What To Do When Electronic Components Are Not Available?
The entire electronics industry is struggling with material shortages. Companies everywhere are affected by shortages of electronic components ranging from ICs to displays – so are we. As a manufacturer of custom HMI solutions, we rely on the dependable procurement of...
H+K wishes you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!
With unusual challenges this year, we have achieved a great deal together with our customers. We look to the coming year with confidence and look forward to further successful joint projects. As we leave behind the exciting and hectic work days, we want to wish...
What Are The Benefits and Competitive Advantages of Smart HMIs?
In our previous article in this series How OEMs Can Digitize Their Products Easily With Smart HMIs we looked at how tap2.cloud technology works and what kind of functionality it enables. But let’s face it: cloud-connected machinery and equipment is not new....
Series Production with 3D Printing: Can Additive Manufacturing Keep Up with Injection Molding?
High-quality plastic parts in the flexible 3D printing process as a fast, cost-effective alternative to the costly but established injection molding process: So-called rapid prototyping is now being used not only for prototypes, but also increasingly for the...
How OEMs Can Digitize Their Products Easily With Smart HMIs
Is the equipment and machinery that you produce ready for the future? When manufacturers build machines, whether for use in the home or in industrial settings, users today expect smart and user-friendly functionality. With tap2.cloud we offer exactly that to OEMs....
Coming Soon! Product Demo 4.0 – Online Visit With Our Technology Case At Your Fingertips
Coming soon! You will be able to make an appointment for an online consultation while experiencing our products live! Even without in-person visits and meetings, we would like to offer our customer and interested parties the opportunity to test products and...
3D Printing Experts Are Coming Together In the HP Tec Center
When it comes to additive manufacturing, you need a partner who can help you optimize your products and develop a solution that suits your needs. HP Inc. has created a network of industry-specific 3D printing experts to advise companies on custom options, advantages...
The Implications of Application Environment When Designing the Perfect Human-Machine Interface
In the previous post in this series on designing the perfect human-machine interface (HMI), we looked at the nitty-gritty of machine design: its electronics. Today, in our final post of this series, we’re going to assess the operating environment and its...
tap2.cloud – IoT Made Simple! Control Panels with NFC and Cloud Connectivity.
Easy connectivity for added value! tap2.cloud is more than just a digital nameplate: HK SYSTEMS makes product identification smart and digital using NFC technology, opening a world of possibilities for demanding industrial environments. In close cooperation, partner...
What are Electronics-Related Considerations for the Perfect Human-Machine Interface
In the previous post in this series on designing the perfect human-machine interface (HMI), we took a brief look at aesthetic and stylistic considerations when designing the HMI and discovered it’s more important than just “how it looks.” Today,...
Aesthetic Considerations For the Perfect Human-Machine Interface Design
In our previous post of this series on designing the perfect human-machine interface (HMI), we discussed user experience and the psychological aspects of the HMI. Today, we’re going to take a deeper dive into the dimension of product design with the most tangible...
The Psychology of User Experience and Its Impact on HMI Design
In our previous post in this series, we noted that it’s key to think through how the device or human-machine interface (HMI) will be used and for what purpose. From there, designers must consider how the marriage of mechanical engineering and design engineering can...
Achieving Harmony Between Man and Machine in Design
It’s important to understand why design can have a significant impact on the development of the perfect machine – and the perfect user interface. Many product engineers approach building a new machine or device primarily from a mechanical, functional point of view....
A Big Picture Look at What’s Needed to Design a Successful Human-Machine Interface
Building a new product or machine is a nontrivial undertaking. If the manufacturer wants to be successful, they have to consider a dizzying array of factors and make countless design decisions. Then, each and every one of those decisions must support the underlying...
The Possibilities of Printed Electronics
Thin, lightweight and flexible – the applications are endless! With our own pastes developed in-house, we manufacture custom printed electronics solutions for every industry, including hybrid systems, printed sensors, printed strain gauges, heating foils, force...
