Morgan Technical Ceramics to meet increasing demand for ultrasonic metering with new production facility

The investment will enable Morgan Technical Ceramics, Southampton to produce in excess of ten million piezoelectric ceramic discs per annum. The move confirms the company’s commitment to keeping the UK as a centre of manufacturing excellence, capable of supplying to customers around the world.

Cogeneration is an increasingly popular method of simultaneously generating both electricity and heat. Essentially, excess heat from a central power station is used to heat water, which is then pumped to homes. As a result, heat metering, which measures the flow of water ultrasonically and monitors any drop in temperature, presents a significant opportunity.

Meanwhile, ultrasonic products are rapidly replacing mechanical meters in gas and water usage measurement, as the drive to measure usage more accurately for energy efficiency reasons continues. Morgan Technical Ceramics’ range of high-sensitivity and high-stability PZT materials deliver optimum performance for ultrasonic flow measurement, while the company also offers the capability to produce customised PZT shapes and complete sensor solutions for a wide variety of metering applications. Specialist engineers within the business can accommodate a range of requirements, adapting the architecture and manufacturing processes to meet individual customer needs. A range of electrodes for sensors in silver and gold are also available.

Tony Beswick, general manager for Morgan Technical Ceramics, Southampton, commented: “The new facility is capable of supplying more than ten million discs a year for this rapidly growing market. Our ultrasonic sensors are replacing mechanical meters due to their increased levels of precision and accuracy for recording utilities usage, covering heat, water and gas applications.

“The new facility not only demonstrates our commitment to being a key supplier to customers but also highlights the extensive capabilites of our UK operations in competing in a challenging global market. The increased manufacturing output is set to help generate new jobs at our Southampton facility, and ensure the UK continues to be viewed as a leader in manufacturing technologically advanced ultrasonic flow measurement solutions.”