AMETEK Scientific Instruments

Global Leader

AMETEK, Inc. (NYSE: AME) is a leading global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices with annual sales of approximately $5 billion.  AMETEK has 18,000 colleagues at more than 150 operating locations, and a global network of sales, service and support locations in 30 countries around the world.

Our corporate mission is the provide differentiated products for solutions to the most demanding problems.  Matching that strategy to the fields of electrochemistry and materials measurement led to the acquisition of the key players, brands and teams that are organized as AMETEK Scientific Instruments:  the innovators of the digital potentiostat (Princeton Applied Research), frequency response analyzer (Solartron Analytical), and lock-in amplifier (Signal Recovery).

The brands Scientific Instruments, ORTEC and SunPower combine as the Advanced Measurement Technology business unit.  With other like-focused BU's, we comprise the Materials Analysis Division which is under the umbrella of the Electronic Instruments group.

Princeton Applied Research (PAR) and Solartron Analytical are the global leaders in the design, manufacture, and support of instrumentation for research in electrochemistry and materials analysis.  Over a combined 110 years of development knowledge are in our instruments and accessories, advancing the research into the physical and electrochemical properties of batteries, fuel cells, capacitors, corrosion inhibitors, organic coatings and sensors, as well as the characterization of materials for dielectrics and solar cells.

Leading The Way

Developing new products and improving existing designs allows AMETEK Scientific Instruments to support our core markets and, through technology expansion, support specific applications such as in the case of the SI-9300R Battery Analyzer.

Though our products are the most popular, most cited ones in the field of electrochemistry, we have been known by different names at different times.
Here is a brief overview of who we are and the role we have played:

1948		Solartron was founded by two engineers, E. R. Ponsford and L. B. Copestick, based in Kingston on Thames, United Kingdom.
1960s		Princeton Applied Research was founded by a group of scientists from Princeton University and the Plasma Physics Laboratory (1961).  Princeton Applied Research introduced its first electrochemical station, the Model 170, developed for the polarography market (1969).
1970s		Already known for exceptional Frequency Response Analyzers, Solartron Analytical launched the 1170, the world’s first digital FRA (1970). Signal Recovery was acquired by EG&G, a multifaceted, high technology company with a strong presence in the scientific instrument business (1972). Princeton Applied Research was also acquired by EG&G (1977).
1980s		Solartron Analytical introduced its first electrochemical interface, the 1186A (1980).   The Model 173, when combined with the new 276 GPIB, became the first computer assisted potentiostat (1983).  Princeton Applied Research launched the Model 273, the first digital potentiostat on the market (1984).
1990s		Solartron Analytical launched the 1260A Impedance/Gain-Phase Analyzer, capable of working in stand-alone mode or in conjunction with a potentiostat (1990).
2000s		The VersaSTAT Series launched using Princeton Applied Research VersaStudio software platform (2007). Solartron Analytical released the ModuLab Series, introducing a modular platform for customized electrochemical and materials systems (2008).
2011		Princeton Applied Research launched VersaSCAN, building on the 20+ year history in the sale and support of electrochemical scanning systems.
2013		The PARSTAT MC family is released and with Solartron Analytical’s CellTest 1470E provided a complete portfolio to the growing multichannel potentiostat market.
2016		Solartron Analytical launched the Apps XM Series, an application based series for research of electrochemistry, energy storage, photovoltaics, and materials.