Overview
Macintyre Electronic Design Associates (MEDA), Inc., founded in 1980, manufactures instruments and sensors for measuring weak magnetic fields in the DC to 200 kHz frequency range and Helmholtz coil systems for generating accurate and precise magnetic fields. MEDA is located in Dulles, VA., a suburb of Washington, D.C.
MEDA was the pioneer in the development of a new generation of high sensitivity induction coil magnetometers that offer unsurpassed sensitivity, accuracy and wideband performance in the 0.1 Hz to 200 kHz frequency range.
In 1989 the company introduced the first handheld fluxgate magnetometer, the µMAG, which measures DC to 400 Hz magnetic fields from 1 nT to 200,000 nT.
MEDA entered the satellite magnetometer market in 1994 when Schonstedt Instrument Company (SICO) terminated their satellite magnetometer business. Experienced personnel were added to MEDA from SICO, and a new facility was constructed which is dedicated to the production of these highly reliable instruments.
In 1998 the company introduced the first three-axis handheld fluxgate magnetometer, the FM300 Vector Magnetometer. This sophisticated instrument measures the three vector components of a magnetic field and has a dynamic range of 100,000 nT with a resolution of 1 nT and can be controlled remotely by a computer. This instrument has been replaced by the FVM400 which is an enhanced version of the FM300.
In 2005 MEDA introduced the RM100 Reference Magnetometer with an accuracy of 0.01%. This magnetometer has many uses including calibrating Helmholtz coil systems and solenoids that are use to calibrate other magnetometers and magnetic sensors.
In 2010 MEDA introduced the TAM-3 Satellite Magnetometer that can be used for scientific purposes to measure weak magnetic fields in geosynchronous orbit where the magnetic field is on the order of 100 nT to 200 nT.
In 2022 MEDA discontinued manufacturing satellite magnetometers.
Market
The MEDA products can be divided into three market segments. The handheld and benchtop instruments are used by engineers, scientists and technicians to evaluate shielding effectiveness, inspect packages, control the magnetic environment, determine magnetic properties of objects and measure the magnetic signatures of vehicles.
The induction coil instruments and sensors are used to measure the electromagnetic environment in the extremely low frequency (ELF) to sub radio frequency band. Power line related fields and the magnetic fields generated by video display terminals are of particular interest.
Three-axis Helmholtz coil systems that generate accurate and precise magnetic fields. They can be used to calibrate magnetometers, calibrate direction drilling sensors, check satellite component magnetic cleanliness, study animal behaviour, etc. The coil systems range in size from 3 feet (1 meter) to 12 feet (4 meters).
Mission
MEDA's mission is to be the leader in low level magnetic field measuring instruments and sensors that provide accurate and reliable performance at a reasonable price.