Top 15 Frequently Asked Questions About Hermetic Seals and Feedthroughs

Hermetic seals and feedthroughs are essential in industries that require airtight, corrosion-resistant, and high-temperature-capable components. From aerospace to medical devices, these components protect critical systems from environmental damage. Below are 15 top FAQs with concise answers to help you understand these vital technologies.

1. What is a hermetic seal?

A hermetic seal is an airtight and moisture-proof seal that prevents gas or fluid leakage between joined components.

2. What is a hermetic feedthrough?

A hermetic feedthrough allows electrical signals or power to pass through a sealed barrier without compromising the seal’s integrity.

3. What are glass-to-metal seals?

These glass-to-metal seals fuse molten glass with metal under controlled thermal expansion to create a strong, durable, and airtight bond.

4. What’s the difference between matched and compression seals?

Matched seals use materials with similar thermal expansion rates; compression seals use mismatched rates for higher strength and pressure resistance.

5. What applications use hermetic feedthroughs?

They are used in aerospace, military, medical implants, vacuum systems, and oil & gas instrumentation.

6. What materials are used in glass-to-metal seals?

Common materials include Kovar, stainless steel, Inconel, and alkali barium glass.

7. What’s the leak rate standard?

Complete Hermetics’ products meet or exceed 1×10⁻⁹ atm cc/sec He for superior hermeticity.

8. Are custom designs available?

Yes. Complete Hermetics offers fully customized solutions tailored to specific dimensions, materials, and electrical specs.

9. What are ceramic-to-metal seals used for?

For high-voltage, high-temperature, and corrosive environments that glass cannot withstand.

10. How do ceramic-doped glass seals differ?

They offer high thermal resistance (up to 600°C) at a lower cost than traditional ceramic-to-metal seals.

11. What plating options are available?

Platings include gold, silver, electroless nickel, and tin for corrosion resistance and solderability.

12. Can hermetic seals be used in medical devices?

Absolutely. Titanium terminals and headers are ideal for batteries, sensors, and diagnostic tools.

13. What electrical specs can be expected?

Typical insulation resistance exceeds 1 GΩ @ 100 VDC; dielectric strength depends on glass type.

14. What shapes and sizes are available?

Circular, rectangular, micro-D and custom headers are available across a wide range of standard and custom sizes.

15. Can feedthroughs handle high pressure?

Yes. Compression seals can withstand pressures up to 14,000 PSI, depending on design.

Why Choose Complete Hermetics?

Complete Hermetics is a leading custom manufacturer of glass-to-metal, ceramic-to-metal, and hermetic feedthroughs and seals. Our expert team designs hermetic connectors, headers, packages, and vacuum viewports to fit your exact requirements. Whether you’re in aerospace, defense, medical, or industrial sectors, we deliver high-performance, leak-proof solutions with precision and reliability.

📞 Phone: 714-265-1238
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Contact Complete Hermetics today – your partner in precision sealing solutions.

Medical Hermetic Seals for Demanding Environments

Medical hermetic seals play a critical role in protecting sensitive electronic and mechanical components across the healthcare industry. From surgical instruments and implantable devices to diagnostic systems, airtight integrity is vital to ensure safety, reliability, and long-term performance. Complete Hermetics delivers advanced, leak-tight solutions designed to meet the exacting standards of modern medical applications.

Why Hermetic Sealing for Medical Devices Matters

Hermetic sealing for medical systems ensures zero gas or moisture infiltration, preventing malfunctions that could compromise patient safety or diagnostic accuracy. These seals are especially vital in equipment operating under pressure or in harsh conditions, such as sterilization or bodily environments. Complete Hermetics offers decades of experience in sealing technology that meets the rigorous demands of the healthcare sector.

Glass-to-Metal and Ceramic-to-Metal Solutions

Complete Hermetics designs and manufactures a wide variety of glass-to-metal seals and feedthroughs and ceramic-to-metal seals and feedthroughs that deliver unmatched protection. These hermetic interfaces allow for safe and secure passage of power, signals, or fluids through the barrier while maintaining system integrity.

Whether your application requires electrical isolation, thermal resistance, or high-pressure tolerance, their seals are built for extreme precision. These components are used in life-saving devices including pacemakers, defibrillators, infusion pumps, and advanced imaging equipment.

The Value of Hermetic Connectors and Feedthroughs

From bulkhead penetrations to embedded modules, hermetic connectors and hermetic feedthrough solutions provide airtight performance while allowing vital connections to function without disruption. Each feedthrough is engineered to withstand medical sterilization processes, temperature shifts, and vibration—critical for mission-critical applications.

