20 Years of Sensor Technology Transformation
In 2026, ASC Sensors will be celebrating its 20-year anniversary. What started as a local business of two part-time employees has turned into a leading global innovation hub for inertial sensor technology and comprehensive sensor system solutions.
www.asc-sensors.de
From product to complete solution
Renate Bay, General Manager of the German inertial sensor specialist, reveals:
"The anniversary comes on the back of our most successful business year ever, in 2025,"
Over the two decades, ASC’s business has transformed completely. What started with low-cost analog sensor products for automotive safety testing has diversified into analog, digital and smart solutions utilized across multiple industries and cutting-edge applications.
Today, ASC’s broad portfolio of inertial sensors comes as capacitive, quartz-based or IEPE accelerometers, gyroscopes and IMUs. Digital sensors come with USB or CAN interfaces, flexible cables and connectors to facilitate system integration and data transmission. Recent innovations include, for instance, the ASC DiSens EQ “plug & play” accelerometer with high-res analog-digital conversion and data processing through USB interface – for snap high-end construction monitoring conveniently on the go.
Bay states:
"In many areas, we have developed market-leading innovation to propel the business of our customers,"
The success of ASC Sensors is grounded in top-quality technology, German precision and an unwavering focus on customer need.
Ground-breaking innovation through customer focus
Bay says:
"The latter has been of critical value both for our customers and ourselves,"
As it is only from deep insights and a genuine understanding of customer reality that the status quo can be challenged and radically superior approaches created.
For example, ASC is currently collaborating with Europe’s leading provider of engineering and testing services in the railway sector. The joint development project aims to generate and operationalize a novel smart sensor system to enable continuous track monitoring and proactive maintenance. Carried out wirelessly 24/7 from high-speed in-service trains, this will minimize disruptions and increase the capacity, efficiency and safety of rail networks.
Bay says:
"As we develop our solutions in-house, we are able to pool and transfer the knowledge gained,"
In recent years, her company created multiple dedicated sensor programs adding business value to customers.
Special sensor editions and calibration services
For the ASC RAIL Series, for example, analog accelerometers and gyroscopes have been pre-qualified according to EN 50155 and other relevant railway norms. This drastically reduces individual documentation effort on the part of operators. They can now use ready components from the RAIL series to build their individual sensor solutions, meeting applicable national and international standards. This saves time and budget and helps expand the capacity, safety and productivity of rail networks.
Or take the ASC QBA series: a family of high-end servo-balanced quartz accelerometers designed to meet tough measurement challenges in bridge monitoring and civil engineering, which are currently embedded in a 2.1-mile high-speed railway viaduct in the UK. Beyond that, they can help solve advanced measurement tasks in train vibration and tilt control, seismic detection or aviation and aerospace.
Another customer service introduced by ASC is the provision of calibration for inertial sensors of all makes. The accredited ASC calibration lab offers both factory calibrations and DAkkS calibrations in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018 for the measurand acceleration. Factory calibration service is further available for the measurand angular velocity for gyroscopes and IMUs.
Pioneering research partnerships
Bay says:
"To drive sensor technology innovation and our product pipeline, we constantly engage in new research partnerships."
Like a recent hyperloop pilot at Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands; microgravity research at the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM), University of Bremen, Germany; or a program with the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) that evaluates new digital methods for structural bridge monitoring utilizing the ASC AiSys ECO smart accelerometer.
The same goes for ASC’s engagement in the automotive sector, where its robust high-precision sensors and IMUs are leveraged by global manufacturers of cars, commercial vehicles and specialty machinery. Like high-voltage battery testing or vibration control in e-mobility, which shows different phenomena from combustion engine-driven vehicles that present new challenges.
Bay reports:
"This often starts with a request to help realize a new idea. If successful, the original pilot often morphs into a broader testing scheme or serial production. We frequently tailor solutions to specific requirements, to keep passengers and freight safe and maximize the efficiency of vehicles. That’s why many manufacturers, test centers and operators around the world rely on us. We’re proud that we’ve become a sought-after collaboration and development partner to help create new solutions. Our investment in pioneering partnerships and technologies will continue to help transform lives – and businesses."
Successful worldwide, at home in Germany
To serve customers around the globe, ASC Sensors has built its own strong network of technical partners and sales representatives.
Bay mentions:
"We want our clients to have access to knowledgeable thought partners familiar with our sensor programmes. To discuss their needs and think through effective solutions with them. Each ASC partner in the global markets has been carefully selected for deep technical expertise, connectivity across industries and sharing our deep customer orientation."
However, because of ASC’s business expansion, its team of dedicated professionals at the German homebase grew, too.
Bay states: "“Not only have we gained in number, skills and diversity over the last 20 years. We also outgrew our offices twice.” Today, ASC Sensors is based at Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, a Bavarian town strategically located near Munich."
Importantly, the company’s key vendors and production partners are co-located. This leads to close relationships and fast procurement, development and production timelines.
Bay concludes:
"For our global customers, this ensures rapid availability of their sensor solutions – even when specially developed or adapted for them,"
www.asc-sensors.de
