In 2003, SUN-A Corporation was awarded as the OEM vendor for Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd. who initiated sales of urea quality sensor very first in the world. Since then, we achieved cumulative number of sales, 120 thousands units up to now for the domestic market of heavy-duty trucks and buses.
Then, in 2009, SUN-A acquired the production and sales right including the sensor related intellectual property from Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co., Ltd. and became tier1 supplier of the sensor. As its exclusive technology, SUN-A owns patents relates to the method for measurement and manufacturing the sensor(21 domestic patents, 45 foreign patents). Based on these heritage, SUN-A continues commitment to further product development more accurate and robust than ever.
History of the development and commercialization of thin film thermal measurement technology
- 1994
- The development of the thermal type diversion sensor applying a thin film device technology was started
- 1998
- The fuel flow meter was developed and SUN-A won the type approval of the world’s first thermal mass flow meter
- 2001
- SUN-A earned certificate as a tank leakage inspection apparatus for gas station by applying an ultra-micro flow sensor technology
- 2003
- The world’s first urea quality sensor was developed
- 2004
- SUN-A is awarded as sole OEM vendor for Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd. to supply Urea Quality Sensor very first in the world.
- 2009
- SUN-A acquired the production and sales right from Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
- 2010
- The fuel quality sensor that detects mixture of fuel was developed and launched
- 2011
- EPA published guidelines to recommend equipment of urea quality sensor
- 2012
- The large-scale development grants(2-year plan) was achieved from Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
- 2013
- New urea quality sensor(small and low-cost) and fuel sensor was put on the market
SUN-A embarked on the development of urea quality sensor for passenger vehicles - 2014
- The large development grants was received from New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization to accelerate the development of urea quality sensor for passenger vehicles
The progress continues
SUN-A’s urea quality sensor is built into the Urea-SCR system, which is an apparatus to remove harmful substances contained in exhaust gas of diesel vehicles. In 2005, the emission regulation commonly known as “new long term regulation” was applied in Japan. In accordance with the enforcement, we began the sales of the sensor and it was sold total of 120,000 in domestic market. Since then, size and weight reduction have been achieved through upgrade every few years. Currently, not only on heavy-duty vehicles, but the sensor is installed on construction and agricultural machinery and our products contribute to environmental protection overseas as well as in Japan. Emission regulations tend to become severe year by year so that we are actively developing lightweight and competitive products aiming for wider market segment such as passenger vehicles in accordance with more stringent regulation enforcing the sensor installment to be mandatory worldwide.
The principle of SUN-A’s urea quality sensor
The liquids have different thermal conductivity depending upon its type and concentration. SUN-A’s urea quality sensor take advantage of the difference of thermal conductivity to identify urea solution and to measure the concentration. Measurement based on the principle enable accurate concentration measurement with more than 10 years durability and offer identification device capable of precise measurement of urea solution.