Upon entry, Coherent’s core team of engineers and scientists work alongside the customer through all stages of the product development process. The customer will be paired with a customer-focused business team, which includes an account manager, industry-specialized engineer and customer support agent. The team will guide the product development and manufacturing processes to ensure your application’s success.

Coherent offers extensive systems electronics capabilities, including hardware and software development. Interface protocols include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi®, Zigbee®, RF, RFID®, RS232/422/485, CANbus, UART, SPI, I2C, USB, etc. Any combination of these protocols and logic inputs may be used to identify and communicate with thermoelectric systems via smart phones, wired or wireless web access, computers, remote controllers, scanners or accessories to enable compatibility with the Internet of Things and cloud based computing. These technologies may be implemented to create smart systems that automatically configure firmware, and/or software, based on external inputs, such as temperature, pressure, humidity, liquid or air flow, fluid monitoring, internet data or user inputs.

During initial concept meetings, the Coherent team will conduct joint-planning sessions with the customer to determine requirements and present solution concepts.

Preferred concepts enter the detailed design phase, then Coherent engineers utilize a series of advanced modeling techniques to bring the concept to life and simulate performance prior to the prototype build.

Available internal modeling and analysis tools include:

• Internal, proprietary component modeling tool
• Internal, proprietary system modeling tool
• Solidworks® mechanical modeling
• Ansys® finite element analysis

Coherent utilizes verified techniques and advanced modeling tools to simulate the performance of a product design prior to production, thereby minimizing risk and reducing total program costs. In-house tools used for analysis include:

• Internal, proprietary component modeling tool
• Internal, proprietary system modeling tool
• Solidworks® mechanical modeling
• Ansys® finite element analysis
• Q-Fin thermal systems modeling tool
• Ongoing Reliability Testing (ORT)
• Customers may contract for advanced modeling and analysis services at any time, including the product development and production cycles.

Component Manufacturing

Coherent originated as a thermoelectric component supplier to U.S. military and space agencies more than 35 years ago. Built into the company’s foundation is a commitment to quality and dedication to putting the customer first.

As a result, Coherent approaches the component manufacturing process with your business and technology requirements as a central priority. Although Coherent offers standard, off-the-shelf products for purchase online, customers often select an optimized-to-spec thermoelectric component to ensure the best match for their application’s requirements.

During the optimization process, engineers factor in performance, dimensions, packaging, reliability and cost to meet the specifications identified by the customer. In a production environment, the extended lifetime, reliability and performance enhancement gained through an optimized design translates to significant savings over the program’s lifetime.

Highlights

• Component variations:
  Dimensions ranging: 2mm2—80mm2
  Solder temperatures: 138°C—305°C
  Ceramic selections: AlO, AlN, BeO
• Accessories: lead wires, pre-tinning, exterior metallization, sealing, package mounting
• Production from U.S. or Vietnam facilities
• Volume production capacity to 1M+ units/month
• Advanced quality systems

As the foundational element of our business, the development and manufacture of thermoelectric components remains a key focus, even as the business expands to provide more sub-assembly and end-product offerings. Our Optimize-to-Spec solutions offer complete flexibility to optimize thermoelectric components and assemblies to meet your application requirements. Working from standardized components and processes, each thermoelectric solution may be optimized for:

• Performance
• Dimensional constraints
• Power consumption
• Product lifetime
• Durability
• Testing/compliance

The optimization process begins with an application consultation and results in a perfectly tailored solution to fit your requirements – offering the maximum performance while delivering cost savings through production efficiency, extended product lifetime and reduced PPM.

Sub-Assembly Manufacturing

Coherent also offers extended contract manufacturing services to develop thermal sub-assemblies to meet customer requirements. Thermoelectric components are combined with heat sinks, fans, power supplies, temperature control electronics and more to ensure proper integration with your end-product design.

Maintaining an internal thermal design team or locating a contract manufacturer with thermoelectric expertise is cost-prohibitive. For Coherent, low-cost manufacturing in Vietnam offsets the cost. Coherent keeps the thermal components together and optimizes the entire system to offer the maximum benefit.

For sub-assembly builds, Coherent assigns a dedicated, local program manager to act as a liaison between you and all facets of the manufacturing process. Program managers ensure that your requirements are fulfilled at every stage while delivering consistent feedback on production status, quality audit results and inspection reports.

