Micromachining Capabilities
General Atomics can provide a variety of high-precision micromachined components on a production or development basis to support your product or research needs. We can supply millimeter and sub-millimeter sized components micromachined from a variety of materials. These parts can be made to tolerances within ±1 µm, and with surface finishes better than 100 Angstroms (Å) rms peak to valley.
We have four CNC diamond turning machines, including the Precitech 2400 unit shown, augmented by a variety of conventional machine tools.
- We will have a Kern precision 5-axis CNC milling machine in operation in the fall of 1999.
- Quality control and certification are achieved with the use of optical and electron microscopy, as well as atomic force microscopy; non-destructive chemical analysis is performed with various electron and x-ray spectroscopies including EDAX, AES and ESCA. All of these capabilities exist on-site.
- Some of the components require precision drilling; for this purpose we employ a Najet precision drill.
- Some of the components also require plating of various metals; for this purpose we have developed the in-house capability to perform sputter coating, vacuum vapor deposition, ion plating, and electroplating. A Temescal sputter coater is shown in the foreground.
- Our customers include the National Laboratories at Livermore, Los Alamos, and Sandia, as well other laboratories, in support of the Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) Program. GA is the USDOE ICF Target Support
contractor.
- Visit our product pages to learn more about the sort of micromachined components we have produced in the past, then feel free to call upon us to see how we might meet your needs.
