Significant prize for sensor technology and measuring technology for scientists at the TU Ilmenau

Two scientists from Technische Universität Ilmenau have been awarded with the AMA Innovation Award 2018. Dr. Marc Schalles and Michael Pufke from the Institute of Process Measurement and Sensor Technology were honored for developing a thermometer with an automatic calibration function within the working process.
 

Dr. Marc Schalles and Michael Pufke developed the thermometer itherm TrustSens TM37x with automatic in situ calibration function in a long-term cooperation with the leading supplier of measuring instruments Endress+Hauser Wetzer GmbH & Co KG from Nesselwang. The development team was certified to have found a "highly innovative solution approach with clearly recognizable market relevance".

This was implemented technically by a ferroelectric reference element installed in addition to the resistance sensor. The ferroelectric reference element with a known Curie temperature is integrated as a temperature standard. If a phase change is triggered by the process temperature, the measurement difference of the digital temperature and the Curie temperature is determined and the thermometer is calibrated.

The thermometer will be used primarily in the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Within these industries, thermometers used in manufacturing processes must be calibrated regularly to ensure product quality and safety. The automatic calibration, which now takes place directly in the process, saves time and reduces the costs of production.

Contact: Maria Illing, Technische Universität Ilmenau
maria.illing@tu-ilmenau.de