Off-Highway

Off-highway vehicles are specially designed vehicles that execute tasks, such as road construction, building construction, surface mining and underground mining. Most of the critical systems in these vehicles rely heavily on pressure sensors to manage power steering, exhaust emissions, braking systems, as well as monitor and measure key parameters. Since construction vehicles are often utilized in harsh and rough environments, their pressure sensors are built to be resistant to extreme temperatures, vibration, shock, dust and moisture ingressions.

As stated by a very recent industry report, the construction vehicles market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 6% between 2021 and 2026. This anticipated growth is due to the increased focus on infrastructure and automation development when it comes to construction and manufacturing processes, as well as due to digitalization, automation and connectivity. Government regulations requiring lower emission, higher improved man-machinery safety, and market demand for smarter and cost-efficient vehicles drive growth for pressure sensors in off-highway vehicles. 

A wide number of pressure sensor manufacturers have an important role in the off-highway vehicles industry. Some of the leading manufacturers of pressure sensing products encompass Danfoss Industrial Automation, Sensata technologies, TE Connectivity, Bosch, Setra and Gems sensors and controls. Some of the common standards and certifications among the aforementioned pressure sensor manufacturers include IATF 16949:2009, ISO 9001:2015 and AS 9100D. 

CANbus interface output via SAE J1939 and CANopen® is mainly used in off-highway and heavy commercial vehicles since analog sensor readings might be affected by environmental conditions such as moisture. CANbus pressure sensors performs better in harsh environment by ensuring interference-free serial data transmission and preventing erratic readings.

The categories for the main applications in the off-highway vehicles market that use pressure sensing products include hydraulics, braking system, engine/Fuel system, power steering system and safety system. Some specific applications include detecting early faults in hydraulic brakes, optimizing the fuel mix to match the air pressure, cleaning exhaust filters automatically, ensuring that the catalytic converter is sealed, monitoring exhaust recirculation, checking critical fluids’ pressure, as well as detecting leaking vapors.

Related: Are you looking for sensors for automotive applications? Check out automotive pressure sensor manufacturers