Tired of poor quality and delivery issues from its supplier of pressure sensors, a leading technology company for the agricultural sector switched to WIKA in 2017 for dependable instrumentation and reliable service. The relationship has only deepened since then.
Quality, reliability, customization, and impeccable customer service are key attributes of a trusted parts supplier. Manufacturing companies cannot afford to partner with inflexible and inattentive vendors who deliver poorly made products and suffer from supply-chain issues.
Unreliable Supplier and Poor-Quality Pressure Sensors
A parts supplier made pressure sensors for a leading agricultural technology company, which, among other things, produces direct injection systems for mobile machines. A direct injection system is used in agricultural sprayers to deliver the desired amount of pesticide, fertilizer, or other chemicals to the in-line mixer, where it is combined with water – the carrier fluid – before reaching the sprayer boom. If the chemical-to-water ratio is too low, the solution will not achieve its intended purpose. If the ratio is too high, the solution could damage a whole crop. Therefore, it is vital to have an injection system that can accurately control the amount of chemical introduced to the in-line mixer.
The pressure sensor, an integral component of the direct injection system, measures the pressure in a chemical injection pump. This pressure is correlated to the amount of chemicals added to the carrier fluid.
However, the latest technology is of little use if the parts supplier does not meet requested specifications, provides poor-quality products, or misses delivery deadlines. The agricultural technology company was frustrated with its supplier of pressure sensors over issues related to quality and timeliness. The company’s engineers contacted the parts supplier several times, but the latter failed to resolve the problems.
Problem #1: Quality and customization
One of the agricultural technology company’s clients, a leading agricultural machinery manufacturer, required that the pressure sensor in its sprayers’ direct injection systems include a custom O-ring and a grease package in order to avoid potential leaks in the hydraulic system and to ensure accurate measurements. However, the pressure sensor manufacturer often neglected to add these features, leading the client to reject a high number of the company’s products. The client was not happy, and the ag tech company was at risk of losing an important customer’s business.
Problem #2: Reliability and timeliness
The pressure sensor supplier did not plan or schedule production properly. The ag tech company needs a steady stock of units to keep its own production on schedule, but the supplier did not account for the long Chinese New Year holiday and was unable to deliver any pressure sensors for about three weeks during January and February. The ag tech company did not know when the supplier would deliver more sensors and was on the verge of a production shutdown.
WIKA Offers Fast Service, Customized Pressure Sensors
The company was tired of dealing with a supplier that did not provide the quality or on-time delivery of the products it requires, so they turned to WIKA. With a culture of partnering with clients and responding promptly to their specifications, WIKA USA quickly provided the company with what was needed.
WIKA was able to produce a customized version of its MH-2 pressure sensor that met the requirements of the company and their clients. No more rejects because of missing or wrong features. Taking advantage of careful planning and the ability to quickly adjust to changing demands, WIKA ramped up production. Within a week, we shipped 1,000 pressure sensors to the company, which then had enough units to continue production. No more uncertainty about supply chain or risk of a costly shutdown.
A Successful Partnership Through the Years
The relationship continues to deepen. When the MH-3 was introduced, the company immediately made the switch to take advantage of the model’s innovative features. Our favorable pricing and stable supply chain were other inducements. Since that transition, they have purchased around 80,000 MH-3 pressure sensors for not only sprayer systems, but also for hydraulic control in their autonomous machinery. We also provide them with pressure gauges, pressure switches, and temperature transmitters for other applications.
When WIKA developed the MH-4, the company appreciated the newer model’s stainless steel body, multiple hex points, and other time-saving features during assembly, and are currently in the process of evaluating and testing it for incorporation into future systems. Meanwhile, we continue supporting the older models. In fact, the company still has the MH-2 in some equipment, and our teams continues to provide service for those aging sensors.
The ag tech company has since been acquired by a multinational firm, which served to expand the partnership. The parent corporation keeps our product managers in the loop regarding new applications in pressure, temperature, level, and force, and WIKA looks forward to supporting this business in other types of machinery.
MH-4, Designed for Today’s Mobile Machines
MH-4 OEM pressure sensor
The MH-4 was developed based on intense market research and user feedback. OEMs across the U.S. and the world appreciate this next-gen pressure sensor’s many innovative features and upgrades:
- All-welded stainless steel body to better withstand impact, shock, vibration, and other harsh operating conditions
- Compact design that fits better in modern off-road vehicles
- Low signal noise for high-quality output signal
- Two-wench system optimized for modern lean manufacturing plants
- A wide variety of configurations for easy integration into practically any machine platform.
- Maintenance-free design for low overall cost of ownership
MH-4 pressure sensors are produced on a fully automated line. This, in addition to a secure supply chain, means WIKA can quickly fulfill even very large orders.
WIKA Stands for Quality and Service
WIKA can customize the MH-4 pressure sensor, as well as numerous other products, to meet the needs of OEM manufacturers. Click here to learn more about WIKA product applications in mobile working machines, and contact us to find out more about WIKA’s measurement solutions and smart sensing capabilities.
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