Micro-Tronics is proud to offer niche services like Kapton film molding from our ITAR Registered, ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D-certified shop.
Kapton film molding refers to using heat and pressure to shape Kapton®, a thin polyamide film developed by Dupont, into customized 3D parts.
We use a proprietary process involving special tooling and molds (all manufactured in-house here at MTI!) to form the thin Kapton into precise shapes. We’ve fine-tuned this process over 30 years of experience with Kapton film molding to ensure the material isn’t damaged and its critical properties are preserved.
Kapton: Properties, Applications, and Types
Properties
Kapton polyimide film is suitable for a wide range of industries and applications due to its thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties. The material is an excellent electrical insulator. With remarkable temperature and chemical resistance, Kapton operates well in demanding environments.
Kapton has excellent temperature properties, as it has the highest UL94 flammability rating: V-0. Its temperature resistance allows for continuous service capabilities ranging from -452 degrees Fahrenheit to 464 degrees Fahrenheit (-269 degrees Celsius to 240 degrees Celsius) and intermittent service up to 752 degrees Fahrenheit (400 degrees Celsius). The materials’s exceptional chemical resistance prevents static buildup and discharge.
Applications
Kapton is commonly used in applications such as seals, pneumatic actuators, and bearings. The full list of applications is quite extensive, so feel free to reach out if you have questions about your application.
Types
At Micro-Tronics, we use Kapton HN, which is typically used for wire insulation, conductors, cables, motor windings, solenoids, transformers, and capacitors. While Kapton HN is our go-to, we can obtain the type of Kapton polyimide film you need for your part’s application.
Advantages of Working with Micro-Tronics for Kapton Film Molding
When you choose Micro-Tronics for Kapton film molding projects, you benefit from our specialized knowledge and experience working with Kapton, which distinguishes us in the manufacturing industry. We can develop tailored solutions to meet your specific requirements.
We’re also happy to offer high-volume production services, meaning we can easily handle larger orders right off the bat or help you scale your parts as needed.
Request a quote to work with us on your next Kapton film molding project.
Manufacturing supply chains continue to pose a challenge for companies across industries.
The good news is that supply chains are more stable now than at the height of the pandemic. The not-so-good news is that manufacturers still face difficulties sourcing materials and outside services as quickly as they once could.
Micro-Tronics has implemented a many-layered approach to mitigate the impact of supply chain issues and keep lead times to a minimum.
Minimizing the Impact of Manufacturing Supply Chain Issues
Micro-Tronics offers a competitive cycle time and is committed to delivering critical parts like bonded seals and elastomer products on time. We take our reputation for reliable delivery extremely seriously and do whatever it takes to uphold it.
Here’s a look at the supply chain safeguards Micro-Tronics has implemented in recent years.
1. Diversifying our sources
We maintain a network of multiple suppliers for raw materials and outside processes. If one supplier can’t fulfill an order, we have plenty of other suppliers we can contact.
2. Monitoring and grading our supply base
We continuously monitor the suppliers in our network and grade them monthly on delivery and quality metrics. By closely tracking these metrics, we gain real-time insights into the health of our supply chain and can swiftly address any potential issues before they escalate.
3. Maintaining consistent communication with suppliers
We keep open lines of communication with suppliers to avoid any surprises. For instance, if a supplier’s timeline changes, we’ll know in advance and react accordingly, possibly by placing an order earlier than usual.
4. Collaborating with customers
We work with customers collaboratively to understand their future needs so we can plan around anticipated challenges.
5. Building our material inventory
We are willing to build and maintain an inventory of materials that typically have long lead times so that we have those materials on hand for customers’ critical elastomer products and other projects.
6. Creating an in-house elastomer spec
We created our own in-house elastomer spec that meets the mechanical properties of aerospace material specifications (AMS). Controlling our elastomer spec enables us to strategically choose which materials we use and where we source them, which is extremely valuable if availability issues arise.
What Can Customers Do?
Customers often ask us if there are any steps they can take to minimize the impact of supply chain issues. Here are a couple of recommendations.
1. Consider material substitutions
Depending on your part’s application, you may have the opportunity to be flexible with your material selection. If your desired material is unavailable or difficult to source, are you open to using an alternative material with similar properties?
One of our customers clarifies on their blueprint which alternative materials are acceptable for their parts. This flexibility allows us to source their materials more strategically amid manufacturing supply chain challenges.
