In 1974, the company adapted its precision etching and laminating expertise to the manufacture of flexible printed circuits. They opened their second manufacturing facility for this production. Minco also manufactured one of the first etched foil heaters for early 'wet' copy machines made by 3M. The heater-sensor was found not to be the problem. Of note, NASA investigated Minco due to the erratic gyros on Skylab causing spacewalks to replace the IGS. Minco's combination etched foil heater-platinum wire sensors were used on many NASA projects including the 1976 Viking Lander (heated soil samples) and Skylab (Inertial Guidance System). The companyвЂ™s heater product line also expanded into commercial, aerospace and medical applications. One of the first efforts was flexible wire-wound temperature sensors for aerospace guidance systems, which led to the development of flexible heaters, introduced by Minco in 1960.ДЄlso during the 1960s & 1970s, the temperature sensor line was expanded to include industrial RTD probes, bearing sensors, and RTD stator sensors to which the company supplied to large rotating apparatus (generators) manufacturers (GE, Westinghouse, Reliance Electric, Brown Boveri) and energy management system contractors. In 1958, the company decided to concentrate on the development of proprietary products. Minco Products, Inc was founded by Karl Schurr on October 2, 1956, as an engineering firm, designing and building precision electromechanical devices on a subcontract basis. Based in Fridley, Minnesota, the company designs and manufactures flexible printed circuit boards and interconnects, RTD based temperature sensors and assemblies, and thermal solutions for medical, defense, aerospace, industrial, and food service applications. Minco is a privately owned company with over 650 employees worldwide.

Minco in fridley mn