FCI Founders Bob Deane And Mac McQueen Named To MCAA Industry Hall Of Fame

Fluid Components International (FCI) founders Bob Deane and Mac McQueen after more than 50 years in business together have been recognized for their lifetime achievements in thermal mass flow sensing technology as members of the industry’s Hall of Fame, Class of 2017, by the Measurement, Control and Automation Association (MCAA).

Bob and Mac began their partnership in 1964 with the development of the industry’s first successful thermal flow switch designed to provide accurate, reliable service in the demanding operating environment of the oil/gas industry. Starting in Mac’s home garage, the two engineers improvised with a kitchen candy thermometer, soldering iron, and a bowl of water to prove the validity of their initial sensor concept design and then began manufacturing the devices for a major U.S. oil company.

In the 1970s, Bob and Mac next developed FCI’s first thermal mass flow meter. It gained rapid acceptance in the chemical, electric power, solid waste and water industries. Then in 1978, they qualified their flow switch and other products for the nuclear power industry. In the 1980-90s they achieved successes on the Rockwell B1 Bomber and other military and commercial programs, forming an aerospace division.

Bob retired from active service at FCI in 1995 and then returned to FCI in 2010 to work on research and development projects. He frequently offers his guidance to company engineers on product development tasks and specialized applications. He also consults on process development and holds three patents.

Mac retired from FCI in December 1995. He came back in 1998 as a consultant to FCI and its subsidiary, the Vortab Company, which specializes in flow conditioning devices. He has been Chairman Emeritus at FCI since 2000 and continues to be active as a designer, developer and “imagineer” for FCI, and is the holder of 19 patents.

From Bob and Mac’s achievements, products manufactured by FCI are today requested by name in many of the world’s most demanding environments for flow instrumentation. They are recognized for their precision measurement accuracy and repeatability in harsh conditions, where their high performance ensures both end-product quality and operational safety. The company offers a broad range of application solutions from off-the-shelf devices to custom-engineered systems.

With their advanced thermal dispersion mass flow sensors, FCI’s flow meters offer decades of proven performance. They combine precision mass flow measurement accuracy with a rugged design that is compatible with caustic, corrosive, humid and high temperature environments. They are highly reliable, easy to install, require virtually no maintenance and are designed for long-life.

The SIL-rated ST100 Flow Meter from FCI is an innovative next-generation thermal dispersion technology air/gas flow meter. The ST100 meter combines feature- and function- rich electronics with the industry's most advanced flow sensors to achieve a truly state-of-the-science flow metering solution for demanding industrial processes and plant applications.

FCI’s FLT93 Series FlexSwitch™ is the process industry’s most advanced heavy-duty thermal dispersion technology flow and level switch with its exclusive SIL-2 rating. Its multi-parameter measurement design is based on more than 50 years of flow and level switch engineering and application experience, providing a dependable, rugged long-life instrument.

FCI’s custom designed flow and level sensors for OEM applications are ideal for use in a wide range of industrial equipment where monitoring, high/low alarming, metering, switching and totalizing are required. Ideal for gas or liquid applications, these devices feature advanced micro-electronics for direct mass flow measurement in a rugged, no-moving parts design that offers exceptionally high reliability and long-life.

FCI’s world-class, fully NIST traceable flow calibration laboratories test and calibrate all FCI products to ensure instrument accuracy with the customers’ actual or simulated fluid and process conditions. FCI’s calibration laboratories are ISO9001:2008 certified and AS9100 compliant. The laboratories also meet MIL-STD-45662A and ANSI/NCSL-Z-540 requirements. The company’s advanced technologies also include mechanical design, advanced materials, metallurgy, electronics, communications and more.

Fluid Components International is a global company committed to meeting the needs of its customers through innovative solutions to the most challenging requirements for sensing, measuring and controlling flow, level and temperature of air, gases, and liquids.