What We Actually Build
End-to-end instrument development
Most research groups can design a circuit or write firmware. Fewer can also design and fabricate the enclosure that houses it, machine or print the mechanical components that mount it, and then deploy the whole thing in a field environment where it has to work reliably without a technician nearby.
That's the capability we've built at Sunstrike. Our instrumentation work spans electronics design, microprocessor programming, 3D printing, laser cutting, and precision mechanical components — applied together, because real instruments need all of it.
This same capability underpins both our PV-Scope monitoring system and the instrumentation we use for SHINE's concentrating solar research.
Microprocessor-Based Data Acquisition
Custom firmware and hardware for measurement, logging, and real-time monitoring. Designed for the specific parameters your application requires — not adapted from a generic platform.
3D Printed Enclosures & Components
Custom enclosures designed around your electronics — not generic project boxes. We design for thermal environment, field durability, and clean assembly. Weatherized options for outdoor deployment.
Laser Cut Parts
Panels, brackets, mounting plates, and structural components cut from acrylic, plywood, or sheet stock. Rapid iteration for prototype development or small-batch production.
Fiber Optic Mounts & Holders
Precision-designed mounts and alignment fixtures for fiber optic devices — a specific area of need in concentrating solar measurement where off-the-shelf mounts rarely fit the geometry.
Our Process
From requirement to finished instrument
Define the measurement requirement
What needs to be measured, at what resolution, in what environment? We start with the physical question, not the available parts.
Electronics and firmware design
Sensor selection, signal conditioning, microprocessor selection, and purpose-written firmware. We don't adapt generic code — we write for the application.
Enclosure and mechanical design
3D model the enclosure around the electronics. Design for assembly, thermal management, connector placement, and the actual deployment environment.
Fabricate, assemble, validate
Print, cut, assemble, and test. We validate performance against the original measurement requirement before the instrument leaves the bench.
Examples of what we've built for our own research
- PV-Scope — complete photovoltaic monitoring instrument, deployed at Texas A&M University
- Thermal measurement systems for concentrating solar focal point characterization
- Custom fiber optic alignment fixtures for high-temperature optical measurement
- Data logging enclosures for outdoor PV and solar thermal test setups
- Sensor integration systems for the SHINE concentrating solar furnace platform
Need instrumentation for your solar or optics research?
We're open to discussing custom instrumentation projects that align with our work in solar and optics. Tell us what you're trying to measure.
Discuss Your Project →