Sierra Instruments, Inc.
Sierra Instruments is a global leader in fluid flow measurement and control for nearly 40 years and is known for its high performance flow instrumentation for gas, liquid and steam applications commonly found in the semiconductor, environmental, scientific research, petrochemical, energy, aerospace, and general manufacturing industries. With over 150 locations in over 50 countries, Sierra is positioned to support customers across the globe to solve tough flow problems.
Company details
Find locations served, office locations and our distributors . Or browse our memberships .
- Business Type:
- Manufacturer
- Industry Type:
- Monitoring and Testing
- Market Focus:
- Globally (various continents)
- Year Founded:
- 1971
- Employees:
- 11-100
- Turnover:
- $10,000,000 US - $100,000,000 US
About Us
Flow and Test solutions for those who demand precision.
Across Sierra's two divisions, flow measurement and automotive test, striving for the ultimate in accurate and repeatable measurement and control is the name of the game. In everything we do, we challenge the status quo and thrill in doing the “never before possible” to continually push our technologies and solutions to the next level.
Recent examples of this motivation from our Flow Division are seen in our completely reinvented iSeries InnovaMass vortex and QuadraTherm thermal flow meters. Examples from our Automotive Test Division are the completion of a new F1 engine testing facility featuring complete design / build capability, advanced engine conditioning and fuel metering and conditioning capability.
Our mission is an uncompromising focus on quality, delivery, people, innovation and customer support. We believe that by always staying true to our mission, we will build highly creative and productive relationships with our customers that endure.
Experience Sierra!
Founded in 1971 by Dr. John G. Olin, venture within Sierra and experience our passion for innovation and precision measurement and control. It was Dr. Olin’s dream that Sierra be built on innovation, creative opportunity, entrepreneurial spirit, and team camaraderie. We are proud to continue those traditions today. Discover our culture – a family-owned, open atmosphere for interaction that emphasizes individuality, respect, growth, and strong customer relationships.
Who We Are
We design and manufacture high-performance thermal mass flow controllers, immersible thermal mass flowmeters, vortex flow meters and transit-time ultrasonic flow meters for nearly every gas, liquid, or steam application.
- Accurate and repeatable flow measurement and control
- Custom flow engineering at no charge
- Short delivery lead times
- Expert flow advice
- Lifetime support
Experience Our Passion for Flow!
Our flow meter devices are available in both standard and customized versions for applications in laboratory, industrial and hazardous environments. Sierra's flow meter instruments precisely measure or control very low flows down to less than 1 sccm full scale, as well as extremely high flows of gas, liquid and steam. With rugged product design, cutting-edge innovation, and a team of flow experts, Sierra Instruments comprises over 150 locations worldwide.
Find your flow expert today and experience why customers around the globe rely on Sierra.
We provide cost-effective, robust, turnkey flow metering solutions for:
- Gas
- Air Monitoring
- Emissions
- Oxygen
- Water
- Diesel
- Displacement
- Particulate
- Analyzer Measurement
- And many more…
We provide innovative, high-quality flowmeters and services to top businesses around the globe, helping them to achieve significant cost savings through increased efficiency. Sierra holds over 20 patents on its various sensor technologies and innovations. We offer:
- Thermal Mass Flow Meters & Mass Flow Controllers - We are a manufacturer of premium quality and performance mass flowmeters and controllers for use in semiconductor, pharmaceutical and research industries. Machine builders and systems integrators are large users and specifiers of our MFCs.
- Vortex Shedding Flow Meters, Thermal Mass Flowmeters Inline and Insertion Probe Type, and Transit-Time Ultrasonic Flow Meters are our core industrial flow measurement technologies. We provide natural gas, mass air flow, water flow, and oxygen flow meters for industrial applications. Sierra also carries pipe, ultrasonic, digital and other meters to measure liquids and steam.
- Free Lifetime Technical Support - Since we manufacture all the products we sell online, we offer free lifetime phone and email tech support for the life of the product.
- Fast Delivery Times | Same Day Shipment for In-Stock - Since we are the manufacturer of the products we sell online, we are continuously building to stock. We reward our team for shipping orders fast. Many times the order is shipped from our factory just hours after ordering. In stock products are processed immediately, so depending on your shipping method, you will receive your product between 2 and 7 days of submitting your order.
