Osprey controlled expansion carriers and housings

Citation

(2006), "Osprey controlled expansion carriers and housings", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 78 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2006.12778ead.017

Osprey controlled expansion carriers and housings

Osprey controlled expansion carriers and housings

Keywords: Alloys, Aircraft components

Recent investment by Sandvik Materials Technology at Sandvik Osprey, a major company in spray-forming technology, has increased capacity and expanded fabrication facilities for the manufacture of Osprey's proprietary lightweight, controlled expansion (CE) alloys.

Used in the electronics industry as carriers, housings and packages in RF, microwave and opto-electronic circuitry, the Sandvik Osprey family of CE Alloys are silicon-aluminium alloys (rather than aluminium silicon carbide composites with which the alloys are sometimes confused) with coefficients of expansion from 5-17ppm/8C. The new investment has secured a cost effective and large-scale production capability and provided expanded cutting, slicing, grinding and CNC machining facilities. As a result, Sandvik Osprey can offer machined and plated carriers and housings, including feedthrough installation in collaboration with partner companies.

“With continued inflation in the price of many metals, the price and availability of Osprey CE Alloys is becoming increasingly important” says Jim Forrest, Production Manager. “Osprey CE Alloys are based on low cost raw materials, namely Si and Al, and are proving to be the preferred alternative to materials such as Kovar, CuW, CuMo, Mo, Silvar, AlSiC, Al-Be, and Cu-Invar in a growing number of applications. The cost factor is combined with other advantages, such as low density (e.g. 1/3 the weight of Kovar, high specific stiffness and excellent thermal stability”.

Successful applications in the defence, aerospace, communications, radar, sensor and other leading-edge industries include: hermetic packages for radar installations, microwave amplifier housings for use in satellites, high frequency carriers for telecom base stations; lens holders for laser systems; carriers for sensor devices and guide bars for use in embedded computer systems.

Details available from: Sandvik Osprey Ltd, Tel: +44 (0) 1639 634121, Fax: +44(0) 1639 630100.