Staiger, based in Erligheim near Stuttgart, has made a name for itself in the world of fluidics with small, precise and fast solenoid valves with very long service lives. To demonstrate its expertise in microvalve technology, but also in electronics, Staiger has now not only developed what it claims is the world's smallest solenoid valve with an integrated sensor for measuring pressure and temperature. Almost simultaneously, Staiger also presented the world's smallest electronic pressure controller with solenoid valves, the world's smallest and fastest media-separated solenoid valve, and the world's first proportional solenoid valve with metal membranes.

But back to the world's smallest solenoid valve with an integrated sensor for measuring pressure and temperature: the valve is a 2-way spider valve that is just seven millimeters in size. Thanks to the integrated sensor, this valve can be used to measure both pressure and temperature at the same time at the valve's inlet and outlet, depending on the valve's operating direction. This makes it possible for the first time to monitor the state of a pneumatic or fluidic system and also to actively control it via the valve – and all with just one component.

More complex fluidic systems, in particular, in which numerous components are installed, are prone to leaks due to the many interfaces, which are typically difficult to localize. The valve with integrated sensor effectively reduces the number of such interfaces and thus also the potential sources of error. In addition, a valve of this kind with an integrated sensor also reduces the assembly effort.

Video