Looking For a Medical Keyboard? A Checklist of the Top 10 Must-Have Features.
Healthcare providers have never needed exemplary infection control more than they have this year. COVID-19 is more infectious than even the flu and has resulted in more hospitalizations, according to Healthline. As medical providers struggle to meet the need for...
Not All Medical Keyboards are Created Equal: Here’s How to Spot The Real Deal
Infection control in healthcare environments is critical to patient safety and producing good health outcomes, but it’s also all-too-often harder than it needs to be. That’s particularly true when it comes to medical equipment that is difficult or even impossible to...
How to Mitigate the Significant Infection Risk Created by Medical Equipment
Most medical groups likely underestimate the cleanliness of their portable medical equipment (PME), thanks to overly lax policies and/or policies not being followed. Chetan Jinadatha, MD, MPH, chief of infectious diseases at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care...
Case Study: Exceptionally Robust Capacitive Switches
Input and control systems ideal for the food processing industry – resistant to acid and other contaminants THE REQUIREMENTS The Brabender® GmbH & Co. KG develops, produces, and markets equipment and machinery to monitor quality control and physical...
Case Study: Development of Membrane Switch Handheld Control for Universal Use with Medical Devices
Highest requirements in functionality, security and design THE REQUIREMENTS The well-being of patients is of prime importance in medical technology. A faultless technology which functions at all times is an absolute must for every manufacturer of medical devices. It...
Strategic Realignment and Consolidated End-to-End Design, Engineering and Manufacturing Capabilities
Complete solutions from a single source! Already known for world-class custom engineering and manufacturing, Hoffmann + Krippner, Inc. announces a restructuring of its partnerships to focus more fully on its end-to-end design, engineering and manufacturing...
Thinking Long-Term: How Can Manufacturers of Critical Components Create a Sustainable Supply Chain Lasting the Entirety of a Pandemic
When it comes to manufacturing supply chains in the age of the coronavirus, the only thing we know for sure is how much we don’t know. How long will the pandemic and its effects on supply chains last? How bad will it get? How many shocks will supply chains suffer...
A message from our CEO: We are striving for a world that is not divided
It’s been hard to decide how to respond to the important protests that we have been witnessing over the last few weeks in the U.S. We, as a company, don’t want to shoulder our way into these events simply to declare, “Remember our brand during all of this!” But...
Manufacturing Medical Equipment that can Fight COVID-19 Alongside Healthcare Workers
Image Source: @ [sudok1] / Adobe Stock As hospitals worldwide continue gearing up for the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s worth thinking about how the equipment they use can help. This question goes beyond top-level functionality. The core purpose of a vital...
Getting Components for Medical Equipment Built Fast in the Age of the Coronavirus
When faced with a medical crisis, the speed with which medical equipment can be produced potentially becomes a life-or-death issue. Yet the COVID-19 pandemic is simultaneously causing enormous disruption to supply chains and daily operations for medical device...
Three Things Medical Equipment Should Have To Perform Well in a Pandemic
Image Source: @ [farizun amrod] / Adobe Stock In other words, modern medical manufacturing innovations like (1) antimicrobial surface treatments, (2) the ability to thoroughly disinfect at a swipe, and (3) well-designed HMI have never been more important in healthcare...
Re-Working Manufacturing & Production Workflows? Hoffmann + Krippner Can Help.
Image Source: © [vegefox.com] / Adobe Stock The COVID-19 coronavirus has been wreaking havoc on the manufacturing world, with widespread impacts on supply chains and operations. As a result, the pandemic is forcing manufacturers and retailers to rethink and rework...
How the Coronavirus is Impacting Medical Equipment Manufacturing
Image Source: © [Vadim] / Adobe Stock Medical equipment manufacturing is struggling right now, with operations and supply chains being tested in ways that they never have been. One issue is the sheer disruption to Chinese manufacturing, which ground to a near halt in...
