Newsletter

Letter from the CEO

Dear customers and business partners.
We find ourselves in the middle of a year full with sporting events that being the
European Championship in soccer or for some, even more important, the Olympic
Games in Brazil. For each and every one of the competing athletes, it is evident,
that they have been striving to achieve their very best and deliver the best possible
result.
They have been exploring new and better ways to achieve the desired results
and to break new personal records. They have been training and done whatever
possible within their power to show the world what there are capable of.
A parallel can be drawn to the many businesses and industries who strive daily to
perform at top level. The main difference between the two is the fact that the businesses and industries
have to perform and deliver each and every day. There is no room for bad days or lack of performance
the market constantly demands the very best. And that is good it means that the market is pushing us to
improve and to offer our customers more value and support every day.
In this newsletter we introduce you to two new Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG products. Our
new digital temperature sensor, DigI2Cels, which combines temperature measuring with an onboard
digital signal converter providing a high resolution digital I2C output, and secondly, our PW RTD sensor
which combines the advantages of a Pt wire-wound sensors with the advantages of a Pt thin-film
element measuring up to 600 C in class A. Both products are results of many hours of training to find
the optimal solution. Finally, we would like to introduce our new employee, Igor Lotocky who will be
responsible for sales in the Eastern European market.
On this note, I would like to wish you all a good read and a good start in the las quarter of 2016.
Yours
Dr. Mirko Lehmann

Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG

Newsletter 2/2016

Company News
Measurement in DIN EN 60751 F0.15 class A up to 600 C
The Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG PW RTD element combines
the advantages of high accuracy and precision of the traditional
wire wound sensors with the advantages of robustness and small
dimensions of the well-known thin-film elements. The PW element
is available with 100, 500 and 1000 resistance values and able
to measure with high accuracy DIN EN 60751 F0.15 class A within
a wide operating temperature range from -200 C to +600 C.
Furthermore, the PW element combines small dimensions with
robustness and outstanding stability even in extreme and harsh
environments.
Upcoming fairs fall 2016
During the next upcoming months, Innovative Sensor Technology IST
AG will be participating in various fairs throughout Europe. We will
show the latest product news and offer you the possibility to meet
with our sales people in person.
You can find us at the World of Technology and Science in Utrecht,
Netherlands from October 4th - 7th and in Munich at the Electronica
from November 8th - 11th.
New Development: Digital Temperature Sensor DigI2Cels
The new digital temperature sensor DigI2Cels is a sensing product
that combines performance and simplicity in one. The sensor
performance is provided through an on-board platinum RTD, known
for its outstanding stability and repeatability. While the physical
temperature parameter changes are detected from the RTD sensors,
an onboard digital signal converter provides a high resolution digital
I2C output with 16 bit or 22 bit (24bit) ADC.
The simplicity is provided by the RTD sensor characteristics and
its corresponding polynomial coefficients are stored in the digital
sensors EEPROM, which achieve +/- 100 mK.
As usual, custom or multi-point calibrations are available in a specific
temperature window. The first generation of sensors operate in
a range of -50 C to +85 C. There is neither a microprocessor
nor software onboard. The sensor operates with ultralow power
consumption, which makes the sensor ready for HVAC wireless
applications and more.
Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG

