News

 

Precision Engineered Products (PEP) is pleased to announce the formation of a new entrepreneurial enterprise, microPEP
March 10, 2008

microPEP logoPrecision Engineered Products (PEP) is pleased to announce the formation of a new entrepreneurial enterprise, microPEP, that provides a one-stop design and manufacturing solution for your small and micro component applications. From design to prototype to production, microPEP will bring your vision to reality. Combining long term engineering wisdom with a high end infrastructure, microPEP is ready to make a difference for you. With manufacturing locations in multiple states, Mexico and China, microPEP is poised to follow you wherever you need to go.

 

www.micropep.com

 

matrix, incorporated, has taken delivery of a Precitech 2400 diamond turning two axis ultra precision contouring machine.
December 14, 2007

 

matrix, incorporated, One Catamore Boulevard, East Providence, RI, a wholly owned subsidiary of Precision Engineered Products with headquarters in Attleboro, MA has recently taken delivery of a Precitech 2400 diamond turning two axis ultra precision contouring machine. “We’ve relied on the marketplace to supply our optically-turned components and it has been a delivery blind spot for us. With this purchase, we are taking firm control of the front end of the business,” said John Harker, President. This equipment will allow the company to precisely cut optical surfaces in both thermoplastic and non-ferrous metal optical inserts to a sub-micron capability. Matrix continues to build capability in the delivery of micro-sized/micron tolerance optical components. “This equipment completes the technical triangle of recently acquired optical capability upgrades including the addition of Zemax-EE optical design software and a FISBA interferometer with aspheric lens measurement capability,” said Dennis Jones, Engineering Manager. For more about matrix, visit them online at http://www.matrixincorporated.com.

 

matrix Acquires FISBA uPhase 2 Interferometer (uPhase® Interferometer)
August 7, 2007

 

matrix, incorporated, One Catamore Blvd., East Providence, RI, a wholly owned subsidiary of Precision Engineered Products, Inc with headquarters in Attleboro, MA has purchased a FISBA µPhase Interferometer.  This phase-shifting, compact Twyman-Green interferometer meets the toughest specifications of modern Optical System Test requirements.   Along with FISBA's measuring and analysis  capability stemming from its proprietary µShape™ Professional software, this high performance precision measuring instrument  yields clearly structured  data points and  information about  a molded component's optical surface.  These features give matrix' optics customers feedback on the accuracy of the surface qualityovides a robust analytical tool for us. The installation of a new laser interferometer at matrix also means that we can now work on more complex molded plastic lens designs with companies in the defense, medical and automotive markets.”  For more about matrix, visit them online at www.matrixincorporated.com.   

 

 

matrix incorporated Announces TS 16949:2002 Registration
March 7, 2007

matrix, incorporated, One Catamore Blvd., East Providence, RI, a wholly owned subsidiary of Precision Engineered Products, Inc with headquarters in Attleboro, MA has received its Certificate of Registration for TS 16949:2002. The certification encompasses a specific endorsement for the Automotive Market to which matrix supplies under-the-hood components and as well as an ISO 9001:2000 endorsement which covers all other industries. The TS 16949:2002 Quality Standard, which has world-wide acceptance by such OEMs as BMW, Daimler-Chrysler, Fiat, Ford and GM, now makes it possible to comply with one technical specification yet supply multiple OEMs. This has significant benefit to both suppliers and manufacturers by way of reducing customer requirements for Supplier Quality Assurance (SQA) staff and repetitive customer audits. Says Joe Malachowski, matrix QA Manager, "We were one of the first injection molders to achieve ISO certification back in 1994. Since then, we have consistently applied ourselves in order to satisfy the evolving quality requirements through QS9000 and now TS16949. We have found the efforts to meet the evolving Quality System requirements to be healthy, both organizationally and competitively. Although TS is an automotive based standard, all of our customers will benefit from our system upgrades.” 
 

