Official Blog of Sierra--Let's Talk Flow!
The Sierra Family is Growing
New Faces at Sierra! Sierra is growing, and we are very happy to announce that both Garrett Mungridis and Derek Klein have joined the Sierra family. We always aim to bring the best and brightest into our Sierra family to continually improve the quality of our customer service, speed of order processing, and rep support. […]
Read the StoryHow Do MEMS Mass Flow Controllers Work?
Not All MFC Sensor Technology is Created Equal Mass flow controllers offer precision gas flow control to many critical industries including biopharm, semicon, food & beverage, manufacturing, and R&D. As the technology demands increase in these sectors, so does the demand for precision gas flow control systems. The more accurate and repeatable the gas flow […]
Read the StoryHow to Choose the Perfect Flow Meter to Reduce Flow Energy Costs in Your Facility
It’s almost October and Fall is in the air. 2020 has turned out to be a tumultuous year and things seem to only be heating up. COVID-19 continues to be a daily factor in our lives, civil unrest is abundant, and the US economy remains […]
Read the StoryIntroducing RedyCompact Mass Flow Meters and Regulators- New Video
Mechanical rotometers have been a staple for flow measurement since the early 1900s, giving engineers and scientists fast and economical gas flow measurement. Sierra introduces the next generation advancements in this technology with the RedyCompact™ mass flow meters and regulators, Watch Sierra’s NEW video to learn how this unique battery-powered digital mass flow meter, regulator […]
Read the StoryNot All Calibration Claims for Thermal Mass Flow Meters Are Equal
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on September 4, 2014. Due to its popularity and continued questions on this issue, we updated the post on March 20, 2020. It’s an industry fact that in-situ calibration validation is one of the major benefits of thermal mass flow meters. The idea of saving money and downtime […]
Read the StoryBoost Bioprocessing Efficiency by Choosing the Right Gas Mass Flow Controller
We can all agree that our economics and external drivers have changed in the last four weeks. The emergence of COVID-19 has changed the way we work, socialize and think about the world. In Sierra’s 45 year history, we also have not seen such a shift in our flow control industry from a slower-moving mature […]
Read the StoryDecade in Review at Sierra Instruments
Welcome to 2020! The last decade was quite a ride with lots of twists and turns. It’s hard to re-cap it into words, but as we begin 2020 here’s a quick look at the top 5 blogs and videos of the last decade. These resonate to you for a common reason -all are teaching […]
Read the StoryThermal Mass Flow Meters Improve Efficiency in Wastewater Treatment Plants
Every municipality throughout the country has a wastewater treatment plant to safely treat water that enters back into our environment. This doesn’t mean they are immune to problems. One of the biggest problems for US wastewater treatment plants is the aging infrastructure with an estimated 180 billion dollars needed to repair many wastewater plants. A […]
Read the StoryTune Your Boiler: Watch Video for 3 Tips to Improve Energy Efficiency
Improving energy efficiency in facilities, campuses and hospitals is top of mind for most facilities managers and engineers. Government regulations like Boiler MACT and other energy efficiency mandates for government buildings like VA hospitals have put the pressure on facilities engineers to take a hard look at their equipment to optimize for energy efficiency. Optimizing energy efficiency comes in the form of both […]
Read the StoryTurning Science Fiction into Reality
Precision measurement of low flow in gas mixing applications Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on November 28, 2011. Due to its popularity and continued questions on this issue, we updated the post on March 9, 2018. Choosing the right flow controller for laboratory or biomedical research applications is essential to achieving success in […]
Read the StoryMaking Ultrasonic Liquid Flow Meter Installation Easier
Ultrasonic transit-time flow meter technology is becoming one of the most adopted technologies for accurate liquid and energy/BTU measurement. Although a major benefit of the technology is that it is non-invasive and can be clamped to the outside of the pipe, an inherent challenge with ultrasonic clamp on liquid flow meters is finding the best […]
Read the StoryFlow Tip Video: Learn Why Ease-of-Use is Critical for Flow Meter Selection
Many times scientists and researchers spend more time setting up equipment and instrumentation for their experiments than conducting actual experiments to gather important data. This holds true for flow meters and controllers to measure and control gases to experiments. Some flow meters are very cumbersome with no display, can only measure one gas, low value for price, and limited application flexibility. And if you need application […]
Read the StoryOvercoming Natural Gas Sampling Challenges in Oil & Gas Applications
It is a fact that in order to comply with various government rules and regulations, oil and gas companies have to continually take natural gas samples to prove the gas composition and amount of gas flowing in their oil fields. The challenge comes in trying to actually take an adequate gas sample representative of the […]
