TYPE.........................17

• INTRODUCTION.........................17
• TEMPERATURE SENSORS.........................18
  • THERMOCOUPLES.........................20
  • Thermocouple Properties.........................20
  • Thermocouples by Material Type.........................21
  • Thermocouple Calibration.........................22
  • Thermocouple Probes.........................22
  • RESISTOR TEMPERATURE DEVICES (RTDs).........................22
  • THERMISTORS.........................24
  • RADIATION DETECTORS/INFRARED THERMOMETERS.........................26
  • Smart IR Sensors.........................27
  • IR Thermometers.........................27
    • IR Thermometers in Automation.........................28
  • INTEGRATED CIRCUIT (IC) AND MEMS TEMPERATURE SENSORS.........................28
  • OPTICAL TEMPERATURE SENSORS.........................29
  • TEMPERATURE SENSOR MARKETS AND OUTLOOK.........................30
• POSITION SENSORS.........................32
  • DISPLACEMENT SENSORS.........................32
  • LVDT Sensors.........................33
  • Magnetostrictive Position Sensors.........................33
  • Capacitive Position Sensors.........................34
  • PROXIMITY SENSORS.........................34
  • Magnetic.........................35
  • Capacitive.........................35
  • Ultrasonic.........................35
  • Photoelectric.........................36
  • Inductive.........................36
  • POSITION SENSOR MARKETS AND OUTLOOK.........................36
• PRESSURE SENSORS.........................39
  • PRESSURE TRANSDUCERS.........................39
  • Active Transducer Elements.........................40
    • Piezoelectric Transducers.........................40
    • Magnetic Induction Transducers.........................41
    • Variable Reluctance Transducers.........................41
    • Variable Capacitance Transducers.........................42
  • Passive Transducer Elements.........................42
    • Resistance Strain Gauges.........................42
    • Potentiometric Pressure Transducers.........................43
  • Integrated Circuit Transducer Elements.........................43
    • Piezoresistance.........................44
    • Variable Capacitance.........................45
  • PRESSURE SENSOR MARKETS AND OUTLOOK.........................45
  • CHEMICAL SENSORS.........................47
    • TAXONOMY OF CHEMICAL SENSORS.........................48
    • HUMIDITY/MOISTURE SENSORS.........................48
    • pH SENSORS.........................50
    • GAS DETECTION SENSORS.........................51
    • Electrochemical.........................53
    • Metal Oxide Semiconductor.........................53
    • Catalytic Oxidation.........................54
    • Infrared Sensors.........................54
    • Zirconium Oxide.........................54
    • Solid-State Semiconductor Sensor.........................55
    • Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser.........................55
    • Diode Lasers.........................55
    • Chemfet.........................55
    • Ion-Controlled Diode.........................55
    • Organic Semiconductors.........................56
    • Acoustic Wave.........................56
    • Light-Emitting Diodes.........................56
    • HopcaliteTM Solid-State Sensor.........................56
    • OXYGEN ANALYZERS.........................56
    • OPTICAL SENSORS IN CHEMICAL ANALYSIS.........................57
    • CHEMICAL SENSOR MARKETS AND OUTLOOK.........................58
  • FORCE AND LOAD SENSORS.........................60
    • FORCE SENSORS/TRANSDUCERS.........................60
    • ACCELEROMETERS.........................61
    • Piezoelectric Accelerometers.........................62
    • Suspended Mass Accelerometers.........................62
    • MEMS.........................63
    • STRAIN GAUGES.........................63
    • LOAD CELLS.........................64
    • FORCE AND LOAD SENSOR MARKETS AND OUTLOOK.........................64
  • FLOW SENSORS.........................66
    • FLUID FLOW.........................67
    • Differential Flow Sensors.........................67
    • Orifice Sensors.........................68
    • Venturi Tubes.........................68
    • Flow Tubes.........................68
    • Pitot Tubes.........................68
    • LINEAR FLOW SENSORS.........................69
    • Turbine Sensors.........................69
    • Paddlewheel Sensors.........................69
    • Positive Displacement Sensors.........................70
    • Ultrasonic Flow Measurement.........................70
      • Contra-Propagating Ultrasonic Flow Meters.........................70
      • Doppler Ultrasonic Flow Meters.........................71
    • Laser Doppler Sensors.........................71
    • Magnetic Flow Sensors.........................71
    • Vortex Shedding Sensors.........................72
    • FLOW SENSOR MARKETS AND OUTLOOK.........................72
  • LEVEL SENSORS.........................74
    • POINT LEVEL SENSORS.........................75
    • Capacitance.........................75
    • Conductivity.........................76
    • Contact Sensors.........................76
    • Temperature Level Sensors.........................76
    • Photoelectric Sensors.........................76
    • Refractive.........................76
    • Microwave.........................77
    • Magnetostrictive Sensors.........................77
    • CONTINUOUS LEVEL SENSORS.........................77
    • Float Sensors.........................77
    • Sight Glass.........................78
    • Resistance.........................78
    • Phase Shift.........................78
    • Oscillatory Sensors.........................78
    • Laser Deflection.........................78
    • Balanced Beam Manometer.........................78
    • Pressure.........................79
    • Ultrasonic.........................79
    • LEVEL SENSOR MARKETS AND OUTLOOK.........................79