Trusted Hermetic Seals Manufacturer

As a leading hermetic seals manufacturer, Complete Hermetics stands out for its innovative engineering, U.S.-based manufacturing, and global service reach. With capabilities ranging from custom prototyping to full-scale production, they are a trusted partner to OEMs, hospitals, and medical device developers.

Contact Complete Hermetics Today

For robust, high-performance hermetic solutions in the medical industry, turn to Complete Hermetics. Their airtight designs, expert engineering, and commitment to quality make them your premier choice for critical sealing technology.

📧 Email: info@completehermetics.com
📞 Phone: 714-265-1238
🔗 Contact Form: https://www.completehermetics.com/contact-us/
🌐 Website: www.completehermetics.com

Vacuum Viewports

What Makes Custom Hermetic Viewports Essential for High-Tech Applications?

In advanced fields such as defense, space, medical endoscopy, and laser optics, the need for precision-engineered hermetic products is non-negotiable. One critical component that supports these high-stakes operations is the hermetically sealed viewport—also known as a vacuum window, hermetic window, or vacuum viewport. These terms are often used interchangeably across industries that demand airtight performance and enduring material integrity under extreme conditions.

Why Hermetic Viewports Are Crucial

Custom hermetic seals and feedthroughs are designed to preserve a contamination-free environment while ensuring high optical clarity and structural stability. In applications like infrared imaging or laser targeting systems, a hermetically sealed viewport acts as a critical interface that transmits light while blocking moisture, pressure variation, and other environmental threats. These advanced assemblies must comply with military and aerospace standards such as MIL-PRF-13830, ensuring rugged performance from -100°C to 450°C.

Precision Engineering with Advanced Materials

What sets these glass to metal seals and ceramic to metal seals apart is the high degree of customization available. At Complete Hermetics, each viewport is engineered using the ideal combination of window and flange materials. Common viewport substrates include sapphire, fused silica, magnesium fluoride, and zinc selenide, each selected for its optical and thermal properties. These are paired with flanges made of Kovar, stainless steel (CF, NW), titanium, or aluminum—depending on the application’s specific sealing and mechanical needs.

With leak rates tested below 1×10⁻⁹ atm·cc/sec He, these viewports are built for environments where absolute integrity is required. Whether for use in deep-space missions or in sterile surgical imaging systems, these custom hermetic seals and feedthroughs provide unmatched protection and performance.

Choose a Trusted Hermetic Seal Manufacturer

When precision, durability, and compliance are mission-critical, trust a proven hermetic seal manufacturer. Complete Hermetics has years of experience delivering custom solutions for some of the most demanding industries in the world.

Looking for a reliable partner for custom hermetic windows and feedthroughs?

Contact Complete Hermetics today  to learn how our vacuum viewports, glass to metal seals, and ceramic to metal seals can help you achieve flawless performance under pressure.

Hermetic Seals: Custom Solutions for Harsh Environments

The need for absolute containment, insulation, and durability in high-performance sectors drives the demand for reliable hermetic seals.  These components are critical to maintaining system integrity under extreme conditions such as pressure fluctuations, high temperatures, and corrosive environments. As a trusted hermetic seal manufacturer, Complete Hermetics delivers precision-engineered solutions in both glass-to-metal seals and ceramic-to-metal seals, customized for your specific application.

Glass-to-Metal Hermetic Seals

Glass-to-metal hermetic seals are the industry standard for cost-effective, high-strength, and corrosion-resistant protection. These seals are used in a wide range of hermetic products including electrical feedthroughs, vacuum systems, and RF or microwave applications. Complete Hermetics fabricates both compression and matched seals:

  • Compression Seals: Ideal for high-pressure use, with thermal expansion properties engineered for strength.
  • Matched Seals: Used when the coefficient of thermal expansion is closely aligned between materials, often in microelectronic and medical applications.

Our glass-to-metal hermetic feedthroughs are plated for enhanced corrosion resistance and electrical performance, with finishes like gold, silver, and nickel.

Ceramic-to-Metal Hermetic Feedthroughs

Where higher temperatures or voltages are required, ceramic-to-metal seals outperform their glass counterparts. At Complete Hermetics, we design and manufacture custom ceramic-to-metal feedthroughs and hermetic seals for use in aerospace, medical devices, and industrial power systems.