You Can Count on Us to Supply Critical Components for Medical Devices
The COVID-19 pandemic has an affect on all of us, in some way or another – as the situation is developing rapidly and changing constantly, we want to help especially by supporting medical device manufacturers with the production of critical components and parts. We...Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update – Continued Operation at Hoffmann + Krippner
To our valued customers: The outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) comes with many challenges for all of us so I want to communicate to you our plans for continued operation and customer support. As all in-person visits have been cancelled until further notice, we...
Our Customers Benefit From Combined Expertise for Input Devices, Functional Foils and Connectivity
Design & Engineering | Input Devices & Panels | Enclosures | Functional Print & Sensors | Connectivity & IoT Hoffmann + Krippner connects individual components to work in harmony with each other. Five individual companies now bundle their core...
We Create Harmony Between Man and YOUR Machine!
We understand that input devices determine how pleasing users find your equipment and devices, and how likely they are to value the equipment. Read more about the Psychology of High-Quality Membrane Switches and Touch Screens in our blog or visit us at the...
Why Design and Mechanical Engineers Need to Work Together When Developing Input Solutions and Control Units.
Image Source: https://industrialpartners.de/en – custom control unit / communication system Though mechanical and design engineering are two very different specialties, their combination is essential to making good products – and that’s especially true...
Happy St. Nicholas Day – 5 Interesting Facts About St. Nicholas and How He is Celebrated Today
To our customers, colleagues and visitors – we wish you a Happy St. Nicholas Day! If you are not familiar with the tradition of St. Nicholas Day, here are 6 interesting facts The celebration of St. Nicholas Day on December 6th marks the anniversary of his death....
Understanding Screen Printing Versus Digital Printing for Membrane Switches and Other Printed Electronics
Here’s a fact about membrane switches that might surprise you: multiple component parts of any given membrane switch are printed rather than assembled or constructed. The same is true of many sensors, input devices, and other printed electronics. A membrane switch is...
Choosing the Right Keypad / User Interface for Medical Applications to Ensure Infection Control
For users in healthcare-related settings – doctor and dentist offices, hospitals, labs, etc. – keyboards made out of silicone/rubber materials may present a tempting option for interfacing with computers and machines, but the argument in their favor may actually be...
Membrane Switch Samples Now Available Online
Hardware and design engineers can now benefit from fully functioning membrane switches available through the H+K online shop to assist in prototyping and ensure quality and design standards satisfy and fulfill application requirements before committing to a custom...
When Design Engineers Should Rely on Membrane Switches in Today’s World of Touchscreen Solutions
We live in a touchscreen world, as touchscreens increasingly dominate consumer technology products like smartphones and tablets. But touchscreens are not the only option for users to interface with electronic devices and other machinery. In fact, one of the prime...New Management Team at H+K GmbH
Stefan Kieser took his new position as Managing Director. He follows Martin Gehrig, who devotes himself to new professional challenges after 18 years at H+K. With the new dual management of Ralf Krippner and Stefan Kieser, H+K is pursuing a new long-term strategy. The...
What are the Benefits of Stainless Steel Enclosures for Healthcare and Food Production
Stainless steel truly shines in applications where hygiene and sanitary conditions are critical. We’ve previously discussed the variety of materials available for creating enclosures and housing for industrial equipment, including plastic, aluminum, and fiberglass....
Updated Certification: Quality Management for Medical Technology
Once again, we are certified according to ISO 13485. Our quality management meets all of the strict requirements for the development and production of custom medical devices. For many years, we have been supplying customers in the medical industry with operating units...
What Hardware and Design Engineers Should Consider When Developing Rugged Input Devices and Custom Sensors
When designing custom, rugged input solutions or sensors for industrial environments, a few key factors hardware and design engineers should pay attention to are excellent performance, quality materials and workmanship as well as simple yet sleek design and user...
The H+K Group and Deutsche Telekom establish partnership for Connected Devices
Hoffmann + Krippner has been developing the product line of connected devices for three years. This division focuses on connected sensors, input systems and industrial electronics with cloud platforms and enterprise software. Mobile communication technology was set at...
