Electronics Welding – Semiconductor, Microelectronics, Fiber Optics

EB Industries has been providing precision welding services to manufacturers of electronic devices for decades. Our expertise with laser welding and laser sealing of electronics packages makes us ideally suited to weld and seal enclosures for sensitive devices. We also have extensive experience welding and leak testing electrical components such as connectors, terminal ends, feedthroughs, etc.

Welding Electronics Issues and Challenges

Welding electrical components, devices, and equipment has challenges and unique requirements that EB Industries can specifically fulfill. 

Electrostatic Discharge

Stray electrical currents can cause severe damage to sensitive electrical equipment. For this reason, EB Industries welds electronics in an ESD safe, clean room environment. Additionally, our entire staff is continually trained to industry standards for safe and proper handling of electrical equipment and PCBs (printed circuit boards).

Minimizing Heat and Electrical Charge Damage

Many types of welding and joining processes bombard assemblies with massive amounts of heat and electrical charge, which can damage sensitive components and PCBs. At EB Industries, we utilize pulsed lasers to weld in close proximity to delicate parts and traces. Pulsed lasers apply a minimal amount of heat and can be precisely controlled dimensionally. Laser welding has a very narrow heat affected zone, greatly reducing the chances of heat destroying connectors and internal components. Finally, unlike many traditional welding techniques, lasers project heat energy without applying any electrical current to the items being welded, minimizing the chances of damage to electrically sensitive components.

Sensitivity to Oxygen and Moisture 

Excessive amounts of oxygen and moisture can lead to oxidation, which can change the mechanical and chemical properties of metals. Oxidation and corrosion damage can seriously impair the mechanical and electrical integrity of external packaging, and can wreak havoc on the components inside, causing short circuits and other issues. EB Industries combats this by vacuum baking assemblies prior to welding, and performing welding operations within an inert environment glovebox. Vacuum baked assemblies exhibit less than 1 ppm (parts per million) oxygen and moisture, which is a level of performance that conventional epoxy, solder, and mechanical seals cannot possibly match. The overall glovebox laser welding environment ensures that assemblies remain free of oxidizing contaminants from start to finish.

Exotic and Difficult to Weld Materials

Depending on the particulars of a requirement, a wide variety of materials can wind up in an electronics package, from copper to gold, silver, nickel, Kovar, etc. Because Laser Welding can join dissimilar materials and crack sensitive materials, we can weld a variety of materials, and can recommend a range of material options to use in the packaging of components. For more information, see our weldable materials page here.

Durability

Because of the harsh environments faced by some electronic assemblies, it is important that they are manufactured for maximum durability. Some of these assemblies will face temperatures as low as -400° F and as high as +300° F, as well as pressures upwards of 5,000 PSI, depending on the application. Laser welding provides an exceptionally robust hermetic seal, much more so than epoxy, soldering, or mechanical sealing techniques. Combining with automation used during the welding process, the result is high quality, precise, repeatable welds suited for cost effective production. 

Maintaining High Quality

EB Industries has designed our business around welding and testing processes that greatly reduce the chances of a weld damaging circuits and components. In addition to meeting the standards of ISO 9001:2015/AS9100D, MIL-SPEC 45208A, MIL-STD-202 and MIL-STD-883, we also have been certified by some of the biggest names in the industry. For a complete list, see our industry certifications page here.

Equipment and Expertise

At EB Industries, we believe the best way to serve our customers is to have an array of welding equipment available to meet varied requirements. We also have multiple, redundant systems and operators such that our production capability is never compromised and always responsive to evolving delivery schedules.

Laser Welding and Sealing Equipment

  • 2 Glove Box Laser Welders
  • 550W Pulsed Nd:YAG Lasers
  • Computer Controlled Environment
  • Oxygen and Moisture Monitoring
  • Inert Gas Drying with Purification and Recycling Using Vacuum Ovens / Antechambers and Dual 1250mm (47.213”) Long x 1000mm (39.37”) Wide Chambers
  • 500°F Capable with Data Acquisition and Reporting
  • Gas Mixers and Gas Analysis Available

Additional Support Equipment

  • Circulating Furnace – (24 x 25 x 25, 1250°F)
  • Acetone Ultrasonic Cleaning Equipment w/ Solvent Recapture
  • Multiple Autodesk Inventor CAD/CAM Workstations
  • TIG & MIG welders
  • 2x – Air Science Laminar Flow Benches
  • Various Metallographic Cross-Sectional Equipment Including Saws, Polishing and Sanding
  • Air Science Exhaust Hood
  • Our Laser Hermetic Sealing stations are located within our 650 square-foot FOD/ESD Controlled Environment. This environment is certified to Class 100,000 clean-room standards, US Fed STD 100,000, ISO 14644-1 ISO 8.

Representative Parts

EB Industries has extensive experience working with a wide array of electrical components, circuitry, enclosures and assemblies.

  • Attenuators
  • Enclosures
  • Connectors
  • Vacuum Feedthroughs
  • RF Amplifiers / Converters
  • DROs (Dielectric Resonator Oscillators)
  • FCXO (Frequency Controlled Crystal Oscillators)
  • OCXO (Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillators)
  • OVCXO (Oven Voltage Controlled Crystal Oscillators)
  • VCXO (Voltage Controlled Crystal Oscillators)
  • TCXO (Temperature Controlled Crystal Oscillators)
  • Resonator Assemblies
  • Wave Guides
  • Sterilizer Tubes
  • Phase Shifters

Quality Assurance

Laser sealed hermetic electronic packages are invariably filled with expensive components and are almost always used in situations where the result of failure is catastrophic. Accordingly, EB Industries has established and maintains the highest standards in the industry for this type of work.

  • We are an AS9100/ISO 9001:2015 certified organization delivering international quality standards;
  • We are ISO 13485:2016 certified for medical devices;
  • Our quality control and inspection system is in compliance with the MIL-I-45208A standard and metrology program in accordance with MIL-C-45662A standards.
  • We perform leak testing IAW MIL-STD-202 and MIL-STD-883. 

For more information on our quality system, please click here

Add-On Services

In addition to welding, electronic parts and assembly parts often require additional processing. EB Industries offers a wide array of services that make us a one stop shop for all your welding related services.

Pre Processing –

  • CAD/CAM Product Design and Weld Design
  • Tooling Design & Fabrication
  • Package Assembly
  • Strategic Sourcing and Subcontractor Contract Management

Post Processing –

  • Metallurgic Evaluations
  • Leak Testing
  • Destructive and Non-Destructive Testing
  • Post Weld Thermal Treatment

For more information on our Add On Services please click here.