STMicroelectronics has launched an innovative MEMS waterproof/liquid-resistant absolute pressure sensor in the industrial market, achieving significant advancements in both technology and performance and becoming a groundbreaking product in the industry. This solution marks the industry's first industrial-grade pressure sensor with waterproof capabilities and has been included in a 10-year long-term supply plan, ensuring long-term availability. As a result, this solution supports a vast range of new applications, providing an unprecedented superior experience for industrial equipment users with its stringent compliance standards and exceptional reliability.
Simone Ferri, General Manager of STMicroelectronics' AMS MEMS Sub-Product Division, said, "As the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) becomes more prevalent, businesses need to collect data throughout the entire operational process, often in challenging indoor and outdoor environments. Our latest MEMS waterproof pressure sensor is weather-resistant enough to meet the requirements of various industrial digital transformations while offering long-term supply assurance to protect client designs."
Product Features
STMicroelectronics' newly launched ILPS28QSW sensor features a sealed cylindrical surface-mount package. The package employs a ceramic substrate with high liquid-resistant properties and a robust automotive-grade potting compound to protect the internal circuitry. The cover is made from high-grade surgical steel, sealed with an O-ring, and affixed with an epoxy resin adhesive. This unique packaging design ensures an IP58 waterproof rating, preventing water leakage in depths exceeding one meter while passing IEC 60529 and ISO 20653 certifications. Additionally, the sensor can withstand an overpressure of up to 10 bars.
The ILPS28QSW allows absolute pressure measurements with an accuracy of up to 0.5hPa, offering two pressure ranges of 260-1260hPa and 260-4060hPa, and an extended operating temperature range from -40°C to 105°C. Its high accuracy and superior weather resistance make it suitable for various applications, such as gas meters, water meters, weather monitors, air conditioning smart filters, and household appliances.
Equipped with STMicroelectronics' unique Qvar® electrostatic charge sensing channel, developers can leverage this technology to create additional value in practical application projects, such as liquid leakage detection. Qvar, combined with pressure signals, can monitor liquid levels and even detect the tiniest leakage incidents in household appliances and industrial processes.
With a low operating current of 1.7 µA, the ILPS28QSW is suitable for power-sensitive applications while featuring an integrated digital functionality to streamline system design management. The sensor also incorporates temperature compensation, a FIFO memory, and I2C/MIPI-I3C digital communication interfaces, with selectable output data rates between 1Hz and 200Hz.
Application Scenarios
This new sensor is ideal for various industrial applications requiring strict airtightness or waterproof standards:
Gas leakage detection STMicroelectronics ultrasound gas flow measurement solutions provide superb metering accuracy through pressure and temperature (PT) compensation while detecting leaks or overpressure conditions, delivering extra protection and safety.
Water conservation and flood prevention Measuring water flow and volumetric flow rate helps ensure compliance with water-saving incentives and detect leaks, eliminating the risk of flooding.
Measuring and tracking environmental conditions Calculate and track detailed weather information, including wind speed and direction, relative humidity, barometric pressure, and temperature.
Maintaining proper airflow Monitor patient respiratory parameters to ensure appropriate air/oxygen flow, volume, and supply times.
Air quality detection Measure and monitor gas flow and particulate concentration in industrial plants, assisting in determining purification efficiency and filter replacement timing.
Fall detection Detect falls and related impacts, sending out fall alarms to rescuers – even working properly in flooding situations, making it ideal for lone worker (LW) automated monitoring systems.
ST's Comprehensive MEMS Ecosystem
To facilitate the use of the ILPS28QSW, STMicroelectronics provides a complete MEMS ecosystem, including a ready-to-use MEMS motherboard (STEVAL-MKI109V3) development platform, which can be paired with various motion and environmental sensor adapter boards. Additionally, a cross-platform GUI is available for easy and rapid sensor and advanced feature setup.
The professional MEMS tool board STEVAL-MKI109V3 can be used to monitor sensor behavior through an adapter. The STM32 open development environment integrates STM32 microcontrollers with MEMS sensors and other STMicroelectronics components connected via expansion boards, offering a simple, flexible, and open approach for developing MEMS-based applications.