We also offer ceramic-doped glass seals—an advanced option that supports extreme heat tolerance up to 600°C, providing a lower-cost alternative to traditional ceramic sealing methods while maintaining high reliability.

Your Partner in Custom Hermetic Solutions

Whether your project requires miniaturized electrical feedthroughs or rugged hermetic connectors, Complete Hermetics has the expertise and flexibility to deliver. We specialize in custom hermetic seals and feedthroughs using advanced materials and tight manufacturing tolerances.

Connect with Complete Hermetics Today

If you’re looking for industry-leading performance and reliability, trust Complete Hermetics, your dedicated hermetic seal manufacturer. We provide customized, high-quality hermetic products to meet any challenge. Get in touch today to discuss your specific needs for glass-to-metal or ceramic-to-metal hermetic seals and feedthroughs.

Vacuum Viewports

Vacuum Viewports: Clear Performance Under Pressure

In high-performance systems where vacuum integrity and optical clarity are paramount, vacuum viewports—also known as vacuum windows, hermetic windows, and hermetically sealed viewports—are indispensable. These components serve as critical interfaces between atmospheric and vacuum environments while allowing precise optical transmission for lasers, infrared, and imaging technologies. At the forefront of innovation, Complete Hermetics delivers customized hermetic products designed for challenging operational demands in space, defense, medical, and industrial sectors.

Custom-Engineered Hermetic Viewports

Unlike standard optical windows, hermetic viewports must maintain vacuum integrity under extreme environmental conditions. Complete Hermetics specializes in custom hermetic seals and feedthroughs, offering advanced window assemblies that conform to MIL-PRF-13830 and MIL-O-13830 standards. Whether for deep-space missions or high-power laser applications, these glass to metal seals and ceramic to metal seals  deliver unmatched performance and reliability.

Each unit is built to meet client-specific requirements—size, shape, optical transmission, thermal endurance—across a broad range of material configurations. Typical window materials include Sapphire, Fused Silica, Glass, Magnesium Fluoride, and Zinc Selenide. For flange materials, options such as Stainless Steel (CF/NW), Kovar, Titanium, and Aluminum ensure mechanical compatibility and chemical resistance.

Uncompromising Performance Standards

Every viewport from Complete Hermetics undergoes rigorous testing to ensure zero compromise on sealing integrity. These custom hermetic seals maintain leak rates of less than 1×10⁻⁹ Atm·cc/sec He and withstand bake-out temperatures up to 450°C, functioning reliably from -100°C in cryogenic setups to extreme high-heat applications. Optical elements are precisely aligned and polished to meet demanding military optical specifications.

Contact Complete Hermetics for Hermetic Products

When precision, durability, and customizability are non-negotiable, trust Complete Hermetics—a leading hermetic seal manufacturer—to deliver tailored solutions that power the world’s most advanced systems. From defense-grade laser optics to medical endoscopy and aerospace sensors, our hermetic products set the benchmark in sealing technology.

Contact Complete Hermetics today  to explore how our vacuum viewports, glass to metal seals, and ceramic to metal seals can elevate your mission-critical designs. Let us help you seal your success—hermetically.

Hermetic Seals for High-Reliability Applications

When it comes to ensuring absolute containment in harsh conditions, hermetic seals are indispensable. These highly specialized components are critical in a range of demanding industries—from aerospace and defense to medical and energy systems. As a leading hermetic seal manufacturer, Complete Hermetics delivers tailored solutions through its extensive line of hermetic products, including glass-to-metal seals, ceramic-to-metal seals, and advanced custom hermetic seals and feedthroughs.

Excellence in Glass-to-Metal Sealing

Glass-to-metal seals are widely used for their exceptional insulation properties, pressure resistance, and cost-efficiency. Using precisely engineered thermal expansion matching techniques, Complete Hermetics fabricates both compression and matched seals, capable of withstanding extreme temperatures, rapid pressure changes, and corrosive environments. These seals can achieve hermeticity rates up to 1 x 10⁻⁹ atm cc/sec He and insulation resistance exceeding 1 GΩ @ 100 VDC—ideal for electrical feedthroughs, RF, and microwave applications.

Complete Hermetics also offers a variety of plating options, including gold, silver, electroless nickel, and tin, to enhance corrosion resistance and bonding characteristics.

