Manufacturing and Engineering Magazine Volume 425 - January 2016 | Page 21

AEROSPACE TT ELECTRONICS - SEMELAB
“A key part of our success in the past and
our continued growth in the future is an ability to think ahead of the game. Currently,
there’s a lot of talk about silver sintering, for
instance. That’s something we’ve been looking
at for some time and we are already developing the use of it within our products. More
recently, the industry is expecting the next big
thing to be silicon nitride substrates, yet we’ve
had products in operation for nearly five years
using this substrate. So it’s a constant process
of innovation to keep ourselves at the forefront of technology with a focus on how we
can provide better thermal dissipation, lighter
weight designs, energy efficiency and
increased lifespan,” Coleman explains.
Through its research and development
arm, working with academic institutions, its
involvement with the Midlands Aerospace

“A key part of our
success in the past
and our continued
growth in the future
is an ability to think
ahead of the game.”
Moreover, as Coleman states “We are also
currently involved in a research programme
with a major aircraft engine manufacturer and
academic institutions to develop systems
capable of mitigating the adverse effect of
lightning strikes on aircraft. On average a
commercial aircraft is hit by lightning at least
once a year. Existing aircraft with an aluminium body are like a Faraday cage where the
electricity would go around the skin of the
plane and then dissipate to earth. Nowadays,
with more composite airframes the threat has
increased substantially with the electrical current seeking to travel along the path of least
resistance, which could be cables connected
to sensitive electronic systems. Working with
partners through Innovate UK, we’re developing a current limiting diode t ]