PCB Piezotronics was founded in 1967 as a manufacturer of piezoelectric quartz sensors, accelerometers, and associated electronics for the measurement of dynamic pressure, force, and vibration. The unique expertise of the company was the incorporation of microelectronic signal conditioning circuitry within these sensors to make them easier to use and more environmentally compatible. These ICP® sensors gained wide popularity and became the foundation for the company's success.

Subsequent growth and steady investment in facilities, machinery, and equipment permitted a constant broadening of the product offering. Measurement capabilities expanded with the addition of piezoceramic, tourmaline, capacitive, piezoresistive, and strain gage sensing technologies. Ensuing products include industrial accelerometers, DC accelerometers, load cells, torque sensors, microphones, pressure transmitters, and calibration equipment.

The backbone of the company is its mission statement: Total Customer Satisfaction. This mission is not only supported by products that offer great value, but also backed by our industry exclusive Lifetime Warranty Plus. Factory applications engineering and a worldwide network of sales offices and representatives are readily available to assist with customer requests.

History

PCB Piezotronics, Inc. was established in August of 1967 by Robert W. Lally and James F. Lally. The focus of their technical efforts was primarily on the development and application of integrated circuit technology to piezoelectric sensors. Beginning with the creation of sensors to measure cylinder combustion pressure, PCB's product line quickly expanded to include vibration and force sensors.

Other products such as impact hammers, multichannel signal conditioners and actuators followed to meet increasing customer demand. It was this flexibility in design / manufacturing, coupled with PCB's commitment to "Total Customer Satisfaction", that is responsible for the success of PCB®.

A timeline of the significant events in PCB's history is shown below:
1967 ICP® (Integrated-Circuit-Piezoelectric) sensors developed and marketed.

1971 Development of the 100,000 g high-shock, ICP®, quartz accelerometer completed.

1972 Introduction of Impulse Hammers to excite structures for resonance searching and troubleshooting applications.

1973 The first rugged, industrial-grade, ICP® accelerometer produced to serve the emerging machinery health monitoring market.

1975 PCB® recognized as the largest U.S. manufacturer of quartz, ICP® sensors.

1977 Employees brave driving snow storms to continue sensor production during the "Blizzard of 1977".

1982 Structcel® Modal Array Sensing System developed to ease sensor installation and reduce set-up time on large scale modal surveys.

1983 Modally-Tuned® Impulse Hammers win IR-100 Award as one of the top 100 technical developments for the year.

1984 128 Channel Data Harvester provides sensor power and speeds modal analysis by offering automatic bank switching capability.

1986 A milestone in precision vibration measurements as the first commercial, quartz, shear-structured, ICP® accelerometer is developed.

1990 IMI (Industrial Monitoring Instrumentation) Division of PCB® established to concentrate on the expanding predictive maintenance market.

1992 AVC (Active Vibration Control) Division of PCB® established to concentrate on noise and vibration control products.

1993 Worlds smallest, all-welded, hermetically sealed, ICP® single axis and triaxial accelerometers developed.

1995 Underwriters Laboratory certifies PCB® to the International Quality Standard ISO-9001.

1996 OST (Oceana Sensor Technologies, Inc.), a PCB® Group Company, produces first, automatically fabricated, piezoelectric sensor.

1997 PCB® introduces several new technologies: capacitive accelerometers, multi-component load cells, piezo strain gages, ICP® microphone preamplifiers, Modular electronic series.

1998 14 new direct domestic and international sales offices are opened.

1998 PCB® manufacturing facility expands to 100,000 sq ft. at Depew, NY campus.

1999 PCB® Group acquires Larson Davis acoustic division to supplement acoustic product offerings.

2004 PCB® purchases Now-Tech, a privately owned machine shop, to make parts for other companies. Shortly thereafter, Now-Tech changed the name to PCB Machining Solutions Inc.

2004 PCB® opens the San Clemente office, advanced design engineering center focusing on DC and MEMS applications.

2005 PCB® expands manufacturing capability through construction of a new production facility in North Carolina that focuses only on stock products.

2008 PCB Piezotronics, Inc. announces Lifetime Warranty Plus.

2008 PCB® sensors are featured on Discovery Channel’s “Mythbusters” program.

2009 PCB® acquires assets of RS Technologies Ltd, a leading supplier of load cells, torque transducers, wheel force transducers, and fastening/assembly test equipment.

2010 PCB® purchases the Wine Merchant building in Depew, NY, which later becomes the machining center.

2010 Larson Davis Vibrameter awarded Gold award at the Sensor Conference in Chicago.

2011 PCB® adds 52,000 sq.ft. machining center at Depew, NY campus.

2011 PCB® launches Platinum Stock Products program to emphasize its most popular models with lifetime warranty and in-stock guarantee.

2012 PCB® obtains international accreditation for Test and Measurement Acoustic Products from the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

2012 PCB® enhances acoustic design capability with the new anechoic chamber, a state-of-the-art environment for testing new microphone designs.

The largest selection of sensors and sensor accessory products worldwide is manufactured by PCB®. Products include sensors for the measurement of acceleration, acoustics, force, load, pressure, shock, strain, torque, and vibration. All are backed by our Total Customer Satisfaction policy.

Engineers and scientists at leading businesses, research institutions, and independent laboratories around the world specify PCB sensors as their first choice. In a global marketplace driven by innovation and development, PCB has a sensor for every stage of product development including Research and Development, Production Variation Control, and Process Monitoring and Protection. Major industries served include:

Acoustic Architectural Design
Appliance
Business Machine
Chemical
Environmental Testing
Food & Beverage
Industrial Hygiene
Injection Molding
Machine Tool
Medical

Metal, Glass, Plastic & Material Forming
Pharmaceutical
Quality Assurance
Package Design & Testing
Power Tool
Production/Process Equipment
Pulp & Paper
Research & Development
Semiconductor