Dynisco wins award for mercury-free pressure sensor

Dynisco has been selected to receive yet another prestigious award for development of the Vertex mercury-free pressure sensor. The Environmental Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) presented Dynisco with a 2014 Environmental Stewardship Award on March 14 at the Division’s annual Global Plastics Environmental Conference in Orlando.

The SPE Environmental Division awards acknowledge “corporations or institutions that clearly demonstrate their commitment to our environment and leadership in sustainability and recycling.” For their environmentally conscious mercury-free sensor, Dynisco is being recognized in “Design for Sustainability” award category.

Other award winners this year include Ford Motor Company, Dow Chemical, Coca-Cola, Arkema and Wellman Engineering Resins.

A mercury-free approach to pressure sensing has been the plastics industry’s “Holy Grail” for decades. Several companies, including Dynisco, tried alternative approaches but none caught on because of the challenging extrusion application, which can involve caustic and abrasive materials and temperatures as high as 750°F. Even though mercury is a known environmental hazard, the industry steadfastly resisted attempts to eliminate it.

All that changed, however, with the breakthrough development in 2012 of the Vertex sensor, which contains no mercury, no NaK, no oil, no Gallium – in fact, there is no fill material of any kind. There is nothing to leak and no disposal concerns. It is also fully compliant with the European RoHS directive.

Vertex registers melt pressure directly through a single, more robust diaphragm, eliminating errors that can arise in sensors with complicated internal structures, transmission fluids and moving push rods. The Vertex diaphragm is much thicker than the diaphragms in other sensors. It is made of tough Inconel 718 alloy, which provides a higher level of corrosion resistance than stainless steel, and coated for added protection against abrasion. The sensor wall structure has also been fortified to handle side stresses.

The thickness of the diaphragm and materials of construction make for a highly robust device that can be expected to outperform and outlast other sensors. Dynisco is confident in the durability of the Vertex sensor that is it covered by an unprecedented 4-year warranty. This is significantly longer than any other sensor warranty on the market today