GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies announces ChipCap, a next generation relative humidity and temperature sensor for the HVAC, automotive, medical and appliance industries. Overall, ChipCap can reduce the cost of humidity and temperature sensor integration by 50% or more.

The product is fully factory calibrated, eliminating end user calibration, the costly calibration process and need for expensive calibration equipment. This can ultimately save the end user $30,000-$50,000 in capital equipment costs and even more in calibration labor. ChipCap is the only device on the market that offers both digital and analog configurations on a single, 5VDC-powered chip. Its package is highly resistant to chemical vapors and other contaminants and the sensors are precalibrated, offering high interchangeability. The sensors fully recover from condensing environments and may be used across a range of 0 to 100% RH and -50°C to 150°C.

The sensors change capacitance in direct proportion to ambient relative humidity. A thin film platinum changes resistance in proportion to temperature. The integral design reduces overall cost and complexity and improves reliability in applications. ChipCap is designed for high volume applications and is supplied in SOIP-14 package designed for insertion surface mount technology circuit boards. The small size saves space on the PCB, reducing board cost, reveals the company’s press release.