Park Aerospace Corp

Last updated

Park Electrochemical Corp
Type Public
NYSE:  PKE
Industry Semiconductor Equipment & Materials
Founded1954
Headquarters,
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Brian E. Shore
( Chief Executive Officer, President, and Exec. Chairman )

P. Matthew Farabaugh
( Chief Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer and VP)

Christopher T. Mastrogiacomo (

Contents

Chief Operating Officer and Exec. VP) (December, 2013)
Productsdigital and radio frequency(RF)/microwave printed circuit material products, composite materials
RevenueIncrease2.svg $73.41M (2014.1.30)
Number of employees
535(2013.12)
Website parkaerospace.com

Park Electrochemical Corp, now called the Park Aerospace Corp, is a Melville, New York-based materials manufacturer for the telecommunications, Internet infrastructure, high-end computing, and aerospace industries. It produces high-technology digital and radio frequency(RF)/microwave printed circuit material products, composite materials. Its printed circuit materials are used for complex multilayer printed circuit boards and other electronic interconnection systems, such as multilayer back-planes, wireless packages, high-speed/low-loss multilayers, and high density interconnects (HDIs). Its core capabilities are polymer chemistry formulation and coating technology. [1]

History

Park Electrochemical Corp was founded in 1954 by Jerry Shore and Tony Chiesa. [2]

In 1957 Park developed epoxy-glass copper-clad laminates for use in making printed circuit boards. [2]

During the 1960s and 70s, the company invented a multilayer laminate printed circuit materials system. It also opened two more Nelco materials subsidiaries. [2]

During the 1980s and 90s, the company extended its product lines to vacuum lamination, multilayer facility and RF/Microwave. It also enlarged its product markets, established subsidiaries in many countries, such as FiberCote Industries, Inc. and Park Advanced Composite Materials, Inc. [2]

From 2000, Park completed a series of global acquisitions and expansions and entered the aerospace market. It sold its Nelco Technology Inc. and acquired Nova Composites, Inc. In 2003, Park and Snecma Propulsion Systems signed an agreement to let Park market SPS’s Raycarb C2 carbonized rayon fabric to manufacturers of rocket motors. [3]

In February, 2013, Isola USA Corp and Park settled a patents dispute over Styrene Maleic Anhydride (SMA) in laminates. Both companies agreed to dismiss a 2012 patent infringement lawsuit filed against Park by Isola. Park agreed to refrain from challenging the validity or enforceability of any of Isola’s SMA patents. [4]

Products

There are four main product lines in Park Electrochemical corporation, namely Advanced Composite Materials (for aircraft structures, interiors and radomes. broadgoods, tapes), Nelco Digital Electronic Materials (for multilayer designs), Nelco RF/Microwave Materials, and Advanced Composite Parts (Lightweight assemblies for aerospace applications.). The Company’s products include high-speed, low-loss, engineered formulations, high-temperature modified epoxies, phenolics, polyimides, polyphenylene ethers Signal Integrity (SI) products. [5]

Research and development

Aug 12, 2013,Park Electrochemical Corp introduced its new NL9000 RF/Microwave electronics materials products with a dissipation factor (“Df”) of 0.0017 at 10 GHz using stripline testing methodology and a 0.5 dB/cm attenuation loss at 77 GHz for microstrip automotive radar applications. The new series meets UL 94V-0 and IPC-4103 specifications and are RoHS compliant. [6]

July 22, 2013, After its successful applications of SIGMA STRUT, Park introduced ALPHA STRUT, new proprietary composite strut design for aircraft and other aerospace applications. These two technologies improve weight savings and load carrying reliability. [7]

In May, 2013, the company's Sigma Strut was selected by Northrop Grumman for use on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Printed circuit board</span> Board to support and connect electronic components