What Hardware and Design Engineers Need to Know about Next Generation Touchscreen Technologies: Resistive Touchscreens
Earlier this month, we published an article on the introduction to touchscreen technology, focusing on capacitive touchscreens. Let’s take a closer look at resistive touchscreens. How do resistive touchscreens work? Resistive touchscreens are mechanically...
Flexible Pressure Sensors in a Connected World
SensoForce in the IoT An embedded pressure sensor is a smart, connected sensing device that collects pressure data and responds with some action. It is highly compatible with technologies integrated with the IoT (Internet of Things) – a wireless network of automated...
Recap of Sensors Expo 2019 and What’s Coming Up Next
The Sensors Expo in San Jose, CA was once again a successful show for H+K and ROBIOTIC, finishing the first half of 2019. After a great show in Rosemont IL at the Sensors Midwest 2018, Hoffmann + Krippner and ROBIOTIC, the IoT division of the HK Group, were...
What Hardware and Design Engineers Need to Know about Next Generation Touchscreen Technologies: Capacitive Touchscreens
Touchscreens are computer interfaces that are meant to be operated by a finger or stylus. They are found in phones, ATMs, thermostats, and in many industrial environments that require human-to-computer interaction. Touchscreens come in a wide range of sizes, and are...
How are Printed Force Sensing Resistors (FSR) Constructed?
Force sensors are piezoelectric transducers that convert input mechanical forces into electrical output signals. They can measure gravitational force (weight), compression, strain, and magnetic forces. These sensors fall into two main categories: load cells and force...
Modern Applications of Flexible Force Sensors
The three primary functions of force sensors are to detect: Force from an applied load Rate of change of a force load over time Presence of pressure or contact They can monitor forces to ensure safe operating conditions and detect force thresholds during operation....
Let’s Discuss your Sensor and IoT Connectivity Requirements at Sensors Expo 2019
Sensors Expo 2019 is less than one month away – meet us at booth# 1141! Your source for high end sensor and custom IoT solutions – Hoffmann + Krippner, Inc and ROBIOTIC at one booth! Check out our company profile and get your FREE EXPO PASS today! Hoffmann...
7 of the Most Inventive Applications for Ultrasonic Sensors
Ultrasonic sensors are amazing little devices. These sensors detect position, proximity, and fill level with pinpoint precision by using ultrasonic sound waves. They’ve already found their way into a huge array of uses; in fact, we’ve already written about clever...
Visit us at the Sensors Expo in San Jose, CA June 26-27
Get your free expo pass today and let’s discuss your sensor hardware and IoT connectivity requirements! Hoffmann + Krippner, Inc. and joint venture company ROBIOTIC look forward to seeing you at the Sensors Expo and Conference in San Jose, CA June 26-27, 2019. We will...
The Psychology of High-Quality Membrane Switches and Touch Screens
Input devices are about more than just functional effectiveness: they also impact user experience. They determine how pleasing users find equipment and devices, and how likely they are to value the equipment. Why? Human psychology. Consider, for example, the...
SPRING SALE! Membrane Potentiometer Development Kit
For a limited time only, get your Sensofoil membrane potentiometer development / evaluation kit for only $50.00 (reduced from $112.24). With your purchase, we will also include a free sample of our SensoForce, a printed Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) perfect for IoT...
Comparing Material Options for Membrane Switch and Touchscreen Enclosures
Enclosures are a critical element of any input device, like membrane switches or touchscreens. No such device can perform optimally if its enclosure or housing is not built to high-quality standards and well-suited to its intended application or operating environment....
Cleaning and disinfecting input devices in healthcare, food and beverage production, and more
Some environments demand more of their equipment than others. Machinery in hygiene-critical facilities like health care and food production, for example, may be exposed to bacteria and other pathogens whose spread could prove disastrous to human health and well-being....
