One of the challenges of designing embedded solutions is to understand the environment that they will be used in. In this case Integra Systems was challenged to come up with a solution for embedded electronics that will withstand sterilization in an autoclave. This means that the electronics will have to go undergo steam sterilization at temperatures over 130 degrees centigrade (266 F) without damage to the electronic performance life. We teamed up with SCHOTT to come up with several options and had the opportunity to visit their R&D facility in Germany last year.
SCHOTT is a leading international technology group in the areas of specialty glass and glass-ceramics. The company has more than 130 years of outstanding development, materials and technology expertise and offers a broad portfolio of high-quality products and intelligent solutions. SCHOTT is an innovative enabler for many industries, including the home appliance, pharmaceutical, electronics, optics, life sciences, automotive and aviation industries. SCHOTT strives to play an important part of everyone’s life and is committed to innovation and sustainable success. The parent company, SCHOTT AG, has its headquarters in Mainz (Germany) and is solely owned by the Carl Zeiss Foundation. As a foundation company, SCHOTT assumes special responsibility for its employees, society and the environment.
SCHOTT provides hermetically sealing housings and feedthroughs to reliably encapsulate electronic components. These housing types range from Transitor Outlines (TOs) and Microelectronic housings with gas-tight Glass to Metal Sealing (GTMS) and Ceramic-to-Metal (CerTMS® ) housings as well as full ceramic housings as well as full ceramic packages. Inorganic materials are used to manufacture these hermetic housing. The laser welding of metal and glass or ceramics consistently prevents moisture from seeping into the housing. These vacuum tight housings and feedthroughs can withstand high temperatures, thermal shock, pressure, moisture, chemicals and mechanical impact making them fully autoclavable.
In addition to housings, SCHOTT also provides a line of sterilizable LEDS, of which includes the world’s smallest autoclavable HB (high brightness) LED and the first ring-shaped HB LED. In 3,500 test cycles at an ambient pressure of 2 bar and at a temperature of 134 Centigrade, these LED modules have proven to remain absolutely gas tight while retaining outstanding optical performance.
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