- Primary Standard Flow Calibration & Field Services - We specialize in Primary Standard NIST traceable calibration, repair, and field services for mass flowmeters and controllers.
- OEM, Private Labeling & Custom Solutions - We provide flow meter solutions for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), Private Label, and general customers to meet their pricing and design goals.
What We Can Do:
Discuss your flow need with a Sierra applications engineer.
We select and size the best meter for your budget and application.
We build, calibrate and ship your meter to meet your timing needs.
Lifetime support through your tech support hotline or on-site visit.
Our Divisions:
Flow Measurement & Control Division
With more than 150 locations in over 50 countries, our Flow Measurement and Control Division is known for the design and manufacture of innovative high-performance fluid flow measurement and control instrumentation for nearly any gas, liquid and steam application spanning across global industries as diverse as scientific research, semiconductor, wastewater treatment, iron and steel, clean energy, aerospace and biotech to name a few.
Our Flow Measurement and Control Division designs and manufactures high precision capillary-sensor based Mass Flow Meters and Controllers for gas flow applications. We also design and manufacture Immersible Thermal Mass, Transit-Time Ultrasonic, Vortex Shedding and Multivariable flow instruments in both standard and customized versions for applications in industrial and hazardous environments.
Our technologies precisely measure and/or control very low flows of gas down to less than 1 sccm full scale as well as extremely high flows of gas, liquid, and steam. With rugged product design, cutting-edge innovation, and a worldwide team of flow experts, we know you will “Experience Our Passion for Flow.”
Automotive Test Systems Division
Driven by our long-established roots in engine emissions sampling systems, our acquisition of CP Engineering in late 2011 has significantly grown our Automotive Test Systems Division. We now cover the complete range of automotive test applications including engine, vehicle, powertrain, transmission, emissions, analytical and component testing.
Since the formation of our Emissions Division in the early 1990’s, we have been deeply involved in the engine and vehicle development and testing industry. Our innovative BG3 Partial Flow Dilution (PDF) engine particulate emissions sampling technology is the leading technology of its kind in the world and is viewed as the standard in the industry.
Our new Automotive Test Systems Division is now appropriately named, Sierra-CP Engineering. Sierra-CP is now the only US-owned complete turn-key automotive test systems company in the industry and has manufacturing and support facilities spread across the globe.
Mission, Vision
Our Vision: Experience Our Passion for Flow!
Our Mission: To be the leading manufacturer in the world of fluid flow and environmental flow measurement and control instrumentation in terms of: QD PICS (Quality, Delivery, Price, Innovation and Customer Support.)
Founded in 1971 by Dr. John G. Olin, Sierra has long been well known as a manufacturer of high-performance fluid flow measurement and control instrumentation for use in numerous industries and applications throughout the world. Adding to Sierra's expertise in fluid flow and systems integtration, Sierra founded its fast growing Environmental Flow group in 1991 which specializes in engine particulate emissions measurement and is known worldwide for its flagship partial flow sampling system called BG-3 technology. Sierra's two flow divisions, Fluid Flow and Environmental Flow, continue their leadership with a steady stream of innovative products that help customers meet tough flow challenges every day.
By combining superior product quality with a talented global support network of experts in over 150 locations in over 50 countries, Sierra works hard to consistently deliver quality flow measurement solutions and support to customers for the life of the product.
Our Thermal Mass, Transit-Time Ultrasonic, Vortex Shedding and Multivariable flow instruments are available in both standard and customized versions for applications in laboratory, industrial and hazardous environments. Sierra’s flow measurement technologies precisely measure or control very low flows of gas down to less than 1 sccm full scale as well as extremely high flows of gas, liquid, and steam. With rugged product design, cutting-edge innovation, and a worldwide team of flow experts: we hope you Experience Our Passion for Flow!
Tradition of Innovation
Spanning Over 40 Years
Sierra has a rich tradition of innovation spanning over 40 years. We believe that our willingness to listen to market opportunity and get excited about customer challenges has driven this innovative spirit.
