When Standard Sensors Aren’t Enough

Temperature extremes, vibration, contamination, moisture exposure, fluid interaction, and mechanical stress can all impact sensing performance and reliability.

Custom engineering may be beneficial when standard products cannot meet installation, environmental, lifecycle, or performance requirements.

Industrial automation, EV systems, agriculture, construction equipment, renewable energy systems, fluid monitoring, and transportation applications often require specialized sensing designs.

Yes. Many projects begin with standard products and are modified to meet application-specific sensing, packaging, environmental, or lifecycle requirements.

Extreme temperatures can influence activation points, material performance, response characteristics, and long-term reliability. Selecting a sensing solution designed for the operating environment helps ensure consistent performance throughout the product lifecycle.

Important considerations include fluid type, contamination levels, operating temperatures, mounting requirements, chemical compatibility, switching requirements, and expected service life. The fluid itself is often one of the most important variables in sensor selection.

Continuous vibration and shock can affect sensor mounting, mechanical stability, and long-term reliability. Applications such as construction equipment, agricultural machinery, transportation systems, and industrial automation often require sensing solutions specifically designed for these conditions.

As products become smaller and more complex, engineers must integrate additional sensing functionality into increasingly limited spaces. Compact sensor designs, customized packaging, and optimized mounting approaches can help overcome these limitations.

Yes. Reed sensors are commonly used in demanding environments because of their hermetically sealed construction, long operating life, low power requirements, and resistance to dust, moisture, and contamination. We also offer other solid-state sensing options for custom sensor solutions.

Standex designs their sensors to ensure epoxy material is thick enough to create a barrier to secure the sensing element while also protecting from both dust and liquid ingression. In extreme environments Standex can design over molding to create a more impenetrable seal to liquid and dust ingression.

The decision typically depends on operating conditions, environmental exposure, lifecycle requirements, packaging constraints, activation distance requirements, and overall system performance goals. If a standard sensor cannot satisfy one or more critical requirements, a customized solution may provide a more reliable long-term outcome.

Yes. Standex works with customers throughout the development process to evaluate application requirements, recommend appropriate sensing technologies, and support testing and validation to help ensure long-term performance and reliability. Standex has in-house testing capabilities and relationships with trusted 3rd party labs.

Applications in industrial automation, electric vehicles, agriculture, construction equipment, renewable energy, transportation infrastructure, medical devices, and fluid monitoring systems frequently benefit from customized sensing solutions due to their demanding operating environments.

Common indicators include:

These symptoms often indicate a mismatch between the sensor design and the real-world operating environment.