The Temperature Sensors & Instruments Business Unit manufactures custom temperature elements and assemblies for the rotating equipment industry (large generators, turbines and motors). Minco's Flex Circuits Business Unit designs and manufactures custom flexible circuits for high-end applications for use in critical medical and defense products.
They also sell transparent heaters, silicone rubber insulated heaters, high temperature mica insulated heaters and a unique thick film on aluminum heaters. One example of this would be Medical diagnostic equipment. They are generally used in applications where low weight, low profile and high energy efficiency, as well as precision conductive heat input are more critical than cost.
Minco's Thermofoil Heater Business Unit is the world's largest manufacturer of polyimide (Kapton) insulated etched foil heaters. Karl Schurr remained as company president until his death in 1999 at which time his son, Dana Schurr, assumed the role of president. Recent products include optically-clear heaters, HDI and rigid-flex circuits, isolated temperature transmitters, and high temperature RTD elements. Temperature instruments (transmitters, meters, controllers, and alarms) were also added in the 1970s. These first circuits served as interconnects in cardiac pacemakers. In 1974, the company adapted its precision etching and laminating expertise to the manufacture of flexible printed circuits. They opened their second manufacturing facility for this production. Minco also manufactured one of the first etched foil heaters for early "wet" copy machines made by 3M. The heater-sensor was found not to be the problem. Of note, NASA investigated Minco due to the erratic gyros on Skylab causing spacewalks to replace the IGS.
Minco's combination etched foil heater-platinum wire sensors were used on many NASA projects including the 1976 Viking Lander (heated soil samples) and Skylab (Inertial Guidance System). The company’s heater product line also expanded into commercial, aerospace and medical applications. One of the first efforts was flexible wire-wound temperature sensors for aerospace guidance systems, which led to the development of flexible heaters, introduced by Minco in 1960.Īlso during the 1960s & 1970s, the temperature sensor line was expanded to include industrial RTD probes, bearing sensors, and RTD stator sensors to which the company supplied to large rotating apparatus (generators) manufacturers (GE, Westinghouse, Reliance Electric, Brown Boveri) and energy management system contractors. In 1958, the company decided to concentrate on the development of proprietary products. Minco Products, Inc was founded by Karl Schurr on October 2, 1956, as an engineering firm, designing and building precision electromechanical devices on a subcontract basis. Based in Fridley, Minnesota, the company designs and manufactures flexible printed circuit boards and interconnects, RTD based temperature sensors and assemblies, and thermal solutions for medical, defense, aerospace, industrial, and food service applications. Minco is a privately owned company with over 650 employees worldwide.
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