Case Study

Coherent

How ISC Helped Coherent maintain performance integrity with overmolded smart cable.

Overview

  • Initial business with Coherent started in January of 2009.
  • Since 2009, ISC has collaborated with Coherent on 80 different renditions of products totaling over 40,000 units of high-end interconnect solutions
  • Most of Coherent’s assemblies are what are referred to as “smart cables”. A smart cable integrates in a feature like a PCB which allows the cable to convert transmissions from one format to another.
  • What makes these assemblies unique is that the PCBA is direct over-molded. Over-molding a PCBA such as an RS232 can be challenging with material shrinkage, proper pin placement, addressing sensitive components when exposed to heat and pressure and other standard criteria like cosmetics.
  • ISC continues to be a key strategic supplier to provide expertise on the interconnect front of this growing business.
  • Although there are challenges to direct over-molding PCBA’s there are several benefits to this value-added process.
  • The over-mold protects the board and other sensitive components such as crystal clock oscillators from damage and failure.
  • The over-mold provides strain relief to the assembly where the highest failure mode occurs when an assembly is used over time.
  • The over-mold is customizable with logos that helps with brand recognition
  • The over-mold can also aid in ingress protection and other environmental failures.
  • Translucent material allows LED’s and other key components on boards to be seen.

Challenge

Challenge was to direct over-mold onto PCB and maintain the performance integrity of sensitive components which can malfunction under heat and pressure during molding.

Solution

Build a smart cable with logo, strain relief, and integrating visual elements like LED to be seen through over-mold solution.

Outcome

Thousands of products put into the field helping to make Coherent an industry leader in the photonics industry.
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