Spotlight: How Force Sensors Work
Force sensors are a fantastically flexible instrument. In our last article Force Sensors and Load Cells: Types and Applications, we looked at the wide array of scenarios in which force sensors and load cells can render accurate weight and force measurements, and the...
Visit us at the FA&M Conference and Expo in Miami, FL on 4/15
Let’s discuss your requirements for hygienic ultrasonic sensors, stainless steel enclosures and input solutions! Hoffmann + Krippner, Inc. looks forward to seeing you at the Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference and Expo (FA&M) in Miami, FL on April 15,...
Load Cells and Force Sensors Now Part of H+K’s Product Portfolio
Updated web presence for load cells and force sensors Hoffmann + Krippner, Inc. proudly announces that some of the most reliable load cells and force sensors manufactured by Inelta are now part of their US product portfolio! Force sensors from Hoffmann + Krippner...
Force Sensors and Load Cells: Types and Applications
Every day, hundreds of thousands of cars and trucks might pass over a major bridge. How do engineers measure the pressures acting on the bridge from those vehicles to ensure it maintains structural integrity? Simultaneously, each of those vehicles — particularly...
An introduction to the line of Sensofoil® membrane potentiometers.
What is Sensofoil®? In our last blog post, we answered the question, “What is a membrane potentiometer?” Today, we’re going to talk about Sensofoil®, the Hoffmann + Krippner brand of membrane potentiometers, and how it differs from others. The name...
What is a membrane potentiometer?
Potentiometers have long served as key components of electrical controls as well as position sensing. However, their size and expense make traditional potentiometers inappropriate for many applications, such as flat-screen touch input devices. As the name suggests,...
When cleaning rooms means dealing with dirty-minded guests, how do you keep hotel housekeepers safe?
“I was so scared,” Juana Melara, a housekeeper in Southern California, told The New York Times when recounting an incident where a guest pursued her from his room into the hallway with his genitals exposed. “The rooms were empty – there were a lot of...
New laws are coming to protect hotel cleaning staff; are hotels ready?
More and more municipalities and states are passing laws imposing new safety requirements on hotels to protect their workers. Similarly, hospitality unions are increasingly pressing for the distribution of panic buttons or other safety devices to be written into...
Happy New Year!
Let’s discuss your applications, hardware and connectivity requirements in person! From your team at Hoffmann + Krippner, Inc., we wish you a Happy New Year and hope your 2019 is off to a great start. Let’s take a look at the opportunities coming up this year....
How Do Membrane Switches Work?
Membrane switches are amazing tools for product designers looking for a cost-effective yet highly functional means of interaction between user and device. We discussed how membrane switches are constructed here. In brief, membrane switches work much like mechanical...
Happy Holidays!
The light of the stars is only reflected in calm waters. Chinese proverb. Another eventful year comes to an end. During the holidays, we wish you peacefulness to reflect and strength to prepare for the New Year 2019. With these Holiday Greetings, we thank you for your...
ROBIOTIC To Demonstrate New IoT Products and Technologies at IoT Tech Expo
Check out our SmartCall Connected Beer Coaster, Connected HeliBar Bar Code Scanner (with Salesforce Integration), and Conbee Smart Tags for tracking Shipping Containers and other Business Assets Robiotic Will Be Participating in the Logistics and Fleet Management...
Hoffmann + Krippner Launches New Miniature P53 Ultrasonic Sensor
The first ultrasonic sensor in a completely encapsulated, gap-free stainless-steel housing EHEDG Certified For Hygienic Equipment Designs Hoffmann + Krippner is proud to announce the availability of the new model P53-80-D18. This new compact (45mm long and 18mm...Introducing ROBIOTIC, Hoffmann + Krippner’s new joint venture into the Internet of Things (IoT)
Hoffmann + Krippner has a simple but powerful business philosophy: apply world-class German engineering and design to the creation of high-quality products. Simultaneously, we are always looking for ways to apply that philosophy in innovative ways that will benefit...
