Optimising solenoid valve technology

OPTIMISING SOLENOID

VALVE TECHNOLOGY

Fluid Automation Systems is a global market leader in miniature solenoid valve technology. Philip Yorke talked to Peter Matton, the company’s CEO about its move into new niche markets and its ambitious plans for future growth.

Fluid Automation Systems (FAS) is a dynamic global engineering company and part of IMI plc’s Norgren Group. Since the company was founded in Geneva in 1971, it has grown consistently to become a world leader in miniature precision solenoid valve technology. Innovation and an engineering driven co-development model with world leading OEMs have established FAS as the ‘supplier of choice’ in 8mm, 10mm and 15mm size precision solenoid applications. Today FAS delivers a wide range of innovative engineering solutions to leading global companies in clearly defined niche markets across resilient global sectors. The company produces precision solenoid valves for critical gas and fluidic control applications while serving OEM customers in more than 30 countries worldwide.

Pioneering technology

As the global demand for greater miniaturisation of precision solenoid valve products continues to grow, the FAS division provides the optimal engineered solutions for an increasing number of critical function and control OEM applications. These range from the medical device and bio-pharma and analytical markets within life sciences, to rail, printing and environmental monitoring. However, the fastest growing and most demanding sector with the greatest scope for FAS is the life sciences sector, where innovative technology developed by the company is making a significant difference to the quality of life of thousands of patients in both hospital and home healthcare environments. Additionally, the growth in health screening and testing as preventative measures has led to several new opportunities across the bio-pharma and analytical instrumentation and diagnostic instrumentation markets within the life sciences sector.

Matton said, “Our latest two- and threeway miniature precision solenoid valves have now been in production for four years and this advanced technology has helped us to move into the ‘sub-miniature’ market. These precision miniature solenoid valves help reduce the overall power consumption and size of OEM devices, enabling the OEMs to achieve design objectives with innovative hand-held, ambulatory and portable devices, and gain more market share whilst reducing their ecofootprint. These sub-miniature solenoids have a tangible value proposition and real differentiation for healthcare applications where devices today are required to support a patient in the transition from the hospital to their home. These patient therapy and respiratory support devices have to be smaller and operate with the lowest power consumption to achieve long battery life (when required) and have absolute reliability. Whether the OEM application is designed for operation in a home healthcare environment, for continuous monitoring purposes, to provide the highest accuracy tests for water quality or printing applications within the food and beverage markets, FAS has an established brand for co-developing innovation and OEM specific engineered solutions. Furthermore, as each new or emerging niche market is identified and developed around the world, we are well positioned to commit and leverage our considerable OEM application experience and engineering capabilities to meet the challenges.”

“Our latest co-developments with life sciences OEMs have resulted in the development of the two smallest transport ventilators available on the market today. These are specifically designed for ambulatory medical and patient therapy applications. Other new customer projects in the pipeline will set the precedents for new possibilities in treating and managing patients with respiratory diseases. These revolutionary portable products will accompany patients 24/7 and will change the shape of the market for many years to come.”

Expanding global reach

FAS is an international enterprise, but with ambitions to significantly extend its global reach. It is also a dynamic company in terms of its personnel with 29 different nationalities and an equal split between male and female staff. Furthermore, the management team consists of nine nationalities and the engineering team has an average of 8.5 years of relevant precision miniature solenoid valve experience. The company’s direct sales and logistics are located in Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland. The global Norgren regional structure is present in the US, UK, Brazil, the Nordic region and 37 other countries. However FAS already has representation in the key and target geographical markets and it’s these that the company intends to build upon in the years ahead.

Rob Howard, FAS’s international sales and marketing director commented, “Our strong brand and leadership in sub-miniature precision solenoid valve technology is helping to pave the way for us across the primary resilient global sectors, as well as in the emerging markets where Asia and China in particular will provide sustained and long term growth in the foreseeable future. We confidently expect to double our turnover over the next three years in these specific regional markets within the resilient global sectors and niche critical control OEM applications within all 16 of the recognised global sectors. We are executing our plan to be the world’s leading provider of precision miniature fluid control products, technologies and solutions while securing market share in each targeted niche OEM application. Unlike our competitors, we are not a one-size-fitsall company, we are a high-mix, low volume producer offering OEM application-specific precision functionality and control. As part of the IMI Norgren Group we have adopted the IMI Way and focused on becoming a growth engine and making our company lean as well as optimising energy saving and overall production efficiency.”

Putting customers and performance first

Market-driven research and engineering driven solutions lie at the heart of FAS’s expertise. The company’s mission is to create a technological edge for its customers through co-development and providing engineered solutions to complex problems,

thus leveraging OEM application expertise and emerging valve technologies. Having gained an intimate knowledge of its customers’ needs, operating environments and regulatory requirements, FAS can act as a co-development partner to save valuable time and resources in an OEM development cycle.

The FAS portfolio includes a wide range of precision products that are used as platforms for OEM application specific product modifications or extensions. Products such as the Chipsol 8mm solenoid valve, featuring the performance of a 10mm solenoid valve in an 8mm body, are ideal for integration in portable devices. With its industry leading flow to size ratio, 0.5W power consumption, cartridge mount and excellent repeatability, it is one of FAS’s most advanced product platforms.

The new Picosol 10mm precision miniature solenoid valves combine small size and low power with high flow, high repeatability and long life. They are well suited to be customised to OEM specifications. Another core product platform is FAS’s Flatprop 16mm valve. Featuring flat spring and plunger design for frictionless operation, the Flatprop is a high-resolution precision miniature proportional valve. Highly repeatable over 100mio cycles, Flatprop has excellent control characteristics in closed loop applications.

The FAS Microsol 15mm solenoid valve is extensively used in diverse OEM applications. Originally developed as the world’s first 15mm face-mount solenoid valve, this solenoid valve is highly modular and can be engineered to meet a wide range of OEM application specifications. It set the industry standard for 15mm valves and has won numerous design and technology awards. n