Silicon Microstructures Inc. Will Streamline MEMS with Centipede Systems’ Tester
SAN JOSE, Calif. (September 9, 2008)--Centipede Systems, an emerging supplier of advanced connectors for electronics, today announced that Silicon Microstructures Inc. (SMI), has ordered a Centipede Systems tester to speed MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) pressure sensor testing and improve quality at its Milpitas, Calif., fabrication facility.
SMI is the acknowledged leader in low-pressure, ultra-small and harsh environment pressure sensing.
SMI, a member of the ELMOS Group, is an ISO 9001 and ISO/TS 16949-certified developer and manufacturer of MEMS-based pressure sensors used in critical automotive, medical and industrial applications, from tire pressure sensing to medical respiration monitoring.
Centipede’s machine will offer SMI a number of benefits, which include streamlining MEMS test methodologies and enabling faster device characterization.
“The Centipede system will enable rapid thermal cycling from -65°C to +160°C,” said Dr. Thomas H. Di Stefano, Centipede founder and president. “Additionally, this new system offers MEMS developers economies-of-scale that have not been achieved in earlier test systems.”
“As a supplier of high quality, high-volume parts to both Fortune 500 and smaller customers, SMI is committed to the continuous improvement of its product quality,” said Dr. Nicole Kerness, vice president of product engineering, Silicon Microstructures Inc.
“We expect the Centipede Thermal Forcing Unit to enable us
to test parts rapidly through extremes of temperature cycling, saving valuable time and extending the temperature test range,” Dr. Kerness added.
Testing MEMS has been an arduous, expensive and mostly manual operation in the past, Dr. Di Stefano observed. In the future, the Centipede MEMS tester will be configured to allow for fully automated production test with automatic load and unload via test-in-tray or strip test.
The market for MEMS pressure sensors is both demanding, expanding and price sensitive. Pressure sensors deployed in automotive applications alone amounted to $168 million in 2007, according to market research firm Yole Developpement of Lyon, France (yole.fr).
About Centipede Systems
Centipede Systems, The Micro-Connections Company,™ is a technology leader in connectors and sockets in applications where performance, power and density are essential.
Centipede provides solutions for burn-in and test for the most critical
applications, including transportation, defense, medical and military markets.
Centipede supplies contactors for all levels of automation, from development and prototype test through via- and wafer-level testing. For more information, see www.centipedesystems.com.
About Silicon Microstructures Inc.
Silicon Microstructures Inc. (SMI), is the leading developer and manufacturer of low-pressure, ultra-small and harsh environment pressure sensing.
Its MEMS-based sensors are used in critical automotive, medical and industrial applications worldwide by Fortune 500 companies and other high-volume customers. Based in Milpitas, Calif., the company is a member of the ELMOS Group. SMI facilities are ISO 9001 and ISO/TS 16949 certified. For more information, see www.si-micro.com.
