<PAGE>   1


     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 29, 2001.

                                                Registration No. 333-___________

================================================================================


                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                          ----------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                          ----------------------------

                                 SHELDAHL, INC.
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


             MINNESOTA                                      41-0758073
   -------------------------------                       -------------------
   (State or other jurisdiction of                        (I.R.S. Employer
    incorporation or organization)                       Identification No.)


                              1150 SHELDAHL ROAD
                           NORTHFIELD, MINNESOTA 55057
              -----------------------------------------------------
              (Address of Principal Executive Offices and zip code)

                          ----------------------------

                                 SHELDAHL, INC.
                          EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                          ----------------------------
                            (Full title of the Plan)

                          ----------------------------


                                                  Copy to:
     Donald R. Friedman                           Charles P. Moorse
     Chief Executive Officer                      Lindquist & Vennum P.L.L.P.
     1150 Sheldahl Road                           4200 IDS Center
     Northfield, Minnesota 55057                  Minneapolis, MN 55402
     (507) 663-8000                               (612) 371-3211
     (Name, address and telephone
     number, including area code,
     of agent for service)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               Proposed           Proposed
Title of                                        Maximum            Maximum
Securities                Amount               Offering           Aggregate          Amount of
to be                      to be                 Price            Offering         Registration
Registered              Registered           Per Share(1)         Price(1)              Fee
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                     <C>                  <C>                <C>                <C>
Common Stock,            400,000 shares         $1.775          $710,000           $177.50
$.25 par value,
to be issued pursuant
to Sheldahl, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee
     pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) and based upon the average of the high and
     low prices of the Company's Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market on
     June ___, 2001.

(2)  250,000 shares were registered on Form S-8 (No. 33-40719) on November 21,
     1997.


================================================================================

<PAGE>   2


        INCORPORATION OF CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT BY REFERENCE


         A Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-40719) was filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 21, 1997 covering the
registration of 250,000 shares initially authorized for issuance under the
Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Plan"). Pursuant to General
Instruction E of Form S-8 and Rule 429, this Registration Statement is being
filed to register an additional 400,000 shares authorized under the Plan.
Amendments to the Plan to (i) increase the reserved and authorized number of
shares under the Plan by 400,000, and (ii) to require a twelve-month holding
period before shares acquired under the Plan can be transferred, were authorized
by the Company's Board of Directors on February 28, 2001, and such amendments
were approved by the Company's shareholders on June 26, 2001. This Registration
Statement should be considered a post-effective amendment to the prior
Registration Statement. The contents of the prior Registration Statement are
incorporated herein by reference.


                                     PART I

         Pursuant to Part I of Form S-8, the information required by Items 1 and
2 of Form S-8 is not filed as a part of this Registration Statement.


                                     PART II

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

         The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission are hereby incorporated by reference:

         (a)      The Annual Report of the Company on Form 10-K, as amended, for
                  the transition period January 30, 2000 to December 29, 2000.

         (b)      The Definitive Proxy Statement dated May 10, 2001 and a
                  Supplement to Definitive Proxy Statement filed on June 11,
                  2001 for the 2001 Annual Meeting of Shareholders held June 26,
                  2001.

         (c)      The Quarterly Report of the Company on Form 10-Q for the
                  quarter ended March 30, 2001.

         (d)      The description of the Company's Common Stock as set forth in
                  the Company's Form S-3 Registration Statement dated October
                  12, 1995 (Registration No. 33-63373), including the
                  supplemental description on Form 8-A filed with the Commission
                  on June 21, 1996 and any amendment or report filed for the
                  purpose of updating such description.

         All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the
filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to
be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

         Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         Charles P. Moorse, Secretary of the Company, is a partner in Lindquist
& Vennum P.L.L.P., which is the law firm passing on the validity of the
securities issued under the Plan.