INDUSTRY STRUCTURE.........................82

• OVERVIEW.........................82
• COMPETITIVE ASPECTS.........................84
• DRIVING FORCES.........................85
• MARKET VS. TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN.........................86
• COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES.........................87
• INDUSTRY CHARACTERISTICS.........................88
  • CHANNELS OF DISTRIBUTION.........................89
  • PRODUCT LIFE CYCLES.........................90
  • IMPACT ON OTHER INDUSTRIES.........................90
• EMERGING MARKETS.........................91

COMPANY PROFILES.........................92

• TEMPERATURE SENSOR COMPANIES.........................92
  • ALPHA SENSORS, INC..........................92
  • AMETEK, INC..........................93
  • COMPUTATIONAL SYSTEMS, INC..........................94
  • JOHNSON CONTROLS, INC..........................95
  • QUALITY THERMISTOR, INC..........................95
  • RAYTEK CORP..........................96
  • SENSOR SCIENTIFIC, INC..........................98
  • THERM-O-DISC, INCORPORATED.........................98
  • THERMOMETRICS CORPORATION.........................99
  • WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY.........................100
• POSITION SENSOR COMPANIES.........................101
  • AROMAT CORPORATION.........................101
  • BEI TECHNOLOGIES, INC..........................102
  • BELL TECHNOLOGIES INC..........................103
  • CLAROSTAT SENSORS AND CONTROLS, INC..........................104
  • ENPROTECH CORP..........................104
  • KAMAN INSTRUMENTATION.........................105
  • MICROE SYSTEMS, INC..........................106
  • MIDORI AMERICA CORP..........................106
  • PHILTEC, INC..........................107
  • XOLOX CORPORATION.........................108
• PRESSURE SENSOR COMPANIES.........................108
• BOKAM ENGINEERING INC..........................108
  • COOPER INSTRUMENTS & SYSTEMS.........................109
  • DWYER INSTRUMENTS, INC..........................110
  • ENDEVCO CORPORATION.........................111
  • ENDRESS+HAUSER, INC..........................113
  • INTEGRATED SENSING SYSTEMS, INC. (ISSYS).........................114
  • KAVLICO CORPORATION.........................115
  • LEBOW PRODUCTS, INC..........................117
  • RDP ELECTROSENSE, INC..........................118
  • ROSEMOUNT, INC..........................119
  • SENSOTEC, INC..........................121
  • SENTECH SYSTEMS, INC..........................122
  • STRAIN MEASUREMENT DEVICES, INC..........................123
  • VALIDYNE ENGINEERING CORP..........................124
• CHEMICAL SENSOR COMPANY/PRODUCT LINE PROFILES.........................124
  • DENVER INSTRUMENT COMPANY.........................124
  • ENMET CORPORATION.........................125
  • GENERAL EASTERN INSTRUMENTS.........................126
  • HYGROMETRIX, INC..........................126
  • OHMIC INSTRUMENTS CO..........................127
  • PANAMETRICS, INC..........................128
  • RKI INSTRUMENTS, INC..........................129
  • ROTRONIC INSTRUMENT CORP..........................129
• FLOW AND LEVEL SENSOR COMPANIES.........................130
  • BLUE-WHITE INDUSTRIES.........................130
  • DATA INDUSTRIAL CORPORATION.........................130
  • ENGINEERED SENSORS/TEDECO.........................131
  • ENTRELAC SSAC, INC..........................132
  • GEORGE FISCHER, INC..........................132
  • FLOW TECHNOLOGY, INC..........................133
  • GEMS SENSORS INC..........................134
  • INVENSYS PROCESS SYSTEMS.........................135
  • J-TEC ASSOCIATES, INC..........................136
  • LAKE MONITORS, INC..........................138
  • MAXIMA TECHNOLOGIES.........................138
  • MILLTRONICS INC..........................139
  • PRINCO INSTRUMENTS, INC..........................140
  • RONAN ENGINEERING COMPANY—MEASUREMENTS DIVISION.........................141
  • SCIENTIFIC TECHNOLOGIES, INC..........................141
  • SENSANT CORPORATION.........................142
  • SIGNAL SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC..........................143
  • TURCK, INC..........................143
• FORCE AND LOAD SENSOR COMPANIES.........................144
  • ATI INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION.........................144
  • BLH ELECTRONICS, INC..........................144
  • HONEYWELL SENSING AND CONTROL.........................145
  • INTERFACE, INC..........................147
  • STRAINSERT CO..........................148
  • TRANSDUCER TECHNIQUES, INC..........................148

