Internal bake-out reduces lead time for vacuum sensor solutions

At Sentech, we have taken an important step so we can serve our customers more quickly: from now on, we will be carrying out the bake-out of sensors ourselves. For sensor solutions that require bake-out, the lead time will be shortened by at least two weeks because this process step will be carried out in-house.

What is bake-out?

Bake-out is a process in which materials are heated to remove gases, moisture, solvents, or other forms of contamination. This takes place in a vacuum-controlled environment. The point of removing these substances from the material prior to use or assembly, is so that they do not cause problems down the line, such as loss of performance or molecular contamination.

This cleansing is vital for applications in vacuum environments, such as the semiconductor industry. Not only can residual gases disrupt the required vacuum but they can also trigger reactions that affect the functioning of systems or contaminate sensitive components.

Cleanliness in accordance with clean-room standards

Our cleaning processes comply with strict standards for outgassing rates of water (H₂O), volatile and non-volatile hydrocarbons (CXHY v and CXHY nv). This enables us to achieve the same level of cleanliness as established market standards, including GSA-07-2220 ‘Grade 2: Vacuum cleanliness’ from the semiconductor market.

One-stop-shop for sensor integration

The bake-out service has been available at Sentech for some time. Previously, though, we outsourced this process to external partners. The arrival of our own bake-out oven means we can now perform this service in-house. This is much more efficient. Not only does it give us more control over quality and planning but it also cuts the lead time by at least two weeks. Your end product benefits from a more efficient workflow.

Flexible bake-out service

Integrating a sensor into an application involves more than just the right sensor technology. Processes like bake-out are crucial to fulfilling the environmental demands of vacuum applications.

Bake-out is offered as a standard part of the overall production process for sensor integration in the semiconductor and aerospace sectors. Is your requirement just for a reliable bake-out service for separate components? We will be happy to assist you with that as well! We will help you explore the right strategy for your situation: which components require bake-out, which parameters are crucial, and how will this align with your production process?

Are you curious about the possibilities for your application? Please fill in the contact form and we will get back to you soon.

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