                                       2

<PAGE>   3


Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         Section 302A.521 of the Minnesota Business Corporation Act provides
that a corporation shall indemnify a person made or threatened to be made a
party to a proceeding by reason of the former or present official capacity of
the person against judgments, penalties, fines, including, without limitation,
excise taxes assessed against the person with respect to an employee benefit
plan, settlements, and reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees and
disbursements, incurred by the person in connection with the proceeding, if,
with respect to the acts or omissions of the person complained of in the
proceeding, the person:

         (1)      Has not been indemnified by another organization or employee
                  benefit plan for the same judgments, penalties, fines,
                  including, without limitation, excise taxes assessed against
                  the person with respect to an employee benefit plan,
                  settlements, and reasonable expenses, including attorneys'
                  fees and disbursements, incurred by the person in connection
                  with the proceeding with respect to the same acts or
                  omissions;

         (2)      Acted in good faith;

         (3)      Received no improper personal benefit and section 302A.255
                  (Director Conflicts of Interest), if applicable, has been
                  satisfied;

         (4)      In the case of a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause
                  to believe the conduct was unlawful; and

         (5)      In the case of acts or omissions occurring in the official
                  capacity described in subdivision 1, paragraph (c), clause (1)
                  or (2), reasonably believed that the conduct was in the best
                  interests of the corporation, or in the case of acts or
                  omissions occurring in the official capacity described in
                  subdivision 1, paragraph (c), clause (3), reasonably believed
                  that the conduct was not opposed to the best interests of the
                  corporation. If the person's acts or omissions complained of
                  in the proceeding relate to conduct as a director, officer,
                  trustee, employee, or agent of an employee benefit plan, the
                  conduct is not considered to be opposed to the best interests
                  of the corporation if the person reasonably believed that the
                  conduct was in the best interests of the participants or
                  beneficiaries of the employee benefit plan.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit
-------
<S>     <C>
 4.1    Sheldahl, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 5.1    Opinion of Lindquist & Vennum P.L.L.P.

23.1    Consent of Lindquist & Vennum P.L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 5.1)

23.2    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public accountants

23.3    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors

24.1    Power of Attorney (set forth on the signature page hereof)
</TABLE>




                                       3

<PAGE>   4


Item 9. Undertakings.

(a)      The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                  (i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of
         the Securities Act of 1933;

                  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
         after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most
         recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
         aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth
         in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
         increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total
         dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was
         registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated
         maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed
         with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
         changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the
         maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of
         Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement; and

                  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
         plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration
         statement or any material change to such information in the
         registration statement.

                  Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do
         not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8 or
         Form F-3, and the information required to be included in a
         post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic
         reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant
         pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
         of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration
         statement.

         (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 (the "Act") may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling
persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer, or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.




                                       4

<PAGE>   5


                                  SIGNATURES


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Northfield, State of Minnesota, on June 29, 2001.


                                  SHELDAHL, INC.


                                  By /s/ Donald R.Friedman
                                     -------------------------------------------
                                     Donald R. Friedman, Chief Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         The undersigned officers and directors of Sheldahl, Inc. hereby
constitute and appoint Donald R. Friedman and John D. Lutsi, or either of them,
with power to act one without the other, our true and lawful attorney-in-fact
and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for us and in our
stead, in any and all capacities to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and all documents
relating thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other
documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing necessary or advisable to be done in
and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on
June 29, 2001 in the capacities indicated.

Signature


/s/ Donald R. Friedman
------------------------------------------------
Donald R. Friedman, Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer) and Director


/s/ Peter Duff
------------------------------------------------
Peter Duff, Vice President - Finance
(Principal Financial Officer)


/s/ John D. Lutsi
------------------------------------------------
John D. Lutsi, Chairman of the Board


/s/ Stuart A. Auerbach
------------------------------------------------
Stuart A. Auerbach, Director

/s/ Raymond C. Wieser
------------------------------------------------
Raymond C. Wieser, Director


/s/ William B. Miller
------------------------------------------------
William B. Miller, Director




                                       5
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "c63467s-8.txt", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 17601}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SHELDAHL INC", "cik": "0000089615", "assigned-sic": "3672", "irs-number": "410758073", "state-of-incorporation": "MN", "fiscal-year-end": "1229"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-64204", "film-number": "1672323"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1150 SHELDAHL RD", "city": "NORTHFIELD", "state": "MN", "zip": "55057", "phone": "5076638000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1150 SHELDAHL ROAD", "city": "NORTHFIELD", "state": "MN", "zip": "55057-0170"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "SCHJELDAHL G T CO", "date-changed": "19741017"}}
1

     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 29, 2001.