Recap of Sensors Midwest 2018 and What’s Coming Up Next
Sensors Midwest 2018: first trade show this fall considered a success! At this year’s Sensors Midwest in Rosemont, IL, joint venture partner ROBIOTIC made its debut to the US market, sharing a booth with Hoffmann + Krippner, Inc. Sensors Midwest is marketed as “the...ROBIOTIC Provides IoT Device Success for Small & Mid-Size Tech Launches and Start Ups
From Design & Development to Production to Salesforce ROBIOTIC offers complete IoT success for small and medium-sized companies: from sensor selection to business model and everything in between, all the elements necessary for a successful IoT project are part of...
Spotlight: A Closer Look at Hoffmann + Krippner’s GT Technology
Sometimes it’s the little touches that make the biggest splash. Membrane switches from Hoffmann + Krippner already incorporate our world-class engineering and highest quality components to ensure premium operation and long lifespan. Then, add to that our patented GT...
How is a Membrane Switch Constructed?
Slim, flexible, and extremely customizable, membrane switches are the product designer’s perfect partner when crafting human-machine interfaces. Functionally, membrane switches work much like a mechanical switch. However, by being printed on either flat PET (a...
We build for the future in more ways than one!
We are building a new facility in Buchen, Germany with a production area of approx. 2200 square meters in the next twelve months – an investment of 3.5 million EUR. Half of it will be designated for screen printing, giving us more than twice as much space for printed...Visit Us at Our Trade Shows this Fall!
Sensors Midwest: October 16-17, 2018 in Rosemont, IL (Booth# 101) MD&M: Oct 31 – Nov 1, 2018 in Minneapolis, MN (Booth# 2338) IoT Tech Expo: Nov 28-29, 2018 in Santa Clara, CA (Booth# 279) We look forward to the opportunities starting in October to discuss...5 Clever Applications for Ultrasonic Sensors
By using high-frequency soundwaves to detect the position and distance of objects, ultrasonic sensors often work in situations where other sensor types fall short. They work like echolocation in bats or dolphins; these sensors send out soundwaves (inaudible to humans)...
How Membrane Switches Can Improve Medical Device Product Design
The global market for medical devices is massive. Worldwide, the market is worth nearly $400 billion (with the U.S. representing about 40% of the worldwide market). However, a large and saturated market means serious competition and rising pressures on medtech...Understanding the Ultrasonic Sensor on a Nanoscale
Ultrasonic sensors are an indispensable technology for manufacturing industries and give companies a competitive edge by streamlining processes. When selecting an ultrasonic sensor for, there are four main characteristics that must be considered: range, resolution,...
New Case Study: Only the best equipment can produce the world’s finest cheeses
How the P53 Ultrasonic Sensor improves professional cheese making by providing hygienic measurement of curd levels This new case study released by Hoffmann + Krippner, Inc illustrates how the P53 Ultrasonic Sensor by PIL can improve hygienic conditions and equipment...
Types of LVDTs
LVDTs, or Linear Variable Differential Transformers, can amplify your ability to measure and monitor precise movements in equipment and industrial automation systems. Choosing an LVDT for your application can be confusing since so many types of LVDTs exist. LVDTs are...Embedded World and other Trade Shows in Germany
We hope, your New Year is off to a great start. Let’s take a look at the opportunities coming up this year. In the first half of 2018 we already have the chance to meet personally at various trade shows. Kickoff for 2018 is the trade show embedded world, taking place...
LVDT Linear Displacement Sensors now available for purchase online
H+K expands online shop for quick and easy accessibility to LVDT sensors for medical, industrial, agricultural and heavy transportation applications Hoffmann + Krippner announces a new product addition to their redesigned, user-friendly online shop. In addition to...Updated Web Presence for Potentiometers, Membrane Switches, Sensors and More
H+K launches new website with redesigned, user-friendly online shop Hoffmann + Krippner, Inc. proudly announces the launch of their new website, showcasing their complete product portfolio, including membrane switches, potentiometers, touchscreen solutions and various...