Read the StorySierra’s Biggest Stories from 2016
2017 is here and this year will bring many new exciting developments at Sierra, but before launching completely into the new year, let’s take a look back at our top stories of 2016. New at Sierra in 2016 We’re always looking for new ways to communicate and interact with our customers and industry. Find out about three […]
Read the StoryThe ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of Mass Flow Controllers
Did you ever wish your mass flow controller could do it all? You’re not alone. End users ranging from machine builders to laboratory researchers are often faced with the challenge of needing flow measurement and control equipment for a wide variety of applications. Many customers call the SmartTrak 100 mass flow controller the “Swiss Army knife” of MFC’s. […]
Read the StoryFlow Meter Focus: Sierra’s Biggest Stories from 2015
Can you believe it’s 2016? At Sierra, 2015 was a busy year of launches with our new website, vortex mass flow meter product line, and employee development with Sierra University. Every step of the way we were inspired to bring our products and customer experience to the next level. One of the areas of our website we […]
Read the StoryPerfect Beer Foam with Modern Flow Meters
We talk a lot about the use of flow meters in flare gas, waste water and sub-metering applications, but Sierra’s innovative flow meters are utilized by a wide variety of industries. You’ll find our flow measurement and control devices orbiting the earth, assisting with the creation of oceanic atmospheres in research facilities and even improving […]
Read the Story4 Ways to Make Flow Calibration Easy for You
Our flow experts here at Sierra are committed to ensuring your flow meter is accurately calibrated and returned quickly so downtime is kept to a minimum. Sierra’s latest flow meter service and calibration brochure, “Precision Delivered”, details that level of commitment, showcasing four key components of our approach to flow calibration service. Assuring your flow […]
Read the StoryEngineering Spotlight: Meet John!
Our talented team of engineers is at the heart of all our flow innovations and solutions here at Sierra. From design to production to finished product, our engineers oversee the creation and implementation of equipment designed to help you measure flow more accurately for consistent results. So what makes our engineers tick? Most had an […]
Read the StorySierra’s Auto Test Division Is Growing with Lansing Facility Expansion
We’re revving our engines and expanding to support our growing automotive test division. Sierra-CP has been providing the automotive industry with reliable engine and vehicle testing hardware and software solutions with precision accuracy for over 30 years. As demand for these high-quality products and services increases, we are expanding to provide better service and support […]
Read the StoryEverything You Need to Know About Sub-Metering Natural Gas
We’ve written quite a bit about the benefits of using thermal flow meters to sub-meter natural gas in large facilities. So much so, that we’ve decided to create one post that can be your go-to resource for finding information on the topic. Here you’ll find links to easily digestible content like infographics and SlideShare presentations, […]
Read the StoryEngineering Spotlight: Meet Director of Engineering Kam Bansal
Step inside our Engineering Department through our Engineering spotlight series. In our last post, I introduced you to Manufacturing Engineer Max Waterstone, the first of our talented team of engineers to be featured in our Engineering Spotlight. Sierra’s innovative approach to solving flow measurement problems can be traced back to founder Dr. John G. Olin, who […]
Read the StoryEngineering Spotlight: Meet Manufacturing Engineer Max Waterstone
Innovative engineering is the lifeblood of Sierra Instruments and has been since Dr. John G. Olin founded the company in 1973. Our team of engineers work together to continuously improve the products you use every day to ensure the accuracy that you’ve come to expect from Sierra flow meters and controllers. We’ve created an atmosphere […]
Read the StoryPrecision in Formula 1 Testing
Not many of our flow meter customers know we have been active in the automotive test industry since the early 1990s. Like Sierra’s Flowmeter Division, our Automotive Test Division is passionate about precision measurement and control. There is a lot of flow measurement needed in automotive testing, but Sierra’s capabilities in this area spread well […]
Read the StoryThe Secret to Slashing Your Facility’s Natural Gas Bills
Psst. We’ve got a secret. One that could save you money. How much, you ask? Thousands. That’s right. You could be saving thousands on your facility’s natural gas bill. Traditional diaphragm flow meters used for natural gas measurement can’t account for changes in gas composition, resulting in a utility bill that can be less than […]
Read the StoryHow to Manage Your Flow Calibration Risk
Precision measurement instrumentation, like mass flow meters, are only as good as their calibration. No one knows this better than the facilities managers and process engineers who have to keep up with the yearly calibration of sometimes thousands of instruments. Because managing instrument calibration is such a time-consuming, but necessary reality of facilities management, industry […]
Read the StoryHow to Install Vortex Steam Flow Meters!