2. Transition from castings to hogouts
Lead times for castings are exceptionally long currently—upwards of a year in many cases. If you need a casting, consider transitioning to a hogout. We can precision machine hogouts in-house, saving you substantial time and money.
Micro-Tronics Is Committed to Customer Satisfaction
Micro-Tronics strives to be the precision manufacturer of choice for our customers. We attribute our decades of success to our commitment to continuously improving our workflows and systems, including our sourcing protocols.
When you partner with Micro-Tronics for elastomer products, EDM manufacturing, or one of our many other offerings, you partner with a company committed to quality products and customer satisfaction.
EDM Services for 3D Printed Parts Made from Specialty Alloys
3D printing technology is undoubtedly impressive. But it isn’t quite at the level of CNC machining when it comes to achieving tight tolerances and smooth surface finishes.
Therefore, 3D printed parts often require additional machining operations to meet all critical specifications. Many 3D printed parts also have support material that must be removed.
Typically, shops use CNC machining capabilities to perform these additional operations. But what happens when a material isn’t a good candidate for CNC machining?
Keep reading to learn why Micro-Tronics leverages our EDM services to finish 3D printed parts made from specialty alloys that are too tough to machine conventionally.
3D Printing Specialty Alloys
Many highly sensitive applications demand parts made from specialty alloys, like the hypersonic missiles one of our customers makes using a tungsten-rhenium alloy. Other examples of specialty alloys include:
Refractory (Molybdenum, Rhenium, C103)
Copper Alloys (GRCop-84 , GRCop-42)
Iron-Nickel base superalloy (NASA HR-1)
Aluminum Alloys (AlSi10Mg, AlSi12Mg, HRL-7A77, SiC reinforced AlSi10Mg,
3D printing has become a popular manufacturing method for parts made from specialty alloys for a couple of key reasons:
Intricate and unique features. 3D printing can achieve intricate features that are difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional CNC machining—especially when hard specialty alloys are involved.
Minimal material waste. Specialty alloys are expensive. As an additive manufacturing process, 3D printing wastes considerably less material than subtractive CNC machining processes, saving customers money.
Using EDM Services to Finish 3D Printed Parts Made from Specialty Alloys
Ask any CNC machinist about their experiences machining Inconel, rhenium, or other specialty alloys, and they’ll tell you stories about broken taps and cutting tools and how difficult it can be to machine traditionally.
EDM manufacturing is an excellent alternative to CNC machining when finishing 3D printed parts made from conductive specialty alloys for these primary reasons:
Non-contact process. The EDM manufacturing process is non-contact, meaning a) there are no tools to break, and b) we can cut through hard materials without the risk of mechanical stress or chatter.
Highly precise. EDM is highly precise and capable of achieving tight tolerances and smooth surfaces for precision parts like our customer’s missile/rocket parts.
Trust Micro-Tronics to Finish Your 3D Printed Parts
At Micro-Tronics, we have 50+ years of CNC machining and EDM manufacturing experience. We regularly machine various unusual alloys for our customers and have perfected our processes to deliver superior results every time.
If you could benefit from EDM services for your 3D printed parts, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Request a quote to work with us!
Custom Molded Rubber Products for the Oil and Gas Industry
High-performance custom molded rubber products play critical roles in oil and gas applications. Parts such as rubber valves and fabric reinforced diaphragms are often required for equipment that will be submerged deep underground. And these parts can be incredibly expensive一if not impossible一to maintain or replace.
At Micro-Tronics, we know that when it comes to such parts, “I think it’s going to work” simply won’t cut it. That’s why we’ve cultivated the expertise and capabilities to supply our oil and gas customers with parts they can count on.
Molding Top Materials for Oil and Gas Applications
Micro-Tronics has extensive experience molding elastomers that perform exceptionally well in long-term oil and gas applications. We can help you choose the best material for your design and price point. These materials include:
Nitriles
Hydrogenated nitriles
Fluoroelastomers
Neoprenes (occasionally)
Enhancing Our Injection Molding Services
To serve oil and gas customers effectively, a shop must have the requisite capabilities to produce high volumes of parts efficiently and consistently. Micro-Tronics recently enhanced our injection molding services, enabling us to fulfill high-volume orders for custom molded elastomer parts (between 10,000-20,000 per order).
Providing Supplemental EDM and CNC Machining Services
With our in-house EDM services and CNC Services, we can create valve stems and other metal mechanical components. We have the capabilities to machine variable flow adjustable valves and custom sealing rings tailored to the type of fluid, temperature, and pressure they will encounter.
