CUSTOM LEVEL SENSORS
Where the catalogue stops, the engineering starts
An unusually small tank. An aggressive fluid. No room for a standard probe. An interface or approval nothing in the catalogue offers. Gill develops custom capacitive level sensors around constraints like these, working from the application back to the sensor.
WHAT CAN CHANGE
Start with what the application cannot change
A custom enquiry does not need to arrive as a finished specification. These are the six areas a custom design works through. Tell us what you already know about each, and we will establish whether an existing Gill sensor can be configured to suit or whether a custom approach is justified.
The measurement
Continuous level, point detection or another purpose, across the range the application actually uses.
Tell us: the fluid and the level range you need.
The fluid and environment
Fluid characteristics, temperature, vibration, moisture, pressure and chemical exposure all shape the design.
Tell us: what the sensor has to withstand.
The installation
Tank dimensions, available space, access and mounting decide what is physically possible.
Tell us: the tank and where the sensor goes.
The interface
The output, connector and communication the receiving system expects, so the sensor fits the system as well as the tank.
Tell us: what the sensor connects to.
The compliance
Any approval, standard or environmental rating the application needs, built into the specification from the outset.
Tell us: the standards that apply.
The volume
Prototype, small batch or production quantity. Volumes and timescales influence the most appropriate engineering route.
Tell us: how many, and by when.
FROM BRIEF TO SENSOR
A custom sensor starts with a conversation, not a part number
Conversation
What the application is trying to achieve, and what stops a standard sensor doing it.
Assessment
Our engineers check whether an existing sensor can be configured before anything new is designed.
Design
The sensing approach, construction, materials and interface are worked out around the requirement.
Prototype and test
Where appropriate, prototypes are built and tested against the conditions the sensor will face.
Production
The agreed design moves into manufacture at the volume the application needs.
CHECK THE STANDARD RANGE
The best custom sensor may be one you don’t need
Custom development takes time and engineering resource. If an existing Gill level sensor meets the requirement, that is usually the better starting point.
If you are unsure, tell us what you are trying to achieve. We will establish whether a standard product can do the job before taking the conversation further.
PROVEN TECHNOLOGY
Built on capacitive sensing, adapted to the job
Gill custom level sensors use the same capacitive principle as the standard range, measuring liquid level without floats or moving sensing parts. That technology is the starting point. The engineering work goes into adapting the probe, materials, dimensions, mounting and electrical interface to the application.
Requirements that sit outside a standard specification can draw on Gill’s wider engineering and R&D capability, from design and electronics through to prototyping, testing and manufacture. Explore engineering and innovation
QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
What is a custom level sensor?
A custom level sensor is a level sensor designed or configured around application requirements that a standard sensor cannot meet. The changes can involve the dimensions, materials, mounting, electrical interface or other parts of the sensor, while the capacitive sensing principle stays the same as the standard Gill range.
When should I consider a custom level sensor?
A custom level sensor is worth considering when no existing product can meet an essential requirement of the application. Typical reasons are physical dimensions, fluid compatibility, environmental conditions, installation constraints or the interface the receiving system expects. If a standard sensor can meet the requirement, that is usually the better route.
Can Gill adapt an existing level sensor rather than design a new one?
Depending on the requirement, an existing Gill technology or product configuration may be the starting point for a custom development. Gill’s engineers establish the appropriate approach during the engineering assessment, and check first whether a standard sensor can be configured to suit before any new design work begins.
What information does Gill need for a custom level sensor enquiry?
A custom level sensor enquiry is most useful when it covers the fluid being measured, the measurement range, the tank dimensions and installation arrangement, the environmental conditions, the required interface, any compliance requirements, and the expected quantities and timescale. A partial brief is still a good starting point.
Does Gill support both prototypes and production quantities?
The route for a custom level sensor depends on the application and the expected volumes, from prototype and small batch through to production quantity. Discussing the intended quantities and development stage at the outset helps Gill’s engineers establish the most suitable approach.
Have an application to discuss?
Speak to our team
Tell us what you need to measure, where and under what conditions. We’ll help you work out the appropriate approach.
Enquiring about Custom level sensor
- Our team replies. Not an account manager, and not a queue.
- We aim to respond in one working day. Monday to Friday.
- No obligation. Plenty of these end with us saying it is not our product.