F.A.Q’s

Working Together

Often times we just want a few quick answers, don't want to talk to a salesperson or have to hold on a phone call. Please find a few of the common questions we field with links to additional information. Don't forget to use the search tool at the top of the page to search for any topic you may be interested in.

Do you offer Quickturn and Rapid Prototyping Services?
Absolutely, our best turn around time has been 17 hours for one of our Semiconductor customers. That was a special situation, however we will listen to your needs and discern how best we can serve you juxtaposed to our current obligations and production capacity. Existing customers always have priority and receive faster lead-times than first-time customers.
What should I include in my RFQ package?
It depends if you are seeking Brazing Services on material consignment, turnkey services or one of Altair Products as related to LINAC, it's peripherals or refurbishment. If you have a requirements document for your project, please include it in a simple bundled email (button in the sidebar to the right). The rule of thumb is, "If it's important for your success, make it a requirement for us."
How long will it take to receive my quote?
We will do our best to provide a quick response within 4 hours. Quotes can be the same day, next day or up to a week for turnkey services. Engineering usually reviews every request and it takes time for suppliers to provide accurate pricing and lead time for materials when applicable. Rest assured, we will communicate clearly the ETA of the quote.
How do I know if my design or machined parts are ready for brazing?
Please review the links in the sidebar for the design checklists and more information in the articles we have published in our Education Resources, Altair 360°. Beyond that, when you are ready to submit an RFQ, we will review your design and inform you of any changes that may need to be made. If you have any questions, please call us anytime to talk to one of our engineers or a member of ARG; we will be happy to help you.
What kind of products and assemblies can Altair build?
We provide brazed assemblies for a full spectrum of applications, serving many industries and are not limited to any particular product. Every week we our embarking on a new application as more and more engineers and project managers are discovering the versatility and cost savings of furnace brazing complex assemblies. Some examples include pedestals, vacuum chambers, heat exchangers, heater tables, cooling assemblies, electrostatic chucks, heat exchangers and more. Please click the "Brazing Overview" in the right sidebar to discover a more complete list of applications.

Brazing, Material Joining, and Batch Processing

What materials can Altair process?
The short answer is, just about any low vapor pressure alloy and ceramics. We braze and clean fire virtually all low vapor pressure metals and ceramics such as OHFC Copper 101, Stainless Steel (SST), Kovar, Monel, Tungsten, Cupro-Nickel, Titanium, Aluminum, Alumina, Silicon Carbide and many more.
Do you braze or process, brass, bronze and lead materials?
Due to environmental and equipment issues associated with Brass, Bronze and Lead, Altair does not braze or process these materials.
What is the largest assembly you can braze?
Our largest braze furnace can handle 48” diameter X 60” high. Please visit the "Brazing Overview" page for more detailed information on capacity, the button is in the sidebar to the right.
What are the advantages of turnkey contract manufacturing?
When purchasing turnkey products, the customer only has to manage one supplier – Altair. We manage the entire program and logistics (material procurement and any other outside processes needed). You receive a product that conforms to your specs. You don’t have to absorb any scrap costs incurred. Also, if ordering in large quantity over a longer period of time, material prices can be set at the time of ordering, avoiding the increasing costs of material over time.
How economical can brazing be compared to other bonding techniques?
Brazing can be very cost effective, especially when large runs can be used to amortize the unit cost vs. the cost to run a braze furnace. The process is typically automated and is very competitive when compared to other techniques like welding that are labor intensive. Altair possesses furnaces of many shapes and sizes that can be most cost-effectively suited to your needs.
Do you braze ceramics, such as alumina and aluminum nitride?
Yes, we can braze almost any type of ceramic or composite material. This is typically accomplished by metalizing the ceramic or using an active metal braze alloy.
Are surface finishes and joint tolerances critical to a high quality braze joint?
Absolutely! The surfaces to be brazed must meet high tolerance criteria, be flat, usually better than .003″ and have an appropriate surface finish, typically 32-64 micro-inches. Please click the "Design Guidelines" button to the right for more information and contact Altair Engineering for more information, we will be happy to review your braze design.
Are there advantages to vacuum aluminum brazing vs. aluminum dip brazing?
Vacuum aluminum brazing is a high purity process and, unlike dip-brazing, there are no residual salts left on the surfaces or trapped within the recess features of the components to be brazed. If the units contain residual salts, there may be a possibility of out-gassing during the heating/introduction of certain process gases and chemicals; please click on the vacuum aluminum brazing button to the right.

Altair Products - LINAC & Peripherals

What kind of products does Altair specialize in?
The majority of work we do is associated with high vacuum products/systems with an emphasis in linear accelerators, traveling wave tubes, x-ray tubes and various brazed assemblies for RF applications in the Defense & Aerospace, Semiconductor and Medical industries.
Does Altair refurbish Medical and Security industry Linear Accelerators?
Yes, Altair has extensive technical knowledge and experience refurbishing linear accelerators, waveguides and more. Beyond taking the LINAC through bakeout, Altair will vacuum test, RTV pot the Electron gun and high voltage process each unit.
Can you supply RF windows, Ion-Pumps, Wave guide assemblies and Electron Guns?
Yes to all. We can build to your specifications or offer designs of our own flagship products. Whether it's tweaking your existing design, a complete new OEM product or component or making it easy with our flagship products, please contact us to discuss your requirements.