SENSOR FOUNDRIES AND PRODUCTION OF SENSOR AT SENSONOR AS

This paper deals with some industrial aspects of microsensor technolog y and the approach taken by SensoNor to build a sensor business. The o pportunities for new sensor products are more or less countless, the m ain limitations are, first of all related to the high development cost and the many low volume needs. As a result of the diversity of sensor technology and the detailed knowledge that is needed about each of th e many applications, there is a need for a large variety of companies to cover ail the opportunities of this fast growing market. Different industrial approaches are needed to have the most cost efficient solut ion for the different segments of the market. SensoNor a.s is an indep endent company operating as an OEM supplier. Our business idea is to d evelop, manufacture and market microsensors, preferably for high volum e applications, based on silicon micromechanics technology. The compan y has a range of standard products and offers application specific mec hanical sensors such as pressure sensors and accelerometers. SensoNor is today the world's largest independent manufacturer of crash sensors for automotive applications and a leading supplier of sensors for med ical applications. From a short term and mid term time perspective, ou r industrial focus will initially be on volume products. The author be lieves that customer designed sensors based on a standardized process t0echnology will not be an important reality in the near future. More flexible and cost efficient production lines will be needed to meet fu ture requirements for the small and medium quantity applications.