A few weeks back Glen Coblentz, Vice President of North American sales, spent three days in New York City. Unfortunately, he was not able to enjoy the sites of NYC. Instead, he was working 45-feet underground in 120 F degree heat in New York City’s steam tunnels. For over five hours, Glen worked with Sierra Representative, North East Technical, commissioning […]
Read the StoryBest Practices for Mass Flow Controller Manufacturing
In Part 1 of our mass flow controller best practices series, Best Practices for Mass Flow Controller Selection and Installation, Sierra’s Chief Engineer John Smitherman compiled a comprehensive list of best practices for the selection, installation and operation of mass flow meters and controllers. With so many flow measurement products and technologies on the market, […]
Read the StoryUnderstanding Flowmeter Recalibration Traceability…
Customers often ask if they need to have their flow meter instrumentation calibrated annually. Along with calibration-related questions, traceability is another area that garners its fair share of inquiries. In this week’s post, I’ll share the answers to these commons questions you may have been wondering about. Do I need to have my mass flow […]
Read the StoryNEW Video Animation: How Do Thermal Mass Flowmeters Work?
As if your were actor Dennis Quaid in the popular 1987 movie Innerspace, journey inside the pipe to learn the operational principle of thermal mass flow technology and see, from a molecules perspective, why thermal flow meters have become extremely popular due to high accuracy, no moving parts, negligible pressure drop, sensitive direct mass flow measurement with high […]
Read the StoryHow Refreshingly Human! An Actual Person Talks to Me…
Automated answering services run rampant across all businesses these days–large or small. I guess these companies have better things to do than talk to customers. However, in the complex process of specifying and servicing flowmeters, human to human “H2H” contact, although becoming extinct, is an absolute must. With this in mind, a high level goal at Sierra is simply stated: […]
Read the Story5 Reasons to Stay at Your Job for 25 Years!