The development of an industrialized metal-sheathed thermal mass flow sensor in the early 80s was Sierra’s first big step. Many successful innovations followed, but in 1999 Sierra experienced a major breakthrough with the introduction of their patented no-drift DrySense™ mass velocity sensor. Other breakthroughs have been the world’s first multivariable mass vortex flow sensor and advancements in capillary thermal flow sensors and electromagnetic control valve design.
Sierra has more than 30 patents, the majority of which are still being used in product today. R&D focuses on sensor improvement and vastly improved firmware and software that implement advance algorithm sets for improved fluid measurement accuracy.
Sierra’s Raptor II OS is the “Flow Engine” program is inside every iSeries instrument (such as QuadraTherm) that combines advanced fluid dynamics calculations and cutting edge sensor design with today’s hyper-fast microprocessors to maximize instrument performance.
Our engineers continue to thrill in doing “the never before possible” and are innovators at heart who get great joy in offering our customers new and creative flow solutions.
About Us: Test Automation Technology for Engines and Vehicles
Sierra CP can help you design, build or upgrade your next world class engine and vehicle test facility. Our working style is one of teamwork, innovation, flexible solutions and challenging the status quo in all that we do.
Your facility must reflect your brand to the highest level in look and feel and back it up with excellent testing performance. Our experience covers the complete scope of automotive test applications including engine, vehicle, powertrain, transmission, emissions and component testing.
In addition to the performance of your facility, Sierra CP is acutely aware that after sales support is critical to the operation of your facility. To assist our worldwide client base, Sierra CP has technical support locations worldwide to ensure fast service and rapid spares support.
A Team of Experts
Each custom test facility project is assigned a dedicated project manager, lead engineer and local on-site technical support.
Our engineering team has unique expertise in analysis of fluid processes, engine conditioning, emissions and analytical, uncertainty analysis, in-cylinder measurement applications, test equipment design and fabrication, test automation and control, data acquisition, programming and data management.
We handle certifications and audits and we are knowledgeable about regulations for both on and off highway vehicle applications.
Join our team, we have positions that need to be filled now. Learn more...
Designing and Building Complex, Custom, Integrated Facilities
Engine and vehicle test cells are complex systems. A strong development plan starts with:
- A suitable physical space and location
- Clear understanding of the exact data that must be delivered on an accurate and repeatable basis
From mechanical layout, controls and software to dynamometers and peripheral equipment, Sierra CP can handle every facet of your project with a combination of process knowledge, subject matter expertise and integration experience that makes our services uniquely valuable.
Carefully thought out engine or vehicle movement and linkage with integrated custom test cell equipment is important from a test and data quality standpoint, as well as the efficient operation, maintenance, and future flexibility of the test facility.
Our In-Cell Equipment Advantage
We are truly unique in that we own the vast majority of our technology IP ranging from test automation software and hardware to engine conditioning, fuel metering, emissions and analytical equipment. In many cases, our customers are pushing the edge of innovation with their engine or vehicle R&D. Since we own all of our equipment, change is easy and cost effective. We regularly improve, innovate, resize or upgrade our test equipment as well as our CADET automation software to meet changing customer needs.
Typical Project Scope
Sierra CP offers comprehensive in-house design, fabrication, integration, commissioning, preventative and ongoing maintenance and support services. Our highly trained specialty groups work to ensure every project aspect runs smoothly. We monitor and managing every aspect of each project scope, such as:
- Working with you to clarify goals and budgets
- Structural design & construction
- Project & site management (under CDM)
- Subcontract vendors
- Streamline team communication
- Supply test equipment & automation products
- Supply mechanical and electric infrastructure
- Integration of 3rd party instrumentation as needed
Efficient Working Environments
An engine and vehicle test facility is a serious working environment that requires overall ease of use, superior logistics, and the efficiency to produce the highest level of test data quality day in and day out with great repeatability. Experience tells us how to translate customer process requirements for health and safety, working environments, acoustic background levels, lighting levels, and flexibility into the appropriate means, methods, and materials of space design and construction.
Join Our Community
Subscribe to our newsletter for product news, application stories & more. CLICK HERE!