Will your equipment process refined oil or crude oil? Purified natural gas or a mixture of gas and another substance? No matter your application, we can create an elastomer compound that promises exceptional performance and durability.
Micro-Tronics Is Your Full-Service Manufacturer for Oil and Gas Parts
When you need high-quality custom molded rubber parts that will meet your timeline and budget requirements, it’s beneficial to work with a single company like Micro-Tronics that can provide top-of-the-line elastomer molding services, machining, and EDM services.
If you choose a shop that only has machining capabilities and plans to outsource the other services, chances are they’ll send your parts to a vendor like us anyway一and you’ll pay a premium price. So why not bring your oil and gas projects to us in the first place and save valuable time and money? You’ll also benefit from better end results since just one shop will have full control of the manufacturing process.
Did you know we also do assembly work? In addition to manufacturing the components for your valves, we can assemble and ship completed parts to you. Depending on the volume needed, vendor-managed inventory may also be an option.
The Value of Collaboration during the Stage Gate Process
When manufacturing a new product, it is in your best interest to consult your manufacturing partner about your design early in the process. In these early-stage conversations, your manufacturing partner can identify potential issues and help you optimize your design for manufacturing to save you time and money in the long run.
The stage gate product development process is a model that allows product developers to track a products development and launch across different manufacturing stages. As the illustration demonstrates, the cost of changing your design steadily increases as you progress through the stage gate process and those changes become harder to implement.
To put it simply: modifying a design in the initial gates or final design stages is relatively easy and cost-effective; modifying a design in the fabrication, production, or final product stages is increasingly difficult and costly.
The Benefits of Design for Manufacturing Guidance
Design for manufacturing (DFM) is a practice that fosters design collaboration between engineers and manufacturers. Because Micro-Tronics is a build-to-print shop, customers often don’t enlist our services until the fabrication stage. But we encourage customers to seek our DFM guidance much earlier—specifically, in the design stages.
This collaboration is especially useful for Micro-Tronics customers because we specialize in two relatively niche manufacturing areas—elastomer products and EDM manufacturing—that aren’t as broadly understood among engineers as traditional machining methods. Whether you’re working on an initial design or modifying a final design, contact us! We welcome the opportunity to save you time and money with our team’s DFM expertise.
5 Key DFM Considerations for Early in the Stage Gate Process
Here are five key factors to consider early in the stage gate process to set your project up for manufacturing success.
1. Manufacturing process
First, consider the big picture: the process. What’s the best method for manufacturing your part? When you proactively think through your entire workflow before beginning any design work, you can optimize your design for fast and cost-effective manufacturing.
Cost is often the driving force in choosing a manufacturing process. But the cost per part can vary widely depending on certain factors. For example, if you only need a few parts, investing in custom tooling isn’t ideal; but if you need a high volume of parts, an initial investment in custom tooling could yield a lower overall cost per part.
Our team can help you think through these essential considerations.
2. Design
Once you’ve identified the optimal manufacturing process, it’s time to focus on your part’s design. What are the critical tolerances? Can you build a radius into the internal corners, or are square corners necessary? Will the part require finishing, and if so, which finishing process?
Your manufacturing partner can help you identify possible opportunities to simplify your design. For instance, you may find that machinable features will work just as well for your application as the more complex features you designed for EDM manufacturing.
3. Materials
Selecting the right material is vital to your part’s success. Does your desired material have the characteristics required by your part’s application (e.g., chemical resistance or flame protection)?
If you’re unsure which material is best for your needs, our material selection chartis a great place to start your research.
4. Environment
Will the part be used indoors or outdoors? Will it need to withstand extreme temperatures or exposure to salt water? Environmental factors can influence the material and finishing processes you select, so it’s important to consider these factors early in the stage gate process.
5. Testing
Finally, selecting the proper testing methods for your part prior to production is crucial. You must be confident that the test will reveal any points of weakness in your design. The last thing you want is to discover an undetected flaw during fabrication or production.
Case Study: Troubleshooting Fabrication Issues for a Customer
Recently, a customer brought in a failed part that had been supplied by another manufacturer. However, before fulfilling the customer’s request to produce the part at a high volume, we needed to understand what had gone wrong the first time.