                                                Registration No. 333-___________

================================================================================

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                          ----------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                          ----------------------------

                                 SHELDAHL, INC.
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

             MINNESOTA                                      41-0758073
   -------------------------------                       -------------------
   (State or other jurisdiction of                        (I.R.S. Employer
    incorporation or organization)                       Identification No.)

                              1150 SHELDAHL ROAD
                           NORTHFIELD, MINNESOTA 55057
              -----------------------------------------------------
              (Address of Principal Executive Offices and zip code)

                          ----------------------------

                                 SHELDAHL, INC.
                          EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                          ----------------------------
                            (Full title of the Plan)

                          ----------------------------

                                                  Copy to:
     Donald R. Friedman                           Charles P. Moorse
     Chief Executive Officer                      Lindquist & Vennum P.L.L.P.
     1150 Sheldahl Road                           4200 IDS Center
     Northfield, Minnesota 55057                  Minneapolis, MN 55402
     (507) 663-8000                               (612) 371-3211
     (Name, address and telephone
     number, including area code,
     of agent for service)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               Proposed           Proposed
Title of                                        Maximum            Maximum
Securities                Amount               Offering           Aggregate          Amount of
to be                      to be                 Price            Offering         Registration
Registered              Registered           Per Share(1)         Price(1)              Fee
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,            400,000 shares         $1.775          $710,000           $177.50
$.25 par value,
to be issued pursuant
to Sheldahl, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee
     pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) and based upon the average of the high and
     low prices of the Company's Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market on
     June ___, 2001.

(2)  250,000 shares were registered on Form S-8 (No. 33-40719) on November 21,
     1997.

================================================================================
2

        INCORPORATION OF CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT BY REFERENCE

         A Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-40719) was filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 21, 1997 covering the
registration of 250,000 shares initially authorized for issuance under the
Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Plan"). Pursuant to General
Instruction E of Form S-8 and Rule 429, this Registration Statement is being
filed to register an additional 400,000 shares authorized under the Plan.
Amendments to the Plan to (i) increase the reserved and authorized number of
shares under the Plan by 400,000, and (ii) to require a twelve-month holding
period before shares acquired under the Plan can be transferred, were authorized
by the Company's Board of Directors on February 28, 2001, and such amendments
were approved by the Company's shareholders on June 26, 2001. This Registration
Statement should be considered a post-effective amendment to the prior
Registration Statement. The contents of the prior Registration Statement are
incorporated herein by reference.

                                     PART I

         Pursuant to Part I of Form S-8, the information required by Items 1 and
2 of Form S-8 is not filed as a part of this Registration Statement.

                                     PART II

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

         The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission are hereby incorporated by reference:

         (a)      The Annual Report of the Company on Form 10-K, as amended, for
                  the transition period January 30, 2000 to December 29, 2000.

         (b)      The Definitive Proxy Statement dated May 10, 2001 and a
                  Supplement to Definitive Proxy Statement filed on June 11,
                  2001 for the 2001 Annual Meeting of Shareholders held June 26,
                  2001.

         (c)      The Quarterly Report of the Company on Form 10-Q for the
                  quarter ended March 30, 2001.

         (d)      The description of the Company's Common Stock as set forth in
                  the Company's Form S-3 Registration Statement dated October
                  12, 1995 (Registration No. 33-63373), including the
                  supplemental description on Form 8-A filed with the Commission
                  on June 21, 1996 and any amendment or report filed for the
                  purpose of updating such description.

         All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the
filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to
be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

         Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         Charles P. Moorse, Secretary of the Company, is a partner in Lindquist
& Vennum P.L.L.P., which is the law firm passing on the validity of the
securities issued under the Plan.