 

matrix Acquires PerkinElmer SpectrumT 100 FT-IR
November 2, 2006

matrix, incorporated, One Catamore Blvd., East Providence, RI, a wholly owned subsidiary of Precision Engineered Products, Inc., with headquarters in Attleboro, MA has purchased a PerkinElmer Spectrum 100 FT-IR instrument for testing the thermoplastic resins it molds for various customer requirements. The FT-IR spectrometer scans the infrared polymer spectrum of a molded component and compares it with a known spectra data base. The spectrum with the highest correlation is highlighted and a correlation index to the unknown spectra is given for each material analyzed. John S. Harker, President, comments that this equipment "allows our staff to gather precise data on the quality of both our raw materials and our molded components. Used in-line, it is a powerful tool to affirm process control. Likewise, it is an excellent tool when used in problem-solving."

 

Circuitree.com Predicts the Future is Plastics
August 1, 2006
From Circuitree.com ... Thermoplastics, like LCP, have the right properties for component packaging including high temperature tolerance, low moisture absorption, low flammability, and precision molding.
Read the Article

 

matrix, inc. purchases Prodigy Modeling System
June 12, 2006

matrix, incorporated, PEP's Engineered Plastic components business, is pleased to announce its acquisition of a Prodigy Modeling System from Stratysys, Eden Prarie, MN. This state-of-the-art system will allow sales engineers to provide full scale models from customer provided data files in a matter of days. The system also provides the means to increase the scale for micro-sized components, this to facilitate fit and function assessment. "Acquiring the FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) technology takes Matrix to the next level of 3-D CAD design and prototyping capability. The equipment takes a computer CAD design and turns it into a real 3-D model within a day of developing the .stl file. The process will be invaluable in assisting our customers to optimize their product design for the best tool functionality and will also help us both develop the most efficient/low cost assembly" states Dennis Jones, matrix Engineering Manager.  Scot MacGillivray, Sales Engineer adds, "Speed is an important delivery dimension and with this new modeling system complementing our existing engineering equipment and resources, we are in an industry leading position to help our customers make timely, practical decisions on their designs prior to their committing to expensive tooling investments.

 

Precision Engineered Products Announces its Purchase of Atco Plastics, Inc.
February 8, 2006

Precision Engineered Products, Inc., with headquarters in Attleboro, MA and its engineered plastic components subsidiary, matrix, incorporated. of East Providence, RI are pleased to announce the acquisition of Atco Plastics, Inc. of Plainville, MA. Atco is a long established injection molding company whose principal, Ralph Schlenker, will remain active in thh Atco and matrix customers," said Ralph Schlenker.

matrix is a division of Precision Engineered Products (PEP). With operating units in the US, Mexico and China, PEP has operating divisions including matrix (plastic molding), Brainin and Wauconda Tool & Engineering (precision metal stamping and electrical contacts), General Metal Finishing (surface finishing technologies) and Polymetalurgical (clad and specialty metal alloys).

 

modplas.com "10 Waves of the Future"
September 1, 2005
From modplas.com ... It's a risky business tracking trends: Where one man sees an emerging opportunity, another sees a fad. Only time tells who's right and who's wrong. MPW's editors stick their necks out with a look at the mega-trends shaping the plastics industry today.
Read more

 

matrix is really big at the micron level
November 8, 2001

With micron tolerance injection molding, the smallest technical components can be produced from plastic with a high degree or precision. Matrix, Inc. uses Ticona engineering polymers to meet the needs of its customers.

"Execution is everything," explains John Medgyesy, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, about Matrix, Inc., located in East Providence, Rhode Island. "We consistently deliver more than most injection molders can promise. That's why our customers come back to us." He expects the same reliability from Ticona. "Ticona delivers superior polymers on time and with the professional service we need to produce higher quality parts."

Reliability, innovation and quality are the foundations of successful customer relations. This is true for both Matrix and Ticona. Matrix is a high precision injection molding company that focuses on demanding niches in markets ranging from traditional to cutting edge applications. Current examples include automotive connectors, impellers and filter housings for water and fuel handling applications, high temperature thermoplastic resins and many other applications in traditional markets. Matrix also makes new, exciting markets accessible for its technology capabilities: The opto-electronics market needs micron toleranced and integrated-lens components, while the electronic and automotive markets require encapsulation molding of printed circuit boards and a broad variety of sensing components. New markets appear on the horizon and Matrix is looking to round out its portfolio by targeting medical companies where these same capabilities will be an asset.

