STS Instruments, Inc. traces its pioneering efforts to 1953, when Elmer Slaughter had an idea for a better solution for dielectric testing of electrical products. Elmer had been Chief Engineer for Bill Lear’s original company during World War II and was working as a consultant for Piqua Machine, which had been founded after the war by some former Lear employees to manufacture electric motors. By mid 1954, Elmer began limited production in the basement of his home in Piqua, Ohio.

The company he statred - Slaughter Test Systems - continued to grow and expand its product line. By late 1963, the need for additional space and a desire to be nearer family led Elmer to move the company. So in 1964 the company moved into a new 10,000 square foot plant in Ardmore Oklahoma. Business growth and a broader product line required further expansion to 18,000 square feet - a long way from Elmer’s basement. In 2003, Slaughter Test Systems was divided into two seperate companies with STS Instruments continuing development and manufacturing of Battery Element Testers and Wound Product Testers. Since then, operations have been moved to California and China to better serve our growing customer base.

Through the years, the original product line of a single, simple high voltage tester grew to a full line of test instruments including the following innovations:

1953 - Model 101 Hipot Tester
1963 - Model 648 Surge Tester
1964 - Model 103-ESB Battery Element Insulation Tester
1965 - Model 203 Precision Linear Limit Ohmmeter
1968 - Model 920 Armature Tester
1971 - Model 648/018 Surge Type Battery Element Insulation Tester
1977 - Model A720 Microprocessor Controlled Armature/Stator Tester
1985 - Model P720 Microcomputer Controlled Armature/Stator Test System
1988 - Model 1648 Solid State Surge Tester
1990 - Model 1650 Solid State Surge Type Battery Element Tester
1996 - Model P1720/1730 Windows PC-Based Armature/Stator Test System
2002 - Model 1740 Windows XP PC-Based Wound Product Test System
2004 - Model 1652 Upgraded Solid State Surge Type Battery Element Tester
2013 - Upgraded Windows 7/8 Software for 1740 Wound Product Testers
2015 - New all digital design 1656 Rack Mountable Battery Element Tester
2016 - New all digital design 1657 Bench Version Battery Element Tester
2017 - Model 1656 Auto-Line six channel multiplexer

STS Instruments remains focused on providing innovative test solutions for demanding battery production environments.

Digital Battery Element Testers - Brochure