In Silicon Valley, where the Facebooks, Twitters, and Googles of the world thrive, job hopping is a common practice. It’s part of the Silicon tech culture to dive into a start-up, work relentlessly for 3 to 5 years and move on to the next endeavor. Just 70 miles south of this transient Silicon Valley workforce, however, is […]
Read the StoryInnovation @ Sierra
We recently had the honor of hosting Flow Control Magazine Publisher Mike Christian, who made the trip to Sierra headquarters in Monterey, Calif., to present our 10th Flow Control Innovation Award in person. Pictured right is me, Mike and our President, Matthew Olin holding the crystal award. We are standing in the lobby of corporate […]
Read the StoryVoice of the Customer: Flow Meter Solution for Air Pollutant Measurement
We’re always looking for solutions here at Sierra-ones that always give customers precise, accurate data. It’s what drove Dr. John G. Olin to found Sierra in 1973, with a goal of providing the marketplace with accurate flow meter measurement. It’s what drives our engineering team to continue to advance flow meter design. It’s also what […]
Read the StoryBreak from the Shackles-Mid-to-Large Size Facilities Verify Utility Company Billing
As we have all been hearing in the news, natural gas is becoming a very valuable and abundant natural resource. Almost all of this increase is due to the projected growth in shale gas production which will grow to 16.7 trillion cubic feet in 2040. Now comes the big question: how are utility companies going […]
Read the Story4 Things to Look for in an Online Industrial Flow Meter Store
As the e-commerce business model grows to include the mass flow meter market, there are some online players that have emerged. Over the last decade, companies like Instrumart, Omega, and others have entered the light and heavy industrial e-commerce game. Tech savvy 30-somethings are coming of age and embracing online buying as the norm rather […]
Read the StoryBiogas Energy Production: Why Accurate Flow Measurement Is Critical
The buzz around biogas continues to grow and with good reason. Efforts to find renewable sources of energy are in full swing, and harnessing energy from landfill gas or digester gas into biogas is a promising solution to the problem of high oil prices. In the July 2013 issue of Biomass Products & Technology, Sierra’s […]
Read the StoryHow to Select the Best Online Flow Meter Company
In an industry that’s slow to warm to the new trends of e-commerce—including ordering products straight from our hand-held devices!—the scientific measurement and control market is slowly turning the corner. Even though flow instrumentation has been around for years to help research scientists, this evolving e-commerce trend is giving customers access to highly customized flow measurement […]
Read the StoryTechnical Resources: Power Supply and Cabling Options
Believe it or not, many times selecting the correct power supply and cable for your product is the most challeging part of specifying and installation. To make these decisions easy, we have the Technical Resources: Power Supply and Cabling guide to help you choose the best power supply and cable for your meter or controller. This guide […]
Read the StoryNew Video: Best Cabling Wiring Connections, Power Options
Interestingly enough, our technical support team gets more questions about the compatibility between our power supplies and cabling options than any other installation question. This, as you know, is an important step to getting your MFC up and running-and providing you with accurate air flowmeter measurements—in no time. In recent weeks our, Technical Support Supervisor, Jim Oswald, has walked […]
Read the StoryNew Video: MFC – How to Set Up, Mount & Leak Test
Jim Oswald, our technical support guru, has had some great responses from our new videos. He gets call all day about mass flow control installation questions, so we hope these step-by-step videos can help you set up quickly and get to your work at hand. Our last technical support video walked you through the unpacking process […]
Read the StoryNew Video: Unpacking, Labels & Quick Installation
We are excited to support our customer service team with the technical support resources to give you easy access to product set-up, installation, and troubleshooting information. You’ve made the right choice in selecting one of our Mass Flow Controllers—designed to control the flow of air, and all inert gases and mixtures. Let Sierra’s Technical Support […]
Read the StoryNew Video: Best Practices for Leak Testing Inlet & Outlet Fittings for Your MFC
Have questions about your mass flow controller or flow meter? We’ve got answers. We’re excited to unveil a brand new series of “how-to” videos answering your most frequently asked questions about mass flow controllers and flow meters on Sierra Instruments’ YouTube Channel and in our video section on our website. It is industry best practice to always leak […]
Read the StoryImpossible, Right? MFC Next Day Shipment!
