Ferrotec, a Tokyo-based manufacturer of ferrofluids and related equipment for semiconductor production, has combined a modernized manufacturing hub with its North American headquarters in California and is establishing a large new manufacturing site in Malaysia.
In June, its North American subsidiary held the ribbon-cutting for relocation of its corporate headquarters from Santa Clara, California to nearby Livermore with a combined modernized manufacturing hub.
“Operating with 140 people in over 77,000 square feet of space, the new location updates our operations with a modernized manufacturing environment. A well-designed, shared space supports the synchronization needed to continue our growth,” said Eiji Miyanaga, CEO of Ferrotec (USA) Corporation. “With this new facility, we expect to provide expanded capacity, improve business continuity for critical activities, and ensure that our customers do not experience disruptions to their supplies from us.”
In Malaysia, Ferrotec is establishing a new manufacturing facility for electromechanical assembly and advanced material fabrication for semiconductor equipment. Expected to kickstart its operation in 2023, the plant represents a total investment expected to exceed RM500 million at a facility of more than 800,000 square feet.
“Ferrotec has seen increasing demand for our products and services in Asia. With this new production facility, we expect to provide expanded capacity, improve business continuity for critical activities, and most importantly, ensure that our customers do not experience disruptions to their supplies from us,” said Miyanaga.
Core technology of ferrofluid magnetic liquid and ferrofluidic sealing products
Founded in 1980 on a technology core of ferrofluid magnetic liquid and ferrofluidic sealing products, the company and its product portfolio have grown to a global enterprise. It manufactures all of the premium ferrofluids used in its lines of vacuum rotary feedthroughs and seals. These ferrofluids are not available for sale.
In the audio speaker market, it has been supplying ferrofluid to speaker manufacturers since the early 1970s that enables their speakers to function more efficiently, with improved audio response and better power handling as well as better manufacturability for improved quality and higher yields.
Audio ferrofluids are based on two classes of carrier liquid: synthetic hydrocarbons and esters. Both oils possess very low volatility and high thermal stability. The choice of fluid is dictated by the environmental considerations of the application combined with the best balance of magnetization and viscosity values to optimize the acoustical performance.
By varying the quantity of magnetic material in a ferrofluid, and by using different carrier liquids, it can be tailored to meet a variety of needs. The saturation magnetization (the maximum value of the magnetic moment per unit volume when all the domains are aligned) is determined by the nature of the suspended magnetic material and by the volumetric loading of the material. The physical and chemical properties such as density and viscosity correspond closely to those of the carrier liquid.
The company’s EMG Series dry magnetic nanoparticles are dry iron oxide particles coated with specific surfactants to facilitate suspension in a variety of solvents for customized use by individual research laboratories. These particles have a nominal diameter of 10 nm, are single domain and are true superparamagnetic particles with an initial magnetic susceptibility of 0.2. The core material is principally magnetite (Fe3O4), exhibiting no hysteresis and typically compatible with living tissue. For more info, see www.ferrotec.com and www.ferrotec.co.jp.