We recommended starting with a prototype mold, so we could work through fabrication issues in a cost-effective manner before advancing to production with a costlier mold. The prototype mold cost $10,000, while the production mold would cost 4x that amount and take much longer to build.
Ultimately, we saved our customer time (3 months) and money with this approach. We prototyped the part in a few weeks. Application testing was done, and revealed the true cause of field issues being an improper bonding process by the original supplier. In addition, we proved the materials ability to support injection molding and hit the target price.
The key to successful manufacturing is open communication throughout the stage gate process. Use our materials and manufacturing engineering experience to reduce your product launch risk.
Why Choose a Single Shop for CNC Machining and EDM Services?
Many parts require a combination of CNC machining and EDM services, but only a handful of precision machine shops provide both capabilities. And among those that do offer EDM manufacturing, most offer only wire EDM.
At Micro-Tronics, we’re proud to specialize in CNC machining and a range of EDM services (wire, sinker, and small hole). Let’s explore the benefits of working with a shop like ours.
Streamline Your Workflow
Whether you’re a precision machine shop that traditionally subcontracts EDM services or an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that outsources CNC machining and EDM, finding a shop that offers both services can optimize your workflow.
Precision machine shops
Often, precision machine shops perform CNC machining operations in-house and subcontract EDM services to a vendor like Micro-Tronics. Even shops that offer some basic wire EDM capabilities often need to outsource sinker or small hole EDM services.
When shops outsource EDM work, they introduce more risk into the manufacturing process and inevitably take on project management responsibilities to ensure that their team and the EDM vendor’s team are in sync.
Rather than machining the part in-house and sending it out for wire EDM services, consider finding an EDM vendor that also offers CNC machining services and having them perform both services for you. You’ll save valuable time and resources, freeing up capacity in your shop for parts requiring only CNC machining.
OEMs
OEMs also benefit from working with a full-service manufacturing partner that offers CNC machining and wire EDM services. Often, OEMs subcontract parts requiring both processes to a CNC machining vendor that then sends those parts to a second shop for EDM manufacturing, resulting in an upcharge for the OEM.
Subcontracting parts to a single shop equally skilled in both capabilities on the front end consolidates your supply chain for a more efficient and cost-effective workflow.
Achieve Superior-Quality Results
Partnering with one shop for CNC machining and EDM services not only streamlines manufacturing workflows but also ensures better-quality parts.
Workflows that involve traditional CNC machining and EDM must be coordinated carefully to ensure optimal results. Complications can arise when one shop performs mill or lathe work without a comprehensive understanding of the EDM processes that will follow.
For example, it is highly risky to attempt tight tolerance parts when using different vendors for the two processes. When you work with an engineering team with extensive knowledge in both areas, you can be confident that the two processes will complement, rather than compromise, one another and that all critical specifications will be met.
A shop with EDM and CNC machining expertise can also identify opportunities to optimize how the part is manufactured. For instance, in some cases it makes sense to create EDM features before CNC machining, an approach that only shops with both capabilities can accommodate.
Choose Micro-Tronics for Precision from Start to Finish
When transitioning parts from traditional machining to EDM, many details can get lost in translation. EDM is simply less widely understood than CNC machining. Partnering with a team with dual expertise will ensure that your parts are in excellent hands throughout the manufacturing process.
The engineering department at Micro-Tronics can seamlessly transition your parts from one process to the other to streamline your workflow, reduce risk, and deliver superior-quality parts.
When you work with our one-stop shop, you can also expect shorter lead times, lower costs, and incredible consistency from one part to the next.
4 Reasons to Reshore Your Manufacturing Supply Chain
Why work with an American manufacturer like Micro-Tronics when a foreign supplier is offering a lower price?
Although elastomer products and other mission-critical parts may have lower upfront costs when manufactured overseas, partnering with foreign suppliers often comes with hidden costs that can affect your company’s bottom line一and your reputation.
Post-pandemic supply chain disruptions have highlighted the importance of reshoring manufacturing operations. But there are many other re
asons why working with domestic suppliers can benefit your business, no matter what’s happening on the global stage.
Simply put, reshoring your supply chain can help protect your business from risk. Here are four reasons to consider bringing your supply chain home.
1. Reliable Delivery
For the past few decades, most companies seeking manufacturing services prioritized securing the lowest possible price, which often meant outsourcing services overseas. Then COVID-19 hit and delayed deliveries resulting from global supply chain disruptions had serious financial repercussions. Now, in the wake of the pandemic, many companies are shifting from a cost-competitive mindset to a risk-competitive mindset.
