Investment targets thin-film growth

An investment of GBP 700,000 in thin film technology and equipment will allow Welwyn to mass produce chip resistors in line with the latest methods.

Northumberland-based electronic components manufacturer, TT Electronics Welwyn Components has invested GBP 700,000 in thin film technology and equipment as part of its growth strategy.

TT Welwyn has purchased a range of machinery, which will enhance the company's production capabilities, improve the quality of the products being produced and enable Welwyn to extend its product offering.

The new machinery will allow Welwyn to mass produce chip resistors in line with the latest modern methods.

Amongst the technology purchased by Welwyn is a double-headed screen print system with automatic handling, which enables the printing of patterns on to ceramic substrates; a stripulator and a singulator machine, allowing chips to be cut into strips or single parts; a termination machine to apply a termination around the edge of the chip and a chip sorting machine.

To complement this, TT Welwyn has also invested in a vision system to provide automatic visual inspection of chip quality.

In addition, investment has been made in equipment to be used in the manufacture of a range of thin film resistor chip products to include: a laser thin film trimming system which will perform the automatic laser adjustment of thin film chips, and an inline thin film sputter system which deposits thin films on to a ceramic substrate.

The investment in the new chip resistor equipment will allow the production of chip resistors in an integrated line of machinery, improving material flow through the line by increasing the speed and scale of production.

In addition, the extension of automation will increase Welwyn's manufacturing capacity and improve the overall quality of the resistor products produced by ensuring accuracy and repeatability.

The investment will enable Welwyn to grow significantly by allowing the company to fulfil bulk orders within shorter timeframes, and to extend its product range by allowing engineers to manufacture more complex products.

Barry Peters, Resistors Business Unit Director at TT Welwyn, comments: "Our material scientists are constantly involved in researching and developing thin film technologies for a range of new applications and it is vital that they are supported with the right equipment".

"This investment will significantly enhance our production capabilities and allow us to continue to be competitive".

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