A printed circuit board (PCB), also called printed wiring board (PWB), is a medium used to connect or "wire" components to one another in a circuit. It takes the form of a laminated sandwich structure of conductive and insulating layers: each of the conductive layers is designed with an artwork pattern of traces, planes and other features etched from one or more sheet layers of copper laminated onto and/or between sheet layers of a non-conductive substrate. Electrical components may be fixed to conductive pads on the outer layers in the shape designed to accept the component's terminals, generally by means of soldering, to both electrically connect and mechanically fasten them to it. Another manufacturing process adds vias: plated-through holes that allow interconnections between layers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BNC connector</span> RF connector for coax cable

The BNC connector is a miniature quick connect/disconnect radio frequency connector used for coaxial cable. It is designed to maintain the same characteristic impedance of the cable, with 50 ohm and 75 ohm types being made. It is usually applied for video and radio frequency connections up to about 2 GHz and up to 500 volts. The connector has a twist to lock design with two lugs in the female portion of the connector engaging a slot in the shell of the male portion. The type was introduced on military radio equipment in the 1940s and has since become widely applied in radio systems, and is a common type of video connector. Similar radio-frequency connectors differ in dimensions and attachment features, and may allow for higher voltages, higher frequencies, or three-wire connections.

Fiberglass or fibreglass is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth. The plastic matrix may be a thermoset polymer matrix—most often based on thermosetting polymers such as epoxy, polyester resin, or vinyl ester resin—or a thermoplastic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epoxy</span> Type of material

Epoxy is the family of basic components or cured end products of epoxy resins. Epoxy resins, also known as polyepoxides, are a class of reactive prepolymers and polymers which contain epoxide groups. The epoxide functional group is also collectively called epoxy. The IUPAC name for an epoxide group is an oxirane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flexible electronics</span> Mounting of electronic devices on flexible plastic substrates

Flexible electronics, also known as flex circuits, is a technology for assembling electronic circuits by mounting electronic devices on flexible plastic substrates, such as polyimide, PEEK or transparent conductive polyester film. Additionally, flex circuits can be screen printed silver circuits on polyester. Flexible electronic assemblies may be manufactured using identical components used for rigid printed circuit boards, allowing the board to conform to a desired shape, or to flex during its use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thermosetting polymer</span> Polymer obtained by irreversibly hardening (curing) a resin

In materials science, a thermosetting polymer, often called a thermoset, is a polymer that is obtained by irreversibly hardening ("curing") a soft solid or viscous liquid prepolymer (resin). Curing is induced by heat or suitable radiation and may be promoted by high pressure, or mixing with a catalyst. Heat is not necessarily applied externally, but is often generated by the reaction of the resin with a curing agent. Curing results in chemical reactions that create extensive cross-linking between polymer chains to produce an infusible and insoluble polymer network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamination</span> Technique of fusing layers of material

Lamination is the technique/process of manufacturing a material in multiple layers, so that the composite material achieves improved strength, stability, sound insulation, appearance, or other properties from the use of the differing materials, such as plastic. A laminate is a permanently assembled object created using heat, pressure, welding, or adhesives. Various coating machines, machine presses and calendering equipment are used.

FR-4 is a NEMA grade designation for glass-reinforced epoxy laminate material. FR-4 is a composite material composed of woven fiberglass cloth with an epoxy resin binder that is flame resistant (self-extinguishing).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Analog Devices</span> American semiconductor manufacturer

Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI), also known simply as Analog, is an American multinational semiconductor company specializing in data conversion, signal processing, and power management technology, headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts.

Fibre-reinforced plastic is a composite material made of a polymer matrix reinforced with fibres. The fibres are usually glass, carbon, aramid, or basalt. Rarely, other fibres such as paper, wood, boron, or asbestos have been used. The polymer is usually an epoxy, vinyl ester, or polyester thermosetting plastic, though phenol formaldehyde resins are still in use.

FR-2 is a NEMA designation for synthetic resin bonded paper, a composite material made of paper impregnated with a plasticized phenol formaldehyde resin, used in the manufacture of printed circuit boards. Its main properties are similar to NEMA grade XXXP (MIL-P-3115) material, and can be substituted for the latter in many applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murata Manufacturing</span> Japanese electronic components manufacturer

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic components, based in Nagaokakyo, Kyoto.