At Micro-Tronics, we pride ourselves on our ability to deliver critical parts, including elastomer products and bonded seals, by the dates we’ve promised. With a cycle time that is quite competitive, we maintain a steadfast commitment to on-time delivery that shows customers they can always rely on us.
In fact, being reliable is often more important than being “fast.” Consider this scenario: an aircraft engine has over 2,000 individual parts, many of which come from different suppliers. Statistically, if that supply chain is only 95% effective, the customer can anticipate 100 late deliveries! Bringing that supply chain closer to home reduces the time and distance parts must travel to reach their destination, minimizing the risk of delays or damage.
Another way we mitigate risk and ensure reliable delivery is by completing sub-assemblies for complex products. To continue with the aircraft engine example, if we complete a sub-assembly for a customer, they receive just one assembly instead of 20 separate components, further reducing risk and increasing the likelihood that they’ll ship their aircraft engine on time.
2. Superior Quality
The closer your manufacturing supplier is to your business, the easier it is to communicate with them and ensure that they manufacture your parts according to your exacting standards. No need to deal with issues like drastically different time zones or a language barrier.
Domestic manufacturers are also more likely to possess the certifications your industry requires in the first place. In fact, when you need particular certifications, using a foreign manufacturer may simply not be an option.
If the overseas vendor or any of their subcontractors lack the required certifications, US government restrictions will prohibit the contract. Does your foreign vendor have the following certifications: ITAR Registered, Nadcap, AS9100, ISO 9001?
Micro-Tronics has a proven track record of manufacturing high-quality precision parts and adhering to stringent quality control measures. In addition, we are AS9100 certified with Nadcap certifications in elastomer seals and EDM manufacturing, so our customers always know that we一and any subcontractors we work with一are following industry standards to the letter.
3. Enhanced Intellectual Property Protection
Are you confident that the foreign manufacturer you’re considering working with will protect your intellectual property?
Unfortunately, when you send your design overseas, you may be opening your company up to IP theft or cybersecurity breaches by vendors who don’t abide by the same ethical standards as most domestic suppliers.
In fact, starting in mid-2023, the Department of Defense will only award aerospace and defense contracts to manufacturers with Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), a rigorous standard for cybersecurity controls. While foreign manufacturers can become certified, the process is likely to take longer than for domestic shops due to the challenge of finding an approved third-party assessor overseas.
When you partner with Micro-Tronics, you can be confident that we’ll protect your valuable IP and that we’re following the latest best practices for cybersecurity.
4. Social and Environmental Awareness
There’s no two ways about it: shipping parts overseas is expensive and has a negative environmental impact. Foreign shipping requires a tremendous amount of fuel, which not only adds to the total cost of your parts but is also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions.
If your company has expressed a commitment to planet-friendly practices, choosing a domestic supplier allows you to put your money where your mouth is by vastly reducing your supply chain’s carbon footprint. Plus, you’ll reap the benefits of lower transportation costs.
If you’re located in the same vicinity as your supplier, you may even be able to get same-day delivery, which Micro-Tronics offers to our local customers.
Micro-Tronics Is Committed to Continuous Improvement
At Micro-Tonics, we’re confident in (but never complacent about) our capabilities. We’re always looking for ways to optimize our workflows by investing in new equipment, embracing innovative automation features, and hiring additional skilled labor.
When you partner with Micro-Tronics for elastomer products or EDM manufacturing, you can rest assured that you’re working with a partner who will always have your best interests in mind.
Micro-Tronics’ Certifications Reflect Our Deep Commitment to Quality
Some precision manufacturers consider earning certifications a nuisance—just another task to be crossed off a checklist so they can continue doing business. But at Micro-Tronics, our certifications are never simply a means to an end.
We’ve built our business by prioritizing manufacturing processes and quality controls that ensure superior parts for our customers—and we live and breathe the standards demanded by our certifications every day.
Micro-Tronics’ Certifications
Here are the core certifications we maintain at Micro-Tronics:
AS9100 Rev D with ISO 9001:2015
AS9100 certification is the top quality management standard for the aerospace, space, and defense industries. It incorporates all of the ISO 9001 requirements for quality and safety that are standard for all precision manufacturers while adding quality and risk management criteria specific to aerospace, space, and defense.
