ENGINEERING, R&D SUPPORT

(METALLURGICAL/MATERIALS JOINING)

Efficient use of R&D and prototyping budgets.

VPE’s team of materials scientists works closely with staff mechanical, electrical, as well as chemical engineers to provide solutions quickly and cost-effectively. In addition, we have over 45 years of experience developing new approaches to materials joining engineering challenges.

Metallurgical/Materials Joining R&D Support

Our roots are in the research & development of precision brazing, diffusion bonding, and thin film coating medical devices, heat exchangers, cold plates, and instrumentation apparatus. Capabilities e.g.:

Component, subassembly, or turnkey product development
Contract services in support of customer research
R&D preceding production – either by the customer or by VPE
Prototyping, proof-of-concept demonstrations
Design of experiment (DOE)
Specific process development or problem-solving as well as assisting customers with their R&D efforts
Technology transfer programs
Development of production equipment
Production line development
Complete R&D solutions using both in-house and subcontractor expertise

In-House Testing & Analysis to Expedite R&D Projects

Our materials testing lab supports in-house R&D and production quality assurance and can provide an external service to customers. In addition, our testing and analysis services e.g.:

Metallographic laboratory analysis
Vacuum integrity
Residual gas analysis
Helium leak detection
Pressure testing
Strength of materials
Failure analysis

R&D for Discerning Customers and Mission-Critical Applications

A few examples e.g.:

Fortune 50 conglomerate: development of implantable battery seals
Aerojet Rocketdyne: development of cleaning processes for reactive metals
LLNL: development of pulse purge cleaning technology
GE: development of a ruggedized sapphire window for harsh environments
Applied Materials: development of joining method for electrostatic particle accelerator tubes

Why Trust Your Metallurgical/Materials Joining Project to VPE?

Each project we undertake requires the research and development of creative solutions to customer challenges. Furthermore, these solutions often employ new methods or approaches to fabrication. As a result, we continue to build on this wealth of knowledge and expertise to meet our customers’ unique requirements.

Minimize research and development, prototyping, production costs, as well as time-to-market through innovation
In-house metallurgical expertise to solve difficult challenges as they arise
Complete solutions using both in-house resources as well as qualified subcontractors
Contract flexibility – from cost-plus to partnering
Highly responsive engineer-to-engineer technical interaction with prospects as well as customers

Equipment & Facilities

VPE provides over 150,000 square feet of design, lab, production, as well as quality assurance space for your contract manufacturing program e.g.:

Vacuum brazing furnaces
Aluminum vacuum brazing furnaces
Hydrogen furnaces
Thin film coating systems
Induction as well as infrared braze systems
Diffusion bonding furnaces
Hot pressing furnaces
The world’s largest vacuum hot press
Machine shop
Quality assurance facility
Coordinate measuring machines
Laboratories e.g. cleanroom as well as clean environment
Welding cells
Cleaning lines
Assembly lines
Materials testing & analysis lab
Wet lab, metrology, as well as inspection equipment
& more!

Advanced Technical Expertise for Metallurgical/Materials Joining

VPE provides materials science and fabrication technology expertise, contract research, as well as consulting for customers located in over four continents.

Design of experiments for processes as well as assembly fabrication
Solutions for assemblies as well as devices having high-temperature applications
Design of extreme temperature as well as pressure heat exchangers
Use and joining of dissimilar metals, exotic metals, as well as ceramics
Thin-film structure investigations
Heat treating: many specialized processes, including vacuum bake-out
Diffusion bonding process development as well as production engineering
Applied force parameters
Plastic deformation control
Superalloy structures
0005″ thick titanium foil
TLP (transient liquid phase) bonding
Design for efficiency as well as quality in production
Techniques for the fabrication of complex fixturing as well as assemblies
Microchannel devices: processes as well as assembly
Testing and analysis: process performance, application-specific, as well as production quality

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