Custom Hermetic Connectors

How to Choose the Right Hermetically Sealed Connectors

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Extremely harsh environments call for extra protection to ensure the integrity of a system. Hermetically sealed connectors provide such protection by keeping all air, moisture and contaminants out. If you’re looking for the right connectors for your application, consider these tips to begin your search.

  1. Select the Shell

There are two major types of connector shell shapes: circular and rectangular. Sizes typically range from 0.25 inches to 3.0 inches in diameter. Connectors can be made from a variety of materials such as:

  • 300 Series Stainless Steel
  • Cold Rolled Steels
  • Kovar
  • Inconel
  • Titanium
  • Aluminum

Kovar is a nickel- and cobalt-based alloy that contains iron, and Inconel is a nickel-based alloy that contains iron and chromium. Titanium and aluminum hermetically sealed connectors are lightweight but still provide the same quality of seal as heavier materials.

  1. Select the Pins

To select the correct pin configuration, determine how many pins you need and how they need to be oriented. Pin end shapes usually include rounded, eyelet and hook types and range from 4 AWG to 16 AWG in size. Typical pin materials are:

  • Kovar and Copper Cored Kovar
  • Alloy 52
  • Inconel
  • Molybdenum
  • Stainless Steel

Alloy 52 is composed of nickel and iron and works well for sealing glass to metal, while molybdenum is known for reducing wear and friction.

  1. Select the Finish

The finish is important because it protects hermetically sealed connectors from the environment. Standard finishes include:

  • Bright Tin Plating
  • Electroless/Electrolytic Nickel Plating
  • Copper Plating
  • Gold Plating
  • Silver Plating

Though the finish primarily protects the connector against corrosion, it is also a considered design element that makes your system look sharp. For instance, bright tin plating creates a shiny exterior, while gold plating can make the connectors stand out.

Ask the Pros

If you’re having trouble deciding which hermetically sealed connectors are right for your application, call your dealer for help. The experts can help you select the right size, shape and finish to ensure the integrity of your system.

Hermetically Sealed Connectors

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What Are Hermetically Sealed Connectors?

Hermetically sealed connectors are commonly used when machines or equipment will be exposed to harsh environments. Some items, such as photographic and surveillance equipment mounted on unmanned vehicles, are exposed to severe weather, fluctuating atmospheric conditions, and high altitudes. Hermetically sealed connectors are chosen to connect vacuum-sealed boxes and equipment because they can maintain the airtight condition even under severe flight conditions. It’s also common to find a hermetically sealed connector in use on submarines and satellites in orbit. Although the connectors are exposed to very different environments, their ability to withstand pressure differences and prevent moisture seepage into machinery is consistent.

A Vital Component of Protection From Moisture

In these, and other conditions, packaging technology is used to prevent gases from moving through barriers because of the connector. When a high-pressure differential barrier is built to allow for the passage of electric currents, there’s a potential for gases or moisture to also penetrate the barrier. Appropriately-constructed, hermetically sealed connectors will be effective against those environmental exposures and should be unaffected by moisture as well as resistant to corrosion. Ultimately, the purpose of the hermetically sealed connectors isn’t just to prevent gas and moisture to get beyond the barrier, but to protect sensitive electronic systems from malfunctions related to moisture.

The Creation of Hermetic Feedthroughs

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Hermetic feedthroughs are designed specifically to all some substances or energy to pass from inside or outside a hermetically-sealed area to the other side. The feedthroughs must deliver both hermeticity and electrical isolation. They must be secure enough to prevent even the smallest degree of leakage while maintaining a powerful vacuum. There are three main types of hermetic feedthroughs: low voltage, water-cooled and RF (high frequency), and high-voltage feedthroughs. Applications for these items include furnaces, analysis equipment, satellite instrumentation, particle accelerators, and X-ray equipment.

How Is the Hermetic Seal Achieved?

How are hermetic feedthroughs achieved? When a glass-to-metal hermetic feedthrough is desired, industry leaders use high temperatures to melt glass to the point that they can be tightly bonded to metal. When done correctly, these feedthroughs can be used in applications such as those involved in electrical situations. These products are highly resistant to dramatic temperature changes, as well as fluctuations in pressure and humidity. Many of these products are plated to resist corrosion as well as improving the items capacity for wire bonding or soldering. Naturally, the pin and body formation of some hermetic feedthroughs require even tougher standards of excellence. This is the case for items destined to be found in medical equipment, especially used in diagnosis and sensing.

