HSI Thick Film Applications

Industries Served

Aerospace & Defense
Analytical Instruments
Automotive
Automatic Testing Equipment
Consumer
Health and Beauty Appliances
High Technology
Industrial Packaging Equipment
Medical Diagnostics
Medical Devices

Molecular Technology
Oil & Gas
Pharmaceutical
RF and Microwave products
Satellite and space exploration
Semiconductor Fabrication
Sensors
Telecom
Test & Measurement
University and Research Institutions

Industry Served

Applications

Aegis Radar Electronics
Automatic Test Stations
CERN Large Hadron Collider
Chip Resistors, Terminations, Attenuators
Commercial Airliners
- Airbus A320
- Airbus A350
- Boeing 737
- Boeing 787
Crossovers / Jumpers
Diagnostic Analyzers
Heat sinks for PC boards
Mars Rovers
- Spirit
- Opportunity
- Perseverance
Molecular blood testing
Plasma Cleaners

Microwave subsystems
- Antennas, Circulators / Isolators
- Filters, Power Amplifiers
- Oscillators
- Radar, RC Networks
Military Aircraft
- F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
- F-16 Fighting Falcon
- F-15 Eagle
- F-14 Tomcat
Satellites (Commercial and Military)
Semiconductor fabrication equipment
Sensors
- Oxygen
- Pressure
- Temperature
Submarines
- Virginia-class
- Seawolf-class

Applications

Customers

Customers

Case Studies

Aerospace & Defense

HSI provides components for advanced fighter planes via tier one and tier two defense contractors. Ceramic thick film circuits are ideal for aerospace applications because they operate over wide temperature ranges, exhibit excellent thermal cycling characteristics, endure high g forces, and withstand vibrations. Applications include radar systems, sensory devices, temperature probes, pressure sensors, and transducers.

Semiconductor Fabrication Equipment

HSI provides thick film products to the semiconductor industry, including electrostatic transfer plates and reference capacitors printed on quartz for timing and frequency applications. Some semiconductor devices can mount onto a thick film substrate.

Satellite

HSI is a key supplier to commercial and military satellite manufacturers including high-reliability carrier plates for wire-bonding. Ceramic thick film circuits are ideal for harsh environments in space since they operate in vacuum conditions over a wide temperature range, and withstand the vibrational stress of launch.

Medical Diagnostics and Pharmaceutical

HSI supports the Medical Diagnostics and Pharmaceutical fields. Components include ceramic heaters for blood sample analysis, ionic plasma field parts to clean pipet tips for blood testing, and photomultiplier tube amplifiers that detect radiation for stress test monitoring devices. In addition, HSI has provided highly accurate sensors used in surgical equipment.

Space Exploration

HSI supports JPL and NASA with products on the Mars Rovers used in space exploration. Ceramic thick film circuits are ideal for the harsh environment of space, and they work for years in rugged environments where retrofit and repair are impossible to achieve.

Aerospace & Defense

HSI is qualified as Lockheed Martin’s sole-source supplier for thick film multilayer and resistor networks, and we support the signal processing equipment used on the Aegis Radar System, which protects the interests of many nations. HSI supplies thousands of different parts to tier one and tier two suppliers for Cruisers, Destroyers, Frigates, and Tactical submarines for the US Navy and our allies. Thick Film ceramics lend themselves well to Aerospace & Defense applications. Noble metals such as Palladium, Platinum, Silver, Gold, and their alloys are used as conductors in Thick Film hybrids, and they resist oxidation and corrosion in moist air. Hermetic sealing is important to avoid moisture trapped inside the package that changes the characteristics of the part.

Automotive & Transportation

HSI supplies oxygen sensors to detect the ideal fuel mixture for fuel injectors in an automobile engine. Ceramic thick film circuits are ideal for rugged automotive applications, such as parts mounted on the engine since they operate at high temperatures, in harsh chemicals, and with high vibrations. Applications include fuel and air mixture sensors, pressure sensors, engine and gearbox controls, and airbags.

Advanced Research & Science

HSI supports advanced research conducted by universities and high technology organizations. One example is the product we supply for the Large Hadron Collider, the world’s most advanced particle collider, based in CERN, Switzerland. Hermetic sealing is important to avoid moisture trapped inside the package since it changes the characteristics of the part. Ceramic substrates possess optical properties; some are clear at certain wavelengths but opaque at other wavelengths. For optoelectronics applications, thick film can act as a filter.

Telecom

HSI builds rugged circuits in large volume that are used in high frequency circuits. Parts include complex multi-layer circuits and simple chip resistors for High Power Amplifiers, Filters, Isolators, Oscillators, RC Networks, Antennas, Radar, and many other RF and Microwave products. These subsystems are used in base stations and other Telecom applications.

Space Exploration

HSI supports Raytheon Technologies and NASA in fabricating sensor circuits for space suits used by astronauts. Space applications include temperature sensors, pressure sensors, oxygen sensors, and CO2 sensors. Ceramic thick film circuits survive in the harsh environment of critical space applications. For example, they operate in vacuum conditions over a wide temperature range, and they withstand the rugged vibrational stress of launch.

RF and Microwave applications

HSI provides thousands of high frequency parts to RF and Microwave applications including chip resistors, terminations, and attenuators for Power Amplifiers, Filters, Oscillators, RC Networks, Circulators, Isolators, Antennas, and Radar.

Cae Stuis