                                       2
3

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         Section 302A.521 of the Minnesota Business Corporation Act provides
that a corporation shall indemnify a person made or threatened to be made a
party to a proceeding by reason of the former or present official capacity of
the person against judgments, penalties, fines, including, without limitation,
excise taxes assessed against the person with respect to an employee benefit
plan, settlements, and reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees and
disbursements, incurred by the person in connection with the proceeding, if,
with respect to the acts or omissions of the person complained of in the
proceeding, the person:

         (1)      Has not been indemnified by another organization or employee
                  benefit plan for the same judgments, penalties, fines,
                  including, without limitation, excise taxes assessed against
                  the person with respect to an employee benefit plan,
                  settlements, and reasonable expenses, including attorneys'
                  fees and disbursements, incurred by the person in connection
                  with the proceeding with respect to the same acts or
                  omissions;

         (2)      Acted in good faith;

         (3)      Received no improper personal benefit and section 302A.255
                  (Director Conflicts of Interest), if applicable, has been
                  satisfied;

         (4)      In the case of a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause
                  to believe the conduct was unlawful; and

         (5)      In the case of acts or omissions occurring in the official
                  capacity described in subdivision 1, paragraph (c), clause (1)
                  or (2), reasonably believed that the conduct was in the best
                  interests of the corporation, or in the case of acts or
                  omissions occurring in the official capacity described in
                  subdivision 1, paragraph (c), clause (3), reasonably believed
                  that the conduct was not opposed to the best interests of the
                  corporation. If the person's acts or omissions complained of
                  in the proceeding relate to conduct as a director, officer,
                  trustee, employee, or agent of an employee benefit plan, the
                  conduct is not considered to be opposed to the best interests
                  of the corporation if the person reasonably believed that the
                  conduct was in the best interests of the participants or
                  beneficiaries of the employee benefit plan.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.
Exhibit
-------
4.1    Sheldahl, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 5.1    Opinion of Lindquist & Vennum P.L.L.P.

23.1    Consent of Lindquist & Vennum P.L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 5.1)

23.2    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public accountants

23.3    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors

24.1    Power of Attorney (set forth on the signature page hereof)
3
4

Item 9. Undertakings.

(a)      The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                  (i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of
         the Securities Act of 1933;

                  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
         after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most
         recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
         aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth
         in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
         increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total
         dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was
         registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated
         maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed
         with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
         changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the
         maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of
         Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement; and

                  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
         plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration
         statement or any material change to such information in the
         registration statement.

                  Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do
         not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8 or
         Form F-3, and the information required to be included in a
         post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic
         reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant
         pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
         of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration
         statement.

         (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 (the "Act") may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling
persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer, or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                       4
5

                                  SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Northfield, State of Minnesota, on June 29, 2001.

                                  SHELDAHL, INC.

                                  By /s/ Donald R.Friedman
                                     -------------------------------------------
                                     Donald R. Friedman, Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         The undersigned officers and directors of Sheldahl, Inc. hereby
constitute and appoint Donald R. Friedman and John D. Lutsi, or either of them,
with power to act one without the other, our true and lawful attorney-in-fact
and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for us and in our
stead, in any and all capacities to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and all documents
relating thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other
documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing necessary or advisable to be done in
and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on
June 29, 2001 in the capacities indicated.

Signature

/s/ Donald R. Friedman
------------------------------------------------
Donald R. Friedman, Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer) and Director

/s/ Peter Duff
------------------------------------------------
Peter Duff, Vice President - Finance
(Principal Financial Officer)

/s/ John D. Lutsi
------------------------------------------------
John D. Lutsi, Chairman of the Board

/s/ Stuart A. Auerbach
------------------------------------------------
Stuart A. Auerbach, Director

/s/ Raymond C. Wieser
------------------------------------------------
Raymond C. Wieser, Director

/s/ William B. Miller
------------------------------------------------
William B. Miller, Director

                                       5