Choosing the Right Hermetic Feedthrough and Seal

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Although you’ve developed a system that requires a hermetic feedthrough and seal, you may not have the knowledge and experience to fully know what type of system and materials should be used to be most effective when your product is in use. Our engineers specialize in hermetic feedthroughs and seals in many different industries to help you move forward with your project.

There are many different ways to create the vacuum and hermetic feedthrough. In a glass-to-metal seal, the methodology of design and development depend on multiple factors. There are plating capabilities which let the hermetic seal work better under different conditions. If your project operates under higher voltage or temperatures, a ceramic-to-metal application may the right product to fit your needs. Because we have worked with medical, military, optics, and aerospace organizations, we have the depth of knowledge to design a prototype to meet your specifications.

Discuss your project with our engineers to find the perfect hermetic feedthrough and sealing system that matches your industry. We design and manufacture custom products that work under specific conditions. Our products are tested before use to ensure the reliability of the seal and feedthrough. We understand that you need the materials to fit the scope and scale of the project while managing your budget. Contact us and let us help.

What Kind of Hermetic Feedthrough Should You Choose?

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You rely on a steady connection of power to get jobs done in the most hostile climates, and you need a hermetic feedthrough that you can rely upon. There are several kinds of feedthroughs available, so look carefully before selecting.

Glass to Metal

A glass to metal hermetic feedthrough is made of glass which is heated up and used in its molten state. This is a durable feedthrough that can operate under all conditions and transfer electricity at high voltages.

Ceramic to Metal

Ceramic to metal hermetic feedthroughs require a substantial amount of craftsmanship and time to make. They can be custom-made for specific uses and are ideal for jobs that require a certain kind of feedthrough.

Look for Quality

Whatever kind of hermetic feedthrough you use, make sure you are purchasing one that is made of high-quality materials with construction that prevents all kinds of leaks. Heavy duty feedthroughs are often used in the military and for medical uses and provide a reliable seal and connection time after time. Check your hermetic feedthrough periodically for signs of wear and tear and be sure to replace as needed. The highest-quality feedthrough are virtually leak resistance and will never fail to deliver.

Rectangular Hermetic Connectors

What Hermetic Connectors Can Do?

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Hermetic connectors provide airtight seals so that no air can enter or leave a container or space. In fact, the word “hermetic” is defined as airtight. When containers are pressurized or vacuum-sealed, they keep bacteria, moisture, and oxygen away and ensure that the interior of the space or container remains sterile.

Industries That Use Airtight Seals

There are many industries that require a high level of pressurized sealing, such as the offshore drilling, automotive, aerospace, and medical industries. Because every application is unique, there are customized options available in hermetic seals. For example, in a submarine or offshore oilrig, the hermetic connector would be suited for marine environments. A manufacturing plant would need a variety of types of seals, and these could be ordered to fit the proper specifications.

Types of Connectors

Hermetic seal connectors come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they are made from different materials, such as titanium, stainless steel, aluminum, and bronze. They can be rectangular, circular, or a customized shape. Some are ceramic-to-metal, while others are glass-to-metal. Some of the finishing options are gold-plated, silver-plated, copper-plated, and bright tin-plated.

Whatever specifications are needed by an industry, hermetic connectors can be designed to fit the application. The proper design and material will result in the ability to withstand extreme temperatures and high pressure.

Hermetically Sealed Connectors for High-Tech Systems

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Complete Hermetics provides a full selection of hermetic connectors, feedthroughs, seals, and other essential system components. Our custom-made products are ready to integrate with even the most detailed system; top engineers handle each of our design jobs to fully comply with every client’s individual needs. By working closely with each client we serve, we are better able to meet the changing needs of today’s dynamic high-tech industries and laboratory settings. We offer custom designs for any mounting requirements; whenever conventional hermetic products fail to meet your needs, we can supply custom solutions.

Protecting Contents From Infiltration

Hermetic connectors like those we make are used in settings where contents must be completely sealed off from invasion. Protect objects and container contents from contaminants such as:

  • Bacteria
  • Moisture
  • Oxygen

Airtight seals, containers, and feedthroughs are essential to many different concerns, including off-shore drilling, aerospace engineering, submarine design and construction, military aircraft development, manufacturing plant operation, and much more. We are pleased to provide solutions that conform with the highest industry standards; you can feel confident that our components are going to perform reliably in all standard use scenarios.

