DMU30 Gearing up for Mass Production

The DMU30 programme is moving into the qualification phase, ready to ramp up to full volume production in July 2016.  DMU30 is a new high performance 12-DOF MEMS IMU using high-precision Multi-MEMS inertial sensors with a novel ‘sensor blending’ filter to achieve near-FOG grade bias and angle random walk characteristics. The qualification phase puts in place a fully specified and controlled production process and verifies that the process will deliver the product specification throughout its production lifetime.  This process is compliant with our AS9100 quality assurance accreditation and culminates in a ‘PPAP’ production release process in accordance with automotive production control standards.

Low volume initial production for testing, customer evaluation and integration has been in place for several months.  The performance of these parts has been highly encouraging both in the Silicon Sensing design proving tests and in customer evaluations.  Interest in the product is very strong so we are preparing to run additional low-volume production batches. This will allow us to expand the number of customers participating in early evaluation, and to allow customers to start integrating DMU30 into their applications ahead of full volume production.

DMU30 SOP (Start of Production) coincides with the ‘tape cutting’ on a brand new, dedicated, high-volume Silicon Sensing test and calibration facility. This facility will be solely used for high precision test and calibration of SSSL IMUs. The first machine was installed in February 2016 – a state-of-the-art 2‑axis rate table with thermally controlled chamber supplied by Acutronic of Switzerland.

The new purpose built 2-axis rate table is currently being integrated with Silicon Sensing bespoke high volume test control systems. These systems provide increased capacity for high precision calibration over temperature of more than 30,000 IMUs per machine per year.  Plans for installation of the next machine are now being drawn up.