"Quality in product and manufacturing has always been paramount at GSS," said Graeme Addison, Production and Quality Manager at GSS. "Upgrading from ISO 9001:2008 ensures that we're meeting the latest standards for quality management. As we manufacture the sensors in-house, we ensure quality at every step. Our CO2 sensors are used in a wide variety of applications. Key amongst them are healthcare, and monitoring CO2 levels to meet Health and Safety requirements. Therefore, we're committed to quality in every single sensor we make. This is reflected in the major difference in the new standard that focusses on the reduction of risk."

The company was founded on the concept of using mid-infrared LEDs at the heart of its CO2 sensors. This is different to the source of infrared typically used, which derives from a heated source that needs a mains power supply to deliver the current required. By making its own mid-infrared LEDs, the company has been able to create next generation CO2 sensors that are very high speed, robust, and with such low power requirements that they can be battery powered. In addition, they can be made to measure both low and high CO2 concentration levels, right up to 100%.

As part of the upgrade to the new quality standard, and to meet increased global sales, GSS has more than doubled the size of its production area. In addition, office space has doubled to accommodate the additional staff. "We were very fortunate that we were able to acquire the business unit next door so that we did not have to relocate," explained Graeme Addison. "This has now been fully integrated into our modern manufacturing facility, which enables us to make and test our sensors to the exacting high-quality standards, with the capacity to grow as we further develop our international markets. At the same time, we extended our manufacturing quality system to meet ATEX requirements for some of our special custom sensor projects."

GSS has three distinct families of CO2 sensors that each focus on a particular strength of its technology, so that designers can select the best sensor according to the application needs. The CozIR® family has particularly low power consumption and is very long lasting, so it's ideal for battery and IoT applications. The SprintIR® is a high-speed range with very fast response times for when fast measurements are needed. And the ExplorIR® is a robust and versatile sensor range for applications that might be subjected to harsh environments, such as vibrations, shocks and pressure changes. Within each family, there are further sub-brands to suit special requirements, such as form factor, output, and temperature/RH integration.

Examples of the wide range of applications for GSS CO2 sensors can be found on the company's website www.gassensing.co.uk

GSS technology

CO2 sensors work by measuring how much light is absorbed by CO2 molecules in the 4.2 and 4.4 microns range as it passes through the sample gases, which is called Non-Dispersive Infra Red (NDIR) absorption. The amount of absorption indicates how much CO2 is present. GSS developed proprietary LEDs that are specifically tuned to emit at these wavelengths. The LEDs use very little power and turn on almost instantly, enabling sensor readings to be made in less than a second. As a result, GSS has pioneered the development of CO2 sensors that can be powered by batteries for long periods of up to ten years. Competitor sensors use IR sources that require significantly more power per measurement and also take much longer to reach a stable condition for a measurement, resulting in the need for mains power.

Gas Sensing Solutions (GSS) www.gassensing.co.uk

GSS is a world leader in CO2 sensor design, manufacture and customisation. Its disruptive, solid state technology uses proprietary, mid-infrared LEDs to enable best-in-class records for fastest response times, lowest power consumption and longest product lifetime. Based in Scotland, this technology pioneer has been designing and customising its solid-state sensors for over 10 years. As their specialist area of expertise, GSS' in-house engineering team has spent the last decade delivering solutions across hundreds of applications. GSS exports its home grown CO2 sensors to over 40 countries worldwide, and supports its international customer base with years of experience in solid-state sensing technology. Tel: +44 1236 781900 [email protected]