PCB Piezotronics, a wholly owned subsidiary of MTS Systems Corporation, have completed construction of new environmentally controlled clean rooms totaling 4,300 sq. ft. at their Walden Avenue headquarters. Earlier this year, the sensor manufacturer began assembly of all pressure and force products in this new facility.
Sensor elements and other critical assemblies are manufactured within a 1,200 sq. ft. room, which meets or exceeds ISO Class 7 cleanliness standard (less than 10,000 particles per cubic foot). This room is also humidity controlled within a tight specification. Particle counts are further reduced down to ISO Class 3-4 levels (less than 10 particles / cubic foot) due to usage of laminar flow benches, High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtered fume extractors and other state of the art clean room equipment.
A second clean room area (3,100 sq. ft.) is designated for final product assembly and calibration processes. This space is under even stricter humidity controls to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage to electrical components. Laminar flow benches for critical product assembly, and solder stations with HEPA filtered fume extractors are used throughout this space.
According to PCB, the environmentally controlled clean rooms will further enhance its pressure and force sensor manufacturing and assembly processes. PCB Design engineers are working on the next generation of high performance sensors, whose design and manufacturing is dependent upon a clean room environment.
"We are very proud of this new state-of-the-art facility and our continuous improvement initiatives to provide higher performing, quality sensor products to meet the demands of our valued customers," said David T. Hore, president of PCB Piezotronics. "This large investment in a world-class manufacturing environment reinforces PCB’s commitment to Total Customer Satisfaction, which is our company’s long-standing mission."