Buyers of high-performance mass flow controllers or any flow instrumentation for that matter, have come to expect long product delivery lead times as an industry standard. It is accepted that many high-performance flow instruments need to be customized and calibrated for a specific application. And this takes time. Sometimes lead times are up to 4-6 weeks. But, for practical business […]
Read the StoryFit for the King: Flow Meters & CO2 at Budweiser
When the King of Beers calls, we listen. As the #1 imported beer in China, Budweiser needed better control of its carbon dioxide (CO2) gas mass flow measurement at its Fujian Province plant. After trying several other, non-direct mass flow measurement technologies, engineers chose Sierra’s immersible SteelMass® 640S thermal mass flow meter. The reason behind their choice was that […]
Read the StoryFlow Meters Maximize the Value of Your Ozone Generator
The use of ozone generators in water and wastewater treatment plants in the United States continues to increase. Those inside the industry know there are three main reasons for this: Ozone is a superior, environmentally friendly purifier when compared to chlorine and other chemicals Ozone technology, once exorbitant to implement, has become far more affordable, […]
Read the StoryAdvanced Flowmeters Make Community Water Treatment Easier, More Accurate
Managing a community water supply system, whether government or privately owned, is definitely a costly endeavor. I know expenses are driven in large part by the need to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and the Clean Water Act (CWA). However, even though I am familiar with the challenges rural water companies face because […]
Read the StoryPrecise PVD with Mass Flow Meters
Developers and manufacturers of solar photovoltaic installations have seen a dramatic increase in business in recent years. If you’re part of this industry, you know that solar energy now generates power in more than 100 countries and continues to be the fastest growing type of electricity generation in the world. Due to the growing demand, manufacturing […]
Read the StoryAssess Your Flow Meter Options with Simple Selection Charts
There are many mass flowmeter and mass flow controller options available. As you sort through the wide variety of styles, sizes and prices, you may be wondering which flow meter is the right fit for your application. In reality, more than one may meet your flow range needs. Now what? Let me introduce you to […]
Read the StoryBuy Insertion Thermal Mass Flow Meters Online; Next Day Delivery
Thermal Mass Flow Meters Increase Boiler & Heater Efficiency The BoilerTrak™ 620s-BT is in stock and available to buy online and ready to fulfill urgent delivery requirements. BoilerTrak was designed to provide an economical and easy to install solution for precise natural gas measurement to heaters and boilers to increase efficiency. The instrument is also suited for compliance […]
Read the StoryBuy a Customized Mass Flow Controller Online!
After reading Kam’s last post about how Sierra’s OEM and Custom Solutions Group can help you customize a flowmeter for your application, I got inspired to share a way you can custom configure our mass flow controllers and actually buy the flow meter online. Lets say you need a SmartTrak 100 digital air flow sensor for […]
Read the StoryRiding the Waves of Climate Change, Part 3: Only Durable, Reliable Flowmeters Survive
This month I’ve been blogging about field researcher David Mucciarone, a Stanford University science and engineering associate. He’s part of a team that’s changing the way research about global warming is done, moving from discrete sampling to continuous, real-time monitoring. A key component of that shift is the flow meter in his chromatography-based flow-through sampling […]
Read the StoryRiding the Waves of Climate Change, Part 2: Flowmeter Precision is Essential
Recently, I wrote about how Stanford researcher David Mucciarone is helping redefine the way climate-change research is conducted Riding Waves of Climate Change, Part 1. In making a break from traditional discrete sampling, which provides only a tiny snapshot of water conditions, Mucciarone has created his own chromatography-based, flow-through device that can sample a variety […]
Read the StoryRiding the Waves of Climate Change, Part 1: Flowmeters Help Change the Way Research is Done
Back in December, I shared how the Sierra Smart-Trak flowmeter traveled to Antarctica in 2006 with Stanford University researcher David Mucciarone. As a critical component of his data collection efforts, the flow meter helped him measure the breakdown of inorganic carbon during the Antarctic summer bloom. This important R&D work directly correlated with studies on global […]
Read the StoryAre You a Mango? Three Big Advantages of Buying Flow Meters Online
If you’ve ever been up late at night – perhaps even on a weekend – trying to figure out how to get a gas mass or ultrasonic flow meter STAT, you’re a mango. A Frank Mango, to be precise. CEO & founder of Petroleum Habitats, an R&D start-up, Frank Mango needed a mass flowmeter, and […]
Read the StoryPrecision Gas Flow Control is Key to R&D Instrumentation
If you’re a scientific researcher, few things are as important as your ability to accurately control experimental research variables. Data – more specifically, precise data – is king! When you need gas flow rate measurement and control instrumentation, the ability to derive statistically sound and repeatable data is the key driver. Over the past several […]
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