Best Manufacturing Practices

Hermetic connectors, seals, and other components are made using all best practices for manufacturing and fabrication. Glass-to-metal feedthroughs are made with a wetted seal that bonds tightly; connectors are tested to 100% hermeticity.

Contact Complete Hermetics today to learn more about custom component creation and about our process.

Where Can You Find Hermetic Packages?

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Electronic components can be quite fragile, which is why it’s important to shield them from unsuitable environments. One way to protect semiconductors and other devices from water and corrosive materials is with an airtight seal around the desired area. To keep technology functioning properly over the long haul, you can often find hermetic packages in some of the harshest conditions known to man.

Underwater

As an object dives into the ocean, water exudes pressure as it tries to infiltrate the enclosure. When exploring the deepest regions of the sea in search of oil or exotic wildlife, electronic equipment takes a lot of abuse. To protect these sensitive components from damages, scientists trust hermetic packages to provide a watertight barrier.

Outer Space

 As satellites travel in an orbit and probes explore the outer reaches of the solar system, sophisticated equipment transmits information back to the planet. If a semiconductor requires a gas environment to function properly, hermetic packages can keep it from escaping into the vacuum of space.

Medicine

 Your body is mostly water, which is why pacemakers and other implanted devices need to be sealed against fluid incursion. When your health is on the line, you can trust a tight seal to keep you alive.

Protection for Electronics

These are just a few uses for hermetic packages, but they’re the perfect solution whenever you need to shield sensitive components from harsh environments.

Nowadays, hermetic packages are offering solutions for high reliability and high performance applications so they are extensively used in aerospace, medical and commercial applications.

About Complete Hermetics

A manufacturer of glass-to-metal, ceramic-to-metal, hermetic seals and feedthroughs

Complete Hermetics is a custom manufacturer of glass-to-metal, ceramic-to-metal, hermetic seals and feedthroughs. Our team has a wide range of knowledge to design and develop the hermetic connectors, hermetic packages, hermetic headers, vacuum viewports, hermetic seals and hermetic feedthroughs to fit your specifications.

Hermetic Connectors

Making the Right Connections with Hermetic Connectors

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Hermetic connectors are a fact of doing business in many industries. This ubiquity sometimes overshadows the engineering wonders that are made possible by these pieces of technology. They make many of the technological that we take for granted today possible. Here are a few of the more prominent examples from some leading industries.

Medical 

Medical science has come a long way in recent history. From heart transplants to MRI machines, things that past physicians only dreamed of are now commonplace. This is due in part to hermetic sealing technology designed for the medical industry. These connectors provide a pressure-resistant seal for various applications doctors and hospitals depend on. The unique glass, ceramic and metal construction provides the absolute best in failure resistance and durability. That’s important when lives are on the line.

Defense

This technology got its start in the military. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that most contemporary hermetic seal and connector manufacturers are well versed in Mil-Spec connections. These are featured on everything from submarines roving the depths of the oceans to the defense satellites keeping an eye on things in space.

Hermetic connectors are used for a lot more than just military and hospital equipment. If you need a specific connector, or if you have a situation that needs a special design, reach out to a manufacturer of hermetic sealed connectors today.

Glass-to-Metal Seals and Feedthroughs

When To Choose Glass-to-Metal Feedthroughs

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Feedthroughs are an indispensable part of most commercial electrical applications and their accuracy is critical to its success. When working in aerospace, defense and other arenas where extreme conditions are the norm and high reliability is vital, feedthrough performance is even more vital. These are cases where glass to metal hermetic feedthroughs make the most sense. Here are a few other applications where glass-to-metal sealed feedthroughs are the ideal choice.

Medical Applications

Perhaps no environment could be tougher than the human body. When a device must be implanted, a glass-to-metal hermetic feedthrough is the best choice. This type of airtight feedthrough prevents diffusion of gasses and keeps electrical components from corroding when doing so could spell life or death.

Automotive Applications

If a sensor has ever triggered your vehicle’s check engine light, you know how important it is that they work properly. Glass-to-metal feedthroughs are ideal to ensure sensors measuring everything from flow to pressure can function properly.

Industrial Applications

Glass-to-metal seal feedthroughs are commonly used in critical industrial applications, blocking the effects of high temperature and damaging chemicals. In this case, hermetic feedthroughs can also prevent electronic failure caused by humidity or pressure.

Hermetic feedthroughs have countless applications in defense, medical, aerospace, and other fields. Glass-to-metal manufacturing creates the most reliable performance.