Three Acquisitions Complete Kistler Range of Vehicle Measurement Systems

As a development partner of the automobile industry the Kistler Group aims to provide vehicle manufacturers and their sub-suppliers with extremely high-precision sensors through to turnkey vehicle measurement solutions. With the acquisition in 2009 of three renowned German technology providers Kistler moved a decisive step closer to reaching this goal.

KT Automotive, MSC Automotive and Corrsys-Datron Sensorsysteme boost Kistler's expertise in systems for optimizing vehicle safety and vehicle dynamics. Numerous sensors and systems now complete the product range of the Business Unit Vehicles.

System Solutions for Crash Measurement from Sensor to Application Software

The addition of KT Automotive and MSC Automotive makes Kistler a leading provider of crash measurement systems. Kistler offers a one-stop shop for complete vehicle and related component crash test systems, thereby making an important contribution to ongoing safety enhancement.

Sensors, data acquisition systems and application software from one source provide the user with all the links of the crash measurement chain. This seamless integration greatly facilitates straightforward plug and play crash testing. By combining piezoelectric sensors with powerful data acquisition systems Kistler offers its customers significant added value.

As a reliable partner of the Kistler Group, KT Automotive GmbH has been developing, manufacturing and marketing crash test data acquisition systems for many years. A mar-ket share of about 70 % in this product segment makes this long-established crash mea-surement specialist the world's leading provider. The spectrum of products is enhanced by services extending as far as complete responsibility for test equipment operation. KT Automotive, which was spun off from the aerospace and technology company Kayser-Threde in 2008, is being taken forward on its existing Munich site together with its branches in Shanghai and Detroit, as a Product Center of the Kistler Group.

MSC Automotive GmbH, which was originally based in Schwieberdingen near Stuttgart, was fully integrated into the Kistler Group by being merged with Kistler-IGeL GmbH in Schönaich. MSC is a leading provider of systems for crash dummy instrumentation, and develops and produces the associated force sensors and accelerometers. In its second division (Service and Measurement) this company established in 1996 handles custom strain gage applications for durability or vehicle safety, and calibrates sensors and mea-suring systems – often as an on-site service for customers.

Complete Single-source Portfolio for Measurement of Longitudinal and Transverse Dynamic Effects

The products of Corrsys-Datron Sensorsysteme GmbH, Wetzlar, which was founded in 1993, complete Kistler's portfolio of measuring systems for vehicle dynamics tests. As a leading manufacturer of measuring systems for over-the-road testing, Corrys-Datron develops and produces noncontact sensors for recording longitudinal and transverse dynamic effects on vehicle and wheel in mobile testing of motorbikes, cars, trucks, commercial and special vehicles. The optical sensors are based on Correvit® technology and enhance the portfolio of the Kistler Group with an additional measurement technique.

From a single source Kistler customers now receive a complete measuring system with data acquisition. This enables measurement of wheel forces alongside quantification of their effect on the vehicle as a whole. Corrys-Datron sensors allow accurate measurement of, for example, the side-slip angle of the vehicle and the drift angle. Corrsys-Datron also offers sensors for measuring steering wheel force and consumption.

Kistler Group

Kistler’s core competence is the development, production and use of sensors for measuring pressure, force, torque and acceleration. Kistler’s know-how and electronic systems can be used to prepare measuring signals for use in analyzing physical processes, controlling and optimizing industrial processes, improving product quality in manufacturing and improving performance in sports and rehabilitation.

Kistler offers a comprehensive range of sensors and systems for engine development, automotive engineering, plastics and metal processing, installation technology and biomechanics.

A worldwide sales presence in the form of 25 group companies and 30 distributors ensures customer proximity, application support on an individual level and short lead times.

With a staff of about 1 000, the Kistler Group is one of the world’s leading providers of dynamic measuring instrumentation. The Kistler Group achieved turnover of 166 million Swiss Francs in the 2009 financial year.