An Introduction to MPD, Inc.

MPD’s History, Products, and Engineering Activities

Dr. W. Scott Best, Chief Scientist
Speed School Alumni, BS 1979, MEE 1980

MPD, Inc. is an engineering and manufacturing enterprise that has been in continuous operation in Owensboro, KY since 1922. Ownership has evolved from its beginning as a privately held company know as Kentucky Radio (KenRad), to the General Electric (GE) Microwave Products Division, and finally to its current identity as an employee owned business known as MPD, Inc. At its peak, it employed 6,500 engineers, managers, and hourly employees.

The business today is significantly smaller, but is also highly diversified. MPD Components designs and manufactures planar triodes, magnetrons, spark gaps, ceramic seal assemblies, transmitter assemblies, and fuse holders for both commercial and military ships. CMI and Lion Laboratories design and manufacture breath alcohol analysis equipment for both field and evidentiary applications, and MPH designs and manufactures police radars and ancillary equipment. An overview will be provided for each of these MPD subsidiaries.

This diversified product line offers challenging engineering opportunities for Speed School students. An example of this work will also be presented on a recent topic of interest to MPD: How to Make Calibrated High Temperature Measurements in an Evacuated Bell Jar.

This is an old laboratory topic extending back more than 100 years in the literature, so why is it of interest to an engineer today. Making absolute temperature measurements in a bell jar is still difficult today. The technique developed by MPD will be presented at the 2010 International Vacuum Electronics Conference (IVEC), Monterey, CA, so you will see the part of the work 6-months before the rest of the vacuum electronics industry. We look forward to your attendance and participation at this briefing.