EMCORE’s SDI500 Series Inertial Measurement Unit Exceeds 5,000 Unit Sales Milestone

Rhea-AI Summary

EMCORE Corporation (Nasdaq: EMKR) has announced a significant milestone, exceeding 5,000 unit sales of its SDI500 series MEMS Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). Since its launch in 2010, the SDI500 has been recognized for its tactical-grade performance and has gained acceptance in the aerospace and defense sectors. The latest Rev F edition has been ranked first in accuracy in a U.S. Military study. The IMU is integral to various weapons systems, including U.S. Navy torpedoes, showcasing EMCORE's growth and reliability in advanced navigation solutions.

Positive

• Exceeded 5,000 unit sales of SDI500 IMU, indicating strong market acceptance.
• Ranked 1st in accuracy by a U.S. Military-commissioned IMU trade study.
• Part of significant contracts for U.S. Navy torpedo programs.

Negative

• None.

ALHAMBRA, CA, Aug. 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EMCORE Corporation (Nasdaq: EMKR), a leading provider of advanced mixed-signal products that serve the aerospace & defense and broadband communications markets, announced today that its dual-use SDI500 series MEMS (Micro-Electromechanical Systems) Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) has exceeded the 5,000 unit sales milestone.

The SDI500 IMU was originally introduced in 2010 as the only MEMS IMU capable of delivering true tactical-grade performance of 1.0°/hr gyro bias and 1 mg accel bias stability over a full temperature range from ­55 °C to +85 °C. By 2015, over 1,000 units had been delivered, and by 2018 sales had exceeded 2,500 units. With its high reliability and accuracy, even in challenging environments, the SDI500’s market success has continued at an accelerated rate with sales doubling in a little over 2 years.

Now part of EMCORE’s comprehensive navigation product line, the SDI500 has undergone important upgrades since its introduction and is currently shipping in its Rev F edition. It was ranked 1st in overall accuracy in a U.S. Military-commissioned IMU trade study of 19 competing IMUs that were evaluated as an alternative to the Honeywell HG1700 for various weapons systems. The series has been awarded significant contracts including the U.S. Navy’s MK48 heavyweight and MK54 lightweight torpedo programs.

“Reaching 5,000 unit sales milestone of our SDI500 is a tremendous accomplishment that is indicative of the product’s maturity and wide customer acceptance,” said David Hoyh, EMCORE’s Director of Sales & Marketing for navigation products. “We’d like to thank the multiple customers worldwide and our outstanding team in Concord, CA that have enabled us to achieve this success,” added Mr. Hoyh.

The SDI500 series outperforms other MEMS IMUs and delivers comparable performance in a lower power, smaller, and lighter form factor than older, costlier optical IMUs. Leveraging industry-leading inertial MEMS technology to deliver outstanding Angle Random Walk (ARW) values of 0.02°/√hr, the SDI500 series is designed to achieve the demanding performance levels required in sophisticated systems including weapons guidance and targeting, commercial and defense fixed-wing aircraft & helicopters, UAVs (Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles), and a wide variety of other high-precision commercial, industrial, marine, and defense applications.

We continue to welcome a deeper engagement with technical teams around the world to explore how our current and upcoming products could meet your needs for guidance, navigation, and control. For further discussion and specifications, call +1 866-234-4976; e-mail: navigation-sales@emcore.com; or visit us on the web: www.emcore.com/nav.

About EMCORE
EMCORE Corporation is a leading provider of advanced mixed-signal products that serve the aerospace & defense and broadband communications markets. Our best-in-class components and systems support a broad array of applications including navigation and inertial sensing, defense optoelectronics, broadband transport, 5G wireless infrastructure, optical sensing, and cloud data centers. We leverage industry-leading Quartz MEMS, Lithium Niobate, and Indium Phosphide chip-level technology to deliver state-of-the-art component and system-level products across our end-market applications. EMCORE has vertically-integrated manufacturing capability at its wafer fabrication facility in Alhambra, CA, and Quartz MEMS manufacturing facility in Concord, CA. Our manufacturing facilities maintain ISO 9001 quality management certification, and we are AS9100 aerospace quality certified at our facility in Concord. For further information about EMCORE, please visit http://www.emcore.com.

Forward-looking statements:
The information provided herein may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements include statements regarding EMCORE's plans, strategies, business prospects, growth opportunities, changes, and trends in our business and expansion into new markets. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about EMCORE and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those stated in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation, the following: (a) uncertainties regarding the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of measures intended to reduce its spread on our business and operations, which is evolving and beyond our control; (b) the rapidly evolving markets for EMCORE's products and uncertainty regarding the development of these markets; (c) EMCORE's historical dependence on sales to a limited number of customers and fluctuations in the mix of products and customers in any period; (d) delays and other difficulties in commercializing new products; (e) the failure of new products: (i) to perform as expected without material defects, (ii) to be manufactured at acceptable volumes, yields, and cost, (iii) to be qualified and accepted by our customers, and (iv) to successfully compete with products offered by our competitors; (f) uncertainties concerning the availability and cost of commodity materials and specialized product components that we do not make internally; (g) actions by competitors; and (h) other risks and uncertainties discussed under Item 1A - Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, as updated by our subsequent periodic reports. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made only as of the date hereof, and EMCORE undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:

EMCORE Corporation

David Hoyh
Director, Sales & Marketing
(925) 979-4503
David_Hoyh@emcore.com

Investor
Tom Minichiello
Chief Financial Officer
(626) 293-3400
investor@emcore.com

Media
Joel Counter
Director, Corporate & Marketing Communications
(626) 999-7017
media@emcore.com

FAQ

What is the significance of EMKR's announcement regarding the SDI500 IMU?

EMKR announced exceeding 5,000 unit sales of its SDI500 IMU, reflecting strong market acceptance.

When was the SDI500 IMU introduced by EMCORE Corporation?

The SDI500 IMU was introduced in 2010.

How does the SDI500 IMU compare to other IMUs in the market?

The SDI500 IMU has been ranked 1st in overall accuracy in a U.S. Military study.

What applications does the SDI500 IMU serve?

The SDI500 IMU serves applications in weapons guidance, commercial and defense aircraft, and UAVs.

What recent developments have been made to the SDI500 series?

The SDI500 series has undergone upgrades and is currently shipping in its Rev F edition.