Montreal, Canada — Microbridge Technologies, Inc. has introduced the MBW-303 Wheatstone bridge offset conditioning network that integrates four electronic temperature compensation (eTC) rejustors, or re-adjustable resistors. Microbridge says the conditioning network is the industry's first fully analog, passive eTC dividers configured in a bridge.
Designed for Wheatstone bridge sensors in automotive, healthcare, consumer, and instrumentation markets, this single chip solution compensates for offset errors and offset drift in a Wheatstone bridge. The MBW-303 simplifies the design process allowing sensor offset calibration and temperature compensation after final assembly, which is said to negate all cumulative errors associated with the assembly processes such as manufacturing tolerance errors, and error introduced by stress. In addition, dynamic adjustment provides cost and labor savings and the networks' re-adjustability reduces re-work, said Microbridge.
The MBW-303 enables adjustment and verification to be performed in a single temperature cycle, and maintains offset precision over the full operating temperature range. It can operate in temperatures ranging from -40°C to +150°C.
Housed in a small QFN footprint for high-density applications, the conditioning network does not require power or memory to hold calibration and does not require an external temperature sensor. The MBW-303 enables precision electrical in-circuit adjustment for ohmic and temperature correcting offset errors. The adjustment process is isolated from the circuit, allowing what the company calls true, passive in-circuit calibration and compensation.
The device was introduced at the MEMs Industry Group's (MIG) Congress, November 4-5, 2007 in San Diego, Calif.
The MBW-303 device is eligible for the rejustor Design Challenge contest running through December 31, 2007. For more information and registration forms visit www.rejustorchallenge.com.
Pricing: $2.67 each in quantities of 1,000.
Availability: Available in a QFN-16 package, the MBW-303 bridge is currently sampling.
Product information: rejustor white paper
Microbridge Technologies, 1-888-735-8786, www.mbridgetech.com