Micarta is a brand name for composites of linen, canvas, paper, fiberglass, carbon fiber, or other fabric in a thermosetting plastic. It was originally used in electrical and decorative applications. Micarta was developed by George Westinghouse at least as early as 1910 using phenolic resins invented by Leo Baekeland. These resins were used to impregnate paper and cotton fabric which were cured under pressure and high temperature to produce laminates. In later years this manufacturing method included the use of fiberglass fabric, and other resin types were also used. Today Micarta high-pressure industrial laminates are produced with a wide variety of resins and fibers. The term has been used generically for most resin impregnated fiber compounds. Common uses of modern high-pressure laminates include electrical insulators, printed circuit board substrates, and knife handles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4,4'-Oxydianiline</span> Chemical compound

4,4′-Oxydianiline (ODA) is an organic compound with the formula O(C6H4NH2)2. It is an ether derivative of aniline. This colourless solid is a useful monomer and cross-linking agent for polymers, especially the polyimides, such as Kapton.

A thermoset polymer matrix is a synthetic polymer reinforcement where polymers act as binder or matrix to secure in place incorporated particulates, fibres or other reinforcements. They were first developed for structural applications, such as glass-reinforced plastic radar domes on aircraft and graphite-epoxy payload bay doors on the Space Shuttle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Photoimageable thick-film technology</span>

Photoimageable thick-film technology is a combination of conventional thick film technology with elements of thin film technology, and it provides a low cost solution to producing high quality microwave circuits. The ability to directly photoimage the printed layers means that the technology can provide the high line and gap resolution required by high frequency planar components. It provides a feasible fabrication process to produce circuits operating at microwave and millimetre-wave frequencies. Circuits made using this technology meet the modern requirements for high density packaging, whilst yielding the high quality components required for very high frequency applications, including wireless communication, radar and measurement systems.

Anaren, Inc. provides high-frequency microwave microelectronics, components, and assemblies for wireless, aerospace, and defense electronics applications.

Solid Concepts, Inc. is a custom manufacturing company engaged in engineering, manufacturing, production, and prototyping. The company is headquartered in Valencia, California, in the Los Angeles County area, with six other facilities located around the United States. Solid Concepts is an additive manufacturing service provider as well as a major manufacturer of business products, aerospace, unmanned systems, medical equipment and devices, foundry cast patterns, industrial equipment and design, and transportation parts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Co-fired ceramic</span> Integrated circuit package made out of fired ceramic material

Co-fired ceramic devices are monolithic, ceramic microelectronic devices where the entire ceramic support structure and any conductive, resistive, and dielectric materials are fired in a kiln at the same time. Typical devices include capacitors, inductors, resistors, transformers, and hybrid circuits. The technology is also used for robust assembly and packaging of electronic components multi-layer packaging in the electronics industry, such as military electronics, MEMS, microprocessor and RF applications.

G-10 or garolite is a high-pressure fiberglass laminate, a type of composite material. It is created by stacking multiple layers of glass cloth, soaked in epoxy resin, then compressing the resulting material under heat until the epoxy cures. It is manufactured in flat sheets, most often a few millimeters thick.

References

  1. "Business Summary".
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Our Company: History". Park Electrochemical Corp. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  3. "The History of Park Electrochemical Corp".
  4. "Isola and Park Electrochemical Settle Patent Dispute" (Press release).
  5. "Company Full Description". Reuters .
  6. "Park Electrochemical Corp Announces Introduction of NL9000 Very Low Loss RF/Microwave Electronics Materials Products". Reuters . Archived from the original on February 1, 2014.
  7. "Park Electrochemical Corp Announces Introduction of Its New Composite ALPHA STRUT(TM) for Aerospace Applications".
  8. "Park Electrochemical Corp. Announces Selection by Northrop Grumman Corporation of Park's Patented SIGMA STRUT(TM) for the JWST".