All prototypes and initial builds occur at Coherent’s primary design center in Dallas, TX, for verification and testing. Products then transition to Vietnam for production to achieve low-cost targets.

Vietnam manufacturing highlights:

• ISO 9001:2008 certified facility
• TQM (Total Quality Management) philosophy
• Mirror of the Dallas production facility in quality and process
• Moderate to high-volume capacity available
• Highly trained operators in TEC mechanical and electrical assemblies
• Consistent track record of high-volume production yields >98%
• Proven Asian and U.S. supply chains, with volume discounts negotiated
• Advanced quality systems
• Located in a free trade zone
• Export via land, air and sea

End-Product Manufacturing

Coherent offers a comprehensive service package for customers looking to outsource the full engineering, design and manufacturing processes, often including the manufacture of an end-use product.

Customers who pursue this solution often reference:

• Ability to leverage Coherent low-cost manufacturing facilities
• Quick ramp and/or high-volume manufacturing needs
• Agility and responsiveness through the development process
• Cost savings over hiring their own internal resources

From established Fortune 100 companies to emerging start-ups, Coherent develops successful thermal solutions for customers worldwide in a broad range of industries. Customers select Coherent time and time again for two primary reasons:

Quality/Reliability

If the thermoelectric device fails, the application fails. Coherent products have a sustained track record of meeting or exceeding customer reliability requirements in the automotive, telecommunications, medical, consumer electronics and defense markets. When evaluating the long-term cost of a thermal solution, the quality factor leads customers to Coherent.

Service

Many organizations claim “service-based” as an advantage, but our customers continue to list this in their top three reasons for selecting Coherent. At Coherent, customers will often hear our goal stated: “to serve as an extension of your design department.” We view customers as partners – and remain committed to enabling their success in the application at-hand and the market. Our Optimize-to-Spec solutions offer complete flexibility to optimize thermoelectric components and assemblies to meet your application requirements. Working from standardized components and processes, each thermoelectric solution may be optimized for:

• Performance
• Dimensional constraints
• Power consumption
• Product lifetime
• Durability
• Testing/Compliance

The optimization process begins with an application consultation and results in a perfectly tailored solution to fit your requirements – offering the maximum performance while delivering cost savings through production efficiency, extended product lifetime and reduced PPM.

Quality assurance and testing are foundational tenets of the Coherent Total Quality Management (TQM) system and Malcolm Baldrige award-winning criteria. Coherent works with the customer to develop testing plans for both product development and production. All industry and customer-required certifications will be considered in the testing plan. Coherent currently offers testing and compliance to the following standards:

• ISO 9001
• Telcordia
• RoHS
• Automotive
• Space Qualification
• ETL®
• UL®
• CE®
• Safety Audits
• Labor Audits

Coherent provides in-house testing capability for:

• Ongoing Reliability Testing (ORT)
• Thermal Cycling
• Thermal Shock and Vibration
• Power Cycling
• Hipot
• Functional Burn-in

Coherent has introduced prototype-to-production metallized ceramic manufacturing services that deliver enhanced reliability and mechanical strength. Our processes provide highly flexible thermal management and electrical solutions with adhesion properties exceeding anything available in the industry today.

Capabilities include:

• Copper thick-film patterning on aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride and beryllium oxide
• Electroless nickel, immersion gold and immersion tin plating
• Electroless gold plating up to 5 microns, available on entire or partial circuit coverage

Process Capabilities Available For Custom Solutions

We provide custom solutions for circuit designs from 0.1 amp to 10 amps where copper metallization may be needed. Our process capabilities are comprehensive:

• Copper thickness can be applied from 25 microns to 175 microns. Higher thicknesses are possible by patterning direct-bonded copper boards for aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride ceramics.
• Circuit resolution down to 150-micron line spacing using traditional silk-screen printing or as low as 100-micron spacing using lithographical patterning and etching can be achieved at the low end of copper metallization thickness.
• Minimum circuit widths as small as 200 microns are possible in circuit designs by both silk screen printing and lithographical etching.
• Electrically isolating dielectric layer compatible with copper metallization is available to address complex shorts in circuits, providing partial isolation from environmental factors.
• Nickel and gold plating on select sections of circuits provides surfaces that can be soldered and wire-bonded. Certification is available for lots processed to meet the stringent quality-assurance requirements of space- and defense-related applications.
• Other capabilities, including diamond saw and laser cutting, are available to provide unique shapes and markings on metallized parts.