Materion Microelectronics & Services expands capacity

Buffalo, NY--Materion Microelectronics & Services, a unit of Materion Corporation (NYSE: MTRN), recently wrapped a 50% capacity expansion at its Wheatfield, NY facility, which provides parts cleaning and surface treatment of physical vapor deposition (PVD) shield kits for the wireless products, LEDs, medical consumables, and photovoltaics industries. The expansion includes a fully automated robotic twin wire arc spray, increased precious metal refining capacity, new cleaning processes, and a class 10,000 cleanroom.

The fully automated robotic twin wire arc spray increases the process lifetime of shielding used in particulate-sensitive processes, according to the company. It does this by applying an under-layer surface coating to parts after they have been cleaned and the precious metals have been recovered. The coating provides an enhanced surface roughness that increases a part’s adhesion properties in the vacuum chamber, allowing more material to be deposited and minimizing random particles that would otherwise be deposited on the subsequent product.

After cleaning, all parts pass through a variety of inspections and tests to ensure dimensional tolerances and complete cleanliness. When customers receive their parts back, they are ready to be installed into thin-film chambers for deposition. Later, after the part has been used and returned, the under-layer coating can be quickly and easily removed for cleaning.

Jim McMullen, product manager - Precision Parts Cleaning Services, notes that the company also has parts cleaning facilities in Ireland and the Czech Republic, with additional locations and services on the horizon.

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