Most aerospace manufacturers and suppliers require that the precision machine shops they work with are AS9100 certified. But truthfully, customers across industries benefit from a shop’s adherence to such rigorous standards.
Nadcap: Elastomer Seals and Nonconventional Machining (EDM)
A requirement for all Boeing suppliers and many other aerospace contractors, Nadcap certification conveys to our customers that we are among the industry’s top providers of elastomer products and EDM services.
In fact, during our last few audits, we were awarded merit status for both processes, meaning the audits revealed no findings. Merit status is an extremely rare designation, especially for two audits conducted simultaneously.
Proving Our Commitment to Quality
Our certifications indicate to customers that we are pre-verified, which prevents them from having to conduct their own audits before working with us.
Pre-verification not only saves customers valuable time in the manufacturing process but also assures them that they are hiring a reliable manufacturer of mission-critical parts. They can be confident that their parts will look good and perform well, meeting even the tightest tolerance specifications.
One of our company’s leading mottos is: “Do what you say, and say what you do.” Our certifications are proof that we uphold that promise.
Maintaining Our Certifications
At Micro-Tronics, we implement the processes required for AS9100 and Nadcap certification for every part we manufacture—no matter the industry. We’ve seen firsthand the value of adhering to the strict guidelines outlined by each certification, so it only makes sense to observe those guidelines across the board.
Certifications cannot be maintained with a once-a-year scramble toward compliance—nor should they be. We’re vigilant about following certification standards year-round, an initiative we support with mock audits that allow us to spot-check our processes on a weekly basis. To the untrained eye, our continuous self-assessment might even appear to be overkill. But we believe that being a precision manufacturer you can trust means going above and beyond at all times.
Our strict compliance with industry regulations is one of the secrets to our shop’s success, and our longstanding partnerships with customers speak to the extremely high standards to which we hold ourselves. We’ll never consider certification audits a burden. Instead, we’ll continue to view them as a welcome step in our continuous pursuit of excellence.
Looking for a pre-verified manufacturer for elastomer products, EDM services, or other manufacturing capabilities? Request a quote today.
Choose Micro-Tronics for Deep Draw Diaphragm Molding
Although most rubber product manufacturers mold flat or even shallow elastomer diaphragms, Micro-Tronics is one of an elite few with the expertise to make a more complex variation of this common part: the deep draw diaphragm.
Our cutting-edge, proprietary technique for molding these specialty elastomer diaphragms enables us to manufacture them repeatedly and consistently for mission-critical applications.
What Is a Deep Draw Diaphragm?
A deep draw diaphragm is a fabric-reinforced diaphragm with a high aspect ratio where the height can be greater than the diameter. These strong and flexible rubber seals typically have adepth greater than 0.5” and feature up to a 90-degree angle, lending them the shape of a top hat. Like all diaphragms, they are used to seal off the contents of one component from another.
These parts are also known as rolling diaphragms because they move up and down and are used to separate different fluid or gas environments, or to transmit pressure from one side of the membrane to the other. They work in concert with other assembly components, such as backing plates, springs, and cups.
Common Deep Draw Diaphragm Applications
A wide range of industries rely on deep draw diaphragms to ensure the safety and performance of their parts:
Aerospace
Agriculture
Oil and gas
Water treatment
Medical
Heavy Industrial
Deep draw diaphragms are used to control pressure and ensure the proper transfer of liquid and air among the chambers of parts, including:
Hydraulic control and relief valves
Meters
Pumps
Pneumatic control valves
Regulators
Other control devices
What Makes Deep Draw Diaphragms So Challenging to Mold?
The internal fabric reinforcement that makes deep draw diaphragms so durable also makes them tricky to manufacture. Unfortunately, the process isn’t as simple as placing rubber and fabric together in a mold and pressing the mold closed. Correctly manufacturing the cloth requires incredible precision. The ultimate goal is to prevent wrinkles and tears and ensure proper bonding between rubber and fabric.
If the fabric weave is misaligned or deformed in any way, it can cause the part to fail. Most concerning, fabric separation in the diaphragm can create a pressure bleed, leading to a potentially catastrophic blowout.
Additionally, small defects in the fabric may create weak points that go unnoticed over time, gradually forming small holes in the rubber. As these cracks propagate, the diaphragm will degrade prematurely, potentially compromising the entire control unit on which it is mounted.
When you work with Micro-Tronics, you can be confident that we’ve honed our processes to overcome the manufacturing challenges associated with molding deep draw diaphragms. We leverage our years of expertise to create deep draw diaphragms that meet our customers’ specifications, using a proprietary technique that delivers consistently excellent results.
