Sunnyvale, CA – Parker Hannifin Corporation has received the Technical Development Materials Award. Parker received the award for its innovative Electroactive Polymer (EAP) strain sensor that utilizes stretchable electrode ink. The ink allows for the sensor to strain up to 100% while still retaining the needed conductivity. Parker’s Quick Coupling Division has been developing and producing various dielectric polymer sensors with the conductive ink. The award is given annually to the most significant technical development over the last 24 months in the field of material development.
“Our ‘High Strain Sensor’ is a great example of this effort; a unique product with no competition in the marketplace because of its capability to strain up to 100% with ±0.5% accuracy for a given temperature,” says Hooman Nazari, engineer at Parker. “We needed a conductive ink that is capable of maintaining a reasonable conductivity when strained up to 100%. After a search and contacting major players in the ink industry, we realized that we were on our own, so we decided to formulate our own ink in-house.”
EAP stretchable sensors are used to measure compressive, bending, and torsional strain, as well as temperature. The robust polymer construction is highly flexible and built to endure hyper-elastic strains of 100%, making it ideal for human, industrial and structural applications.
For more information on, visit http://www.parker.com/eap