Newsletter 2/2016

Focus on Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning

Innovative Sensor Technology IST is a market leader within the HVAC industry and offers a broad
variety of products for the HVAC market. Innovative Sensor technology IST AG is more than a
standard component supplier offering technology and materials science resources to find outstanding
and tailored sensors for the various building automation applications. IST AG is today a one-stop shop
for temperature, humidity, flow and differential pressure sensors and therefore an ideal partner to
launch new quality products or redefine an existing HVAC sensor portfolio.
Trends and diversification in the HVAC market from the view of a component manufacturer
The HVAC market is in a strong uptrend today and has at the same time never been more
competitive. New features in Smart Thermostats are setting benchmarks on a daily basis. However, no
matter how smart and efficient a system is and no matter how much functionality and connectivity
you plan to incorporate in the new generation of HVAC products, at the end you will always be in a
strong need of reliable and stabile sensing components.
Many companies in the HVAC market concentrate their efforts on the software communication of
theirs systems, but do not pay attention to proof functionality and quality of their most important
element - the sensing component. The result is that all the smart algorithms are only as good as the
data provided from the sensor component.
The Innovative Sensor IST AG strategy is to provide well engineered sensors, which provide strong
dependable values through profound material science and intelligent calibration along with state of
the art manufacturing capabilities and quality machines and equipment required to perform volume
output with consistent quality.
Our customers appreciate the excellence in our components and the peace of mind that comes with
it, wherever HVAC instruments operate large investments under the control of their products and
finally their companys brand name. We are pleased to present the portfolio for quality components in
the following:
P14 W
The standard P14-W humidity sensor capacitor is a passive humidity
component. The sensor is designed to withstand dew formation and
provides extraordinary cross contamination results when applied in
different gases as well as a number of corrosive gases (ask for a test
sample overview). The P14 W longevity compared to other components
in the market is good, especially when compared in high humidity

Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG

P14 W

Newsletter 2/2016

Focus on Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning

conditions. This is the number one choice for companies intending to integrate the P14 W humidity
sensor with their own electronics and calibration capabilities. It provides great stability and long lasting
measurements, because of its water proof materials such as the ceramic body and proprietary polymer
design. Applications are air ducts, RH+T transmitters as well as thermostats.
HYT calibrated digital RH+T
The HYT sensors are combined temperature and humidity digital
modules. The sensors are calibrated and qualified under stringent
procedures. A nine point calibration takes place to assure high accuracy
over a wide temperature and humidity band width, while the right
materials provide longevity and satisfactory results not only on the data
sheet. The HYT sensors are built on the IST AG flag ship P14 capacitor
sensors. The sensor component as well as its surrounding materials
are engineered to guarantee almost zero moisture absorption and to
prevent misreading due to false water/moisture sources. The HYTs
technology is provided in exposed sensor element versions, as well as
two filter cap versions (mechanical protection) for simple integrations in
air duct, compressed air transmitters and wall mount thermostats.

HYT 271

HYT 221

HYT 939

FS7 thermal mass flow sensors

Equipped with a heating and sensing resistor the FS7 is the most
recent development of mass flow sensor component at IST AG on
ceramic substrates. The sensor is applied directly into the air flow and
is designed to measure typical HVAC air duct flow speeds between
0 m/s to 25 m/s or more. The main advantage of the FS7 is the high
FS7 thermal mass flow sensor
sensitivity especially at lower flow rates 0 m/s to 1 m/s or 0 m/s to 5
m/s, while performing within a wide dynamic range. If applied in CTA mode (constant temperature
anemometer mode), the FS7 can read from 0..100 m/s flow speeds. Benefits of this design are simple
implementation for air duct flow transmitters. Handheld devices to control air conditioning systems
are using FS7 at the tip of a retractable monopod. Due to its low cost implementation it is used for
filter monitoring in combination with air purifiers. High performance applications are compressed air
mass flow metering and billing devices.

Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG

Newsletter 2/2016

Focus on Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning

MFS 05 mass flow sensor

The MFS 05 is the newest generation of the
MicroflowSensor family components. A major
improvement has been taken with the new
design which foresees more measurement
symmetry if the flow direction changes. The MFS
05 compared to the FS7 is developed on a glass
substrate (not ceramic). The active components
are a 4 platinum resistors implemented in a
thin membrane with a thickness of less than 10
microns. This allows performing measurements
MFS 05 Microflowsens component
with ultra-low thermal mass. The result is an
ultra-fast sensor with a response time of less
than 10 ms. Furthermore, the MFS 05 display an ultra-sensitive measurement in differential pressure
applications, which measures with a noise free resolution of 5 mPa. The MFS 05 sensor is integrated
in positive pressure ventilation systems (clean rooms, hospitals), filter monitoring, flow/glow box and
micro fluidic gas applications.
MID packaged MFS 05 MicroflowSens component
The MID packaged MFS05 is engineered with IST AGs MFS 05 MicroflowSens component with a
proprietary thermal micro flow measurement
method. The extraordinary sensor specific
behavior is revealed on its low temperature
dependence also under non-isothermal
conditions (see raw data measurement plot
at different temperature on the diagram
below). The build in flow channel provides
simple system integration for ultra-low flow
application 0 to 1 [sccm] and a wide dynamic
range at the same time up to 200 [sccm]. The
sensor comes with 10 [ms] response time in
combination with detection of flow direction
in one. Different MID packages are available;
all can be processed with automated pick and
place procedures and come with solderable
contact pads. The MID packaged MFS05
MID with MFS 05 Microflowsens component

Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG

Newsletter 2/2016

Focus on Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning

microflow component can be used in a by-pass flow channel as a differential pressure and sensor is
soon available in combination with different USB plug and play evaluation boards.

Diagram showing intrinsic temperature compensation

Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG

Newsletter 2/2016

Insight
An interview with Igor Lotocky, Area Sales Manager of Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG,
regarding the new sales office in Prague, Czech Republic, and about the business during the last
months.
Q: One year ago, IST AG opened the
new sales office in Prague. What was
the reason for the opening of this new
location and how can the company
benefit from it?

Igor Lotocky, Area Sales Manager IST AG Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary,
Ukraine, Russia

A: The main reason to open up a new sales

office is the fact that we (IST AG) try to get
as close to our customers as possible. With
customers all over the world, it is important
for us to be accessible and to react fast
whenever our customers need it. Opening up
an office in Prague was a good solution as to
how we could offer our customers the best
possible support in the region.

Q: Why the Czech Republic?

A: Partly because we have a subsidiary in the Czech town of Roznov pod Radhostem, where some of
our assembly steps takes place. Among the many advantages of having an office in Prague is the fact
that the city is a very accessible and a popular trade destination, which definitely brings the company
closer to our customers.
Q: What is the next step to increase sales in the East European market?
A: IST AG sensors are well known on the European market and thanks to this, IST AG is also known in
the eastern European market and in Russia, who keep a close eye on the western market.
We have a diverse portfolio of sensors that measure temperature, flow, humidity, conductivity, as
well as bio sensors measuring the level of glucose, lactate, glutamine and glutamate. Thanks to this
we have customers who work in all sorts of industries e.g. the medical/pharma industry, the process
industry, HVAC and aerospace.
My goal is to provide my customers with the best possible technical support and to focus on new
customers who appreciate our customer oriented approach in the development of sensors and their
superior quality and precision.

Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG

Newsletter 2/2016

Insight
Q: Which region of your sales area in Middle and Eastern Europe is the most important for
IST AG where are most of your customers located?
A: It is hard to say which area is the most important. Every region has its own specifics and there are
companies in each of them that are important for us as a company to develop further.
Russia is the largest and most diverse market. For instance, in terms of temperature sensors, wire
wound sensors are commonly used and we know how to adapt our thin film temperature sensors
to this requirement and produce them with the stabile wire wound characteristic curve. Russia also
requires sensors to comply with their own temperature coefficient under their GOST R 8.625-2006
standard, which is different from the European standard EN DIN 60751. In IST AG we are producing
sensors according to both standards. It is a big advantage and again moves IST AG one step closer to
the customers.
Q: What do you think about the future potential of the business for IST AG in Middle and
Eastern Europe? What market developments do you expect?
A: The Central- and Eastern European customers are very well educated, very undertaking and Central
& Eastern Europe have a huge potential. Middle and Eastern European customers have learned to
think in a very practical and economical way, which enables them to always find the most simple
beneficial solution. A lot of EU companies have become aware of this and move their production to
Czech Republic for instance Slovakia and Russia. I expect that the market will grow further and I am
looking forward to the cooperation.

Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG

Newsletter 2/2016

Events
Electronica - November 8th - 11th, 2016
Hall: B1, Booth: 328
Munich - Germany
www.electronica.de

Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG, Stegrtistrasse 14, CH-9642 Ebnat-Kappel, Switzerland,
Phone: +41 (0) 71 992 01 00 | Fax: +41 (0) 71 992 01 99 | E-mail: info@ist-ag.com | Web: www.ist-ag.com

Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG

Newsletter 2/2016