Advanced Ceramic-to-Metal Seals

For more rugged environments where glass-to-metal seals fall short, Complete Hermetics specializes in ceramic-to-metal seals. These are engineered for high-voltage, high-temperature, and high-pressure applications—such as vacuum chambers, aerospace modules, and diagnostic equipment. Though more labor-intensive, ceramic seals excel in endurance, offering extended reliability in temperatures up to 600°C when using our ceramic-doped glass innovation.

Customized Engineering and Sealing Innovation

Whether you need a hermetic solution for microelectronics, medical devices, or military systems, Complete Hermetics works directly with clients to design custom hermetic seals and feedthroughs that meet exact performance specifications. From titanium terminals for battery systems to high-reliability hermetic connectors, our engineering team delivers unmatched precision.

Engage Complete Hermetics for Your Hermetic Solutions

For expertly crafted hermetic products built to survive the toughest conditions, trust the expertise of Complete Hermetics. As a premier hermetic seal manufacturer, we’re ready to design the most reliable glass-to-metal and ceramic-to-metal seals on the market. Contact Complete Hermetics today to discuss your custom requirements and discover innovative solutions for your sealing challenges.

What Are Hermetic Seals Used For?

Hermetic seals are critical components used in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, medical, and energy sectors. This article explores the diverse applications of hermetic seals and the expertise of Complete Hermetics in manufacturing these essential products.

Hermetic Products and Their Importance

Complete Hermetics is a leader in designing and manufacturing hermetic products, specializing in hermetic seals and feedthroughs. Their products ensure reliable protection against environmental conditions, making them indispensable in critical applications. These products include hermetic feedthroughs and glass to metal seals, designed to maintain integrity under extreme conditions.

Glass-To-Metal Seals

Complete Hermetics excels in producing glass-to-metal seals, which involve heating glass to a molten state and bonding it with metal. This process forms a robust seal that withstands drastic temperature changes and pressure variations, crucial for high-stress environments. Glass-to-metal seals are favored for their durability and cost-effectiveness, especially when compared to ceramic seals.

Ceramic-To-Metal Seals

Expanding their expertise, Complete Hermetics also offers ceramic to metal seals, known for their high-temperature resilience, reaching up to 600°C. These seals are perfect for applications requiring extreme thermal resistance, such as in high-performance aerospace components and advanced medical devices.

Types of Glass-To-Metal Seals

  1. Compression Seals: These are used when the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the metal exceeds that of the glass. The metal contracts around the glass as it cools, creating a high-pressure capable seal, often used in environments where pressure can reach up to 14,000 PSI.
  2. Matched Seals: These involve materials whose CTEs are closely matched, reducing stress in the glass and enhancing durability. Commonly used in electronic connectors, matched seals are preferred for their ability to handle thermal and mechanical shocks effectively.

Technological Advancements and Custom Solutions

Complete Hermetics doesn’t just follow industry standards; they set them. Their engineers custom-design seals and feedthroughs according to customer specifications, ensuring that each component meets the precise needs of their applications. Whether you need a solution for high-voltage applications or a custom configuration for medical equipment, Complete Hermetics has the capability and expertise to deliver superior hermetic products.

Connect with Complete Hermetics

If you’re in need of reliable hermetic seals or feedthroughs, look no further than Complete Hermetics. With a track record of excellence and innovation, they are equipped to handle the most challenging requirements. To find out more about their products and services or to discuss your specific needs, contact Complete Hermetics today. Engage with their team of experts to ensure your equipment remains protected and performs flawlessly in any environment.

Glass-to-Metal vs Ceramic-to-Metal Seals: Hermetic Seal Products

We at Complete Hermetics are proud to offer a diverse array of different seals and feedthroughs that make us stand out as a top-tier hermetic seal products. The type of seal that will be best for your needs depends on which industrial application you will be using it for. In this short article, you will learn about the differences between glass-to-metal and ceramic-to-metal seals.

Ceramic-to-Metal Seals

Ceramic can withstand higher temperatures than glass, so ceramic-to-metal seals are best used in environments with very high voltages and operating temperatures. One thing to keep in mind if you go with the ceramic-to-metal option is that due to the increased amount of labor it takes to make one of these, your wait time may be longer after placing your order.

Glass-to-Metal Seals

Glass is a good option to go for if the environment involves electrical currents, due to its insulating qualities. It is also ideal for a high-pressure environment, even though its temperature threshold is lower than that of ceramic.

Finding the Right Seal

If you have decided which type of seal is best suited to your needs, you may be wondering which size to get. At Complete Hermetics, we can custom-make the perfectly shaped seal for whatever application you have in mind.

Call today at (714) 265-1238.