Manufacturers of sensors, electronic components and communication constituents strive to improve the performance of their products. Some of this improvement is based on the continuous efforts of Matrix to improve the already high level of its quality and of Ticona to improve the performance of its polymers.

Matrix's precise technical components underlie many recent innovations in telecommunications, information technology and automotive electronics. As a pioneer in micron toleranced injection molding, Matrix is dependent on suitable polymers. The materials must possess properties such as a high degree of geometric stability and high rigidity, so that technical components can perform during assembly processes and in the field. For over 20 years, Matrix has increased used Ticona polymers like Celcon®, Celanex®, Vectra® and Fortron® with excellent results. A process controlled by microprocessors and materials with excellent dimensional stability allows for only the most minute deviations from specifications by precisely controlling important parameters like temperature and pressure.

One example is an optical transceiver subassembly for IBM, a hollow conical-shaped cylinder that weighs less than four grams and has a wall thickness of less than 0.5 millimeters. One side holds a lens that focuses light from a diode into an optical fiber. The part demands great precision, so that most of the light passing through the lens strikes the core of the glass fiber to provide minimal data loss. To meet tolerances of under 4 microns, Matrix molds these parts from Fortron®, a linear polyphenylene sulfide. This material provides the stability to holds those critical dimensions over mass production.

To better serve its customers, Matrix relies on strong relationships with its material suppliers. The polymers, even if supplied in large batches, must run smoothly in the physical properties and dimensions of the molded parts remain constant. For John Medgyesy and his colleagues, it is assuring to have quick access to Ticona's highly responsive technical service.

 

Source: Celanese Annual Report 2001

 

matrix Chooses Fortron® PPS in Molding Fiber Optic and Optoelectronic Components to Tolerances of Under 4 microns
September 26, 2001

Summit, New Jersey, and Frankfurt, Germany, Sept. 26, 2001 - Matrix, Inc., a precision injection molder in East Providence, Rhode Island (USA), uses Fortron® polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) from Ticona, the technical polymers business of Celanese AG (NYSE: CZ), and proprietary micron-molding methods to meet tolerances of under 4 microns for many of the fiber optic and photonic components it produces. 

A good example of a Matrix micron-molded part is an IBM optical transceiver subassembly in the form of a straight cylinder that steps down to a smaller diameter. One side holds a lens that focuses light from a diode onto an optical fiber held in a ferrule on the other side. The part demands great precision so most of the light passing through the lens strikes the 60-micron core of the glass fiber to provide good coupling efficiency and minimal data loss.

Matrix molds the part out of Fortron® 6165A6 PPS, a 65-percent glass and mineral-filled grade. This material provides the stability to hold the critical dimensions set for the part, the smallest of which is 2 microns, over production runs of 500,000 to 1 million parts per year.

"We perfected the ability to mold submicron tolerances more than a decade ago and have continued to evolve this technology," says John Medgyesy, vice president of sales and marketing at Matrix. "The ability to do this for components weighing less than 0.4 gram and having walls as thin as 0.5 mm depends on keeping the molding process consistent. Such consistency means having the right tooling, machines, materials and know-how."

Micron-molding requires great attention to detail, says Bob Brown, project leader at Matrix. "We use barrels carefully sized to the part and advanced microprocessors that control temperature, pressure, fill position and other parameters at many places in the mold and injection unit," he says. "This gives us the feedback essential for repeatability."
"Each tool has up to four cavities until tolerances drop below 4 microns. We then go with one-cavity tooling to gain better control. The dimensional stability of the resin is also key to holding micron-level tolerances. The highly filled Fortron PPS we use provides this stability because it has low mold shrinkage, low coefficient of thermal expansion, high stiffness and minimal lot-lot variability."

Fortron PPS is a crystalline polymer that flows easily at relatively low injection pressures, so it rapidly fills intricate parts and keeps molded-in-stress relatively low. It also has minimal moisture uptake, inherent flame resistance, superior chemical resistance, low ionic impurities, and excellent strength, toughness and electrical properties.


Source: Ticona US 09/26/2001