Using Elastomers to Create Deep Draw Diaphragms
Elastomer diaphragms are typically made of materials like silicone, flourosilicone, nitrile, neoprene, EPDM, FKM, or other polymers that have the ability to flex and recover their shape when subjected to pressure. These materials are chosen for their durability and flexibility, as well as their resistance to chemicals and other environmental factors.
The part’s end-use application will determine which elastomer is best for your deep draw diaphragm. For instance, only certain elastomer types are capable of withstanding extreme temperatures or resisting a particular fluid.
Silicone and Nomex® are popular for aerospace applications due to their ability to endure extreme heat and cold. For oil and gas applications, choose oil-resistant nitrile or neoprene.
Count on Micro-Tronics for Deep Draw Diaphragm Molding
At Micro-Tronics, we mold 20 different elastomers, and we’ve even created a guide to help you determine which one is best for your rubber diaphragm. With our deep knowledge of elastomers and our proprietary technique for molding deep draw diaphragms, Micro-Tronics is the company you can rely on for flawless execution and performance.
Industrial Hydraulic and Pneumatic Applications for Elastomer Products
Extremely flexible and resilient, elastomer products are integral to the proper functioning of many industrial hydraulic applications.
Elastomers—nitrile, hydrogenated nitrile (HNBR), silicone, flourosilicone (FVMQ), and fluoroelastomer (FKM), to name a few—can expand and contract to accommodate changes in volume and pressure without puncturing or becoming brittle. Durable, custom molded products made from elastomers are ideal for parts in which one section must be sealed off from another to maintain the integrity of a hydraulic or pneumatic process and prevent dangerous leaks.
Everyday Applications for Elastomer Products
Elastomer products are all around us, facilitating hydraulic and pneumatic processes in these common industrial applications:
Air brakes
Bumpers
Diaphragms
Dispensary/metering equipment
Flow meters
Grommets
Interfacial Seals
Isolation components
Plate seals
Pneumatic positioning devices
Pressure regulators
Pressure switches
Pumps
Seals (air, gas, fuel)
Valve actuators
Valve components
These parts depend on elastomers’ dual strength and flexibility to function. In a pneumatic valve, for instance, an elastomer seal creates a barrier that keeps high-pressure gas from leaking—while simultaneously being asked to stretch or contract significantly.
Complex parts may require more than one type of elastomer, as is the case when a gas and one or more liquids must be siloed from one another within a component. Fortunately, we mold 20 different elastomers, so you have several options to choose from (and a guide to help you learn which material is best for your components)!
Mission-Critical Applications
While elastomer products are integral to many routine industrial operations, engineers also rely on custom molded rubber for high-level industrial hydraulic applications where only the most resilient parts will do. Micro-Tronics custom molds elastomer products for several mission-critical applications and industries:
Industrial
Heavy duty industrial equipment is designed to run smoothly whether in the frigid regions of Alaska or the scorching Arizona desert. Elastomers are well-suited to such temperature extremes, making them a natural fit for heavy duty industrial equipment where machine reliability is of the utmost importance..
But not all elastomers are compatible with all applications. For industrial components, we usually choose an oil-resistant elastomer such as nitrile.
Aerospace
Silicone, one of the most commonly used elastomers, is ideal for many aerospace components due to its ability to withstand extreme temperatures on both ends of the spectrum: low temperatures down to -65 degrees Fahrenheit and high temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature swings at high altitude and in outer space are even more extreme: from -120-600 degrees Fahrenheit.
When molding for these scenarios, we typically rely on fluorosilicone–the gold standard for high-performance elastomers–to perform reliability in even the most extraordinary conditions.
Other industries that rely on elastomers include:
Chemical processing
Food and drug
Electronics
Heavy-duty off-road diesel
Medical
Oil and gas
Micro-Tronics Fulfills All Your Industrial Hydraulic and Pneumatic Application Needs
Not every shop can mold an elastomer plate seal and machine the metal plate to which it will attach. But with capabilities in precision machining, molding, and rubber to metal bonding, Micro-Tronics can build your full assembly under one roof, ensuring expert craftsmanship and a cohesive assembly.
You’ll never have to worry about damage from shipping parts or wonder if your assembly will be out of tolerance due to miscommunications among vendors. Our expert team can handle everything for you.
