Topflight solutions for stellar industry development

AMETEK’s Specialty Metal Products (SMP) and Engineered Interconnect and Packaging (EIP) businesses have an exemplary record of supplying components for the space industry which puts them at the forefront of aerospace industry innovation.

• AMETEK Engineered Interconnect and Packaging (EIP) consists of four brands: Hermetic Seal, Sealtron, Aegis, and SCP with locations in the US, Mexico, and Malaysia. EIP is a business unit of AMETEK Inc., a leading global provider of industrial technology solutions serving a diverse set of attractive niche markets with annual sales of over $6.0 billion. Hermetic Seal designs and custom manufactures highly reliable hermetic connectors for critical electronics. Sealtron supplies qualified circular hermetic connectors, shipping millions annually. Aegis designs and manufactures hermetic packages, such as integrated microelectronic circuit packages. AMETEK SCP is a manufacturer of submarine hull penetrators and outboard cable assemblies.

Can you tell us more about AMETEK EIP’s involvement in the space industry?

Hermetic Seal and Aegis both have a long history in providing solutions to the Space industries. As early as 1949, Hermetic Seal supplied critical components for manned and unmanned spaceflights. As electronic technology advances, so do the requirements for hermetic interconnects. Hermetic Seal designs and manufactures interconnects to protect fragile electronic modules, such as components in the International Space Station, in space suits, in a NASA water production system, and in satellites. More recently, Hermetic Seal and Sealtron gained qualification to MIL-DTL-38999 space-grade Hermetics. Over the years, Aegis has provided over 250 custom-designed hermetic packages qualified to Class K (space grade) supporting customers on programs for the shuttle and satellite applications.

What are your expectations of how the space market will develop?

As space technology continues to evolve with reusable rocket engines and smaller/lighter satellites we expect too see rapid growth in this market. EIP is providing lighter and more robust hermetic interconnect solutions to ensure system reliability for the service life of these products while leveraging our best in class manufacturing capacity to help mitigate supply chain concerns.

In what ways do you collaborate with your customers?

We provide custom solutions based on the customer’s specific concepts and ideas. We help them achieve their vision. That is where our strength lies, our in-depth knowledge of materials science and glass-to-metal sealing technology. As experts in this field, we are committed to supporting our customers to solve their most complex challenges fast.

How will new transport power sources such as electrification & hydrogen impact business for EIP?

Electrification developments for UAV’s and Urban Air Mobility will favor high power, low weight solutions that will provide new markets for lightweight connectors such as aluminum GTMS. Hydrogen power storage and transport will create demand for high-reliability sensors that are impervious to extreme temperature changes including cryogenic environments. Our glass and ceramic feedthroughs provide levels of hermeticity through thermal cycles far beyond other materials.

What are the unique benefits you offer your customers?

Our ability to provide innovative and customized solutions for our customers sets us apart from our competition. Our experienced engineers are accessible and responsive, creating a collaborative relationship with customers. The result is a highly engineered product that can perform in the most demanding applications, providing the longest service life in extreme environments.

How do you see future business develop?

We are excited about the future of space and aircraft innovation and partnering in the development of new equipment with state-of-the-art technological advancements that define rocket engines, launch platforms, and fuel storage designs. Reliable hermetic headers, connectors, and packages that can function mechanically and electrically in harsh environments will be critical to the rapidly expanding commercial space markets.

• AMETEK Specialty Metal Products (SMP) is a proven manufacturer of advanced metallurgical products for mission-critical applications. With operating facilities in the US and the UK, we supply products around the world for a range of industries including aerospace, defense, electronics, medical, space, and satellites. Our products include precision metal strip and tubes, ultrathin foil, specialty shaped wire, thermal management products, water atomized powders, and roll-bonded clad plate. SMP consists of five industry-leading brands: Superior Tube, Fine Tubes, Hamilton Precision Metals, AMETEK Eighty Four and AMETEK Wallingford.

What is AMETEK SMP’s involvement in the space industry?

AMETEK SMP has been producing custom-made metal products for the Space market for decades. Working closely with space organizations in Europe, Asia, and America as well as with OEMs worldwide, we are proud to be the supplier of choice for ground breaking projects such as Solar Orbiter, NASA Mars Exploration programs, recent satellite rocket launches and many more.

We are seeing strong growth potential across many of our products within the space market, including precision tubing, thermal management materials and ultra-conductive nickel strip. Metal additive manufacturing powders are also gaining traction. We operate on a just-in-time basis, both from a strategic point of view and to provide a tactical supply solution on behalf of our customers. With a number of space ports and launch service providers expected to become operational in the next few years, we predict that demand for our products will grow, and supply chains are going to have to evolve into more strategic solutions. Our breadth of metal solutions and application experience in the Space industry will prove very valuable for both existing and new customers.

How do you work collaboratively with your customers?

Our dual source solution across all the AMETEK SMP brands leads to greater supply chain security with our multiple-manufacturing sites. A willingness to meet increased demands and adapt to customers’ changing schedules is essential. Through our experienced engineering and quality teams we offer technical support services that extend beyond the typical purchasing relationship.

What impact will new transport power sources such as electrification & hydrogen have on AMETEK SMP?

Our design and engineering teams are constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. We are taking advantage of emerging technologies to enhance our capabilities and develop our products further than ever before. We are currently providing solutions for heat exchangers to address issues with cooling batteries during electrically powered aircraft flights. Solar power is another application where our tubing is used in heat exchangers. We also provide components for the cooling systems for the magnets in fusion reactors. In addition, we supply pure nickel strip for battery applications in electric vehicles. We offer bespoke components that fit extremely niche specifications, not just cars – all sorts of vehicles, including electric scooters. We also work on projects involving high-pressure gas and fuel for customers in the transport sector.

What makes AMETEK SMP stand out?

Our reliability of supply across all product lines as well as our ability to work as individual business units while having the support of the wider AMETEK group makes us unique. We’re not just about the high-volume markets. If you’re looking at the space sector in particular, orders can be very low volume when you compare them to automotive or OEM work. Customers appreciate the fact that we look for solutions and customize our way of doing things to fit with what they need. They sense our energy and excitement for their product and our willingness to go the extra mile.

What are the most important assets for AMETEK SMP?

It’s certainly a combination of experience, people, strategy, and technology that sets us up for success every day. We have extensive knowledge of our products and the ability to meet the needs of our customers. However, our people are our number one asset, and we are proud to be global with great local teams who fully support our customers’ schedules. The combination of our manufacturing expertise and ongoing focus on product development, is what positions us as the primary supplier for our customers.

AMETEK EIP and SMP will be at the Paris Air Show – June, 19-22 Hall 3, booth C16, under AMETEK to discuss how their components and material solutions are helping the aviation industry to address supply chain challenges.

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