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TMS Technologies and EG&G Sign Technology Agreements for Advanced Micromechanical Technology

6 October 1997

TMS Technologies and EG&G Sign Technology Agreements for Advanced Micromechanical Technology

    ITHACA, N.Y., Oct. 6 -- TMS Technologies, Inc. and EG&G, Inc.
announced today that they have completed sublicensing and
technology transfer agreements for silicon microelectromechanical (MEMS)
devices.  Under the agreement EG&G will utilize TMS' proprietary plasma
micromachining technology to manufacture micromechanical accelerometers for
use in next generation automobile airbag systems.  Now in pilot production the
micro-accelerometers will offer substantial performance and cost advantages
over the large mechanical sensors presently used in most automobiles.
    "EG&G's selection of our micromachining technology for this highly
competitive product is a strong endorsement of the advantages TMS can offer in
the manufacturing of advanced micromechanical devices," said
Gregory J. Galvin, Ph.D., president and CEO of TMS.  "We are excited to have
this opportunity to work with EG&G, and we see this agreement as the start of
a long term relationship."
    Located in Ithaca, New York, privately held TMS Technologies designs and
manufactures silicon MEMS devices for a variety of industries, including
automotive, medical, communications, data storage, and scientific instruments.
TMS' plasma micromachining technology enables fabrication of micromechanical
devices with higher performance and lower manufacturing costs than competing
micromachining techniques.  TMS' technology is largely based on research
conducted at Cornell University to which TMS has an exclusive license.
    Silicon micromechanical devices have been the topic of active research for
several decades.  In recent years, these devices have begun to emerge in a
number of commercial products, most notably automotive and medical pressure
sensors.  The automotive industry continues to be a major driver for
micromechanical technology with MEMS products being utilized for airbag,
antilock brake, engine control, suspension, and fuel injection systems.  Other
major markets for MEMS products include medical diagnostics, ink jet printing,
computer disk drives, military, inertial navigation, and communications.
Worldwide annual sales of MEMS products are projected to be the range of
US$10 to 20 billion within the next five years according to a variety of
published market surveys.

SOURCE  TMS Technologies, Inc.