APPENDIX: COMPANY LIST, BY SPECIFIC SENSOR MARKET SEGMENT.........................149

LIST OF TABLES

• SUMMARY TABLE: SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES, THROUGH 2006.........................XIV
• 1 INDUSTRIAL SENSOR MARKETS BY TECHNOLOGY, THROUGH 2006......................... 2
• 2 PASSIVE SENSOR TECHNOLOGY, THROUGH 2006......................... 4
• 3 ACTIVE SENSOR TECHNOLOGY, THROUGH 2006......................... 5
• 4 ELECTROMECHANICAL SENSOR TECHNOLOGY, THROUGH 2006......................... 6
• 5 SEMICONDUCTOR/MEMS SENSOR TECHNOLOGY, THROUGH 2006......................... 7
• 6 NUMBER OF SENSOR PATENTS BY RELATED MEASURAND, 1997-2001.........................10
• 7 NUMBER OF SENSOR PATENTS GRANTED BY ASSIGNED COUNTRY/REGION, 1997-2001.........................11
• 8 INDUSTRIAL SENSOR MARKET BY PRODUCT, THROUGH 2006.........................17
• 9 BASIC TEMPERATURE SENSOR COMPARISON.........................19
• 10 STANDARD THERMOCOUPLE COMPOSITION, TEMPERATURE RANGE.........................21
• 11 TEMPERATURE SENSORS, THROUGH 2006.........................30
• 12 POSITION SENSOR TYPES.........................33
• 13 POSITION SENSORS, THROUGH 2006.........................37
• 14 PRESSURE SENSORS, THROUGH 2006.........................46
• 15 pH SENSOR TYPES AND APPLICATIONS.........................51
• 16 MEASUREMENT PRACTICES FOR DETECTING GASES.........................52
• 17 CHEMICAL SENSORS, THROUGH 2006.........................58
• 18 FORCE AND LOAD SENSORS, THROUGH 2006.........................65
• 19 FLOW SENSORS, THROUGH 2006.........................72
• 20 LEVEL SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES LISTED BY SENSING FUNCTION.........................75
• 21 LEVEL SENSORS, THROUGH 2006.........................80
• 22 SENSOR COMPANIESЃEPRODUCT LINE REFERENCE.........................149

LIST OF FIGURES

SUMMARY FIGURE: SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES, 2001 AND 2006.........................XV
• 1 INDUSTRIAL SENSOR MARKETS BY TECHNOLOGY, 1993-2006......................... 3
• 2 FIRST THROUGH TWENTY-FIFTH COMPANIES BY NUMBER OF SENSOR PATENTS GRANTED, 1997-2001.........................13
• 3 TWENTY-SIXTH THROUGH FIFTIETH COMPANIES BY NUMBER OF SENSOR PATENTS GRANTED, 1997-2001.........................15
• 4 INDUSTRIAL SENSOR MARKET BY PRODUCT, 1993-2006.........................18
• 5 TEMPERATURE SENSOR PRODUCT MARKET SHARE , 2001.........................31
• 6 POSITION SENSOR PRODUCT MARKET SHARE, 2001.........................38
• 7 PRESSURE SENSOR PRODUCT MARKET SHARE, 2001.........................46
• 8 CHEMICAL SENSOR PRODUCT MARKET SHARE, 2001.........................59
• 9 FORCE AND LOAD SENSOR PRODUCT MARKET SHARE, 2001.........................65
• 10 FLOW SENSOR PRODUCT MARKET SHARE, 2001.........................73
• 11 LEVEL SENSOR PRODUCT MARKET SHARE, 2001.........................80