Partnering for a global position

Rakon is one of New Zealand’s most successful companies. It has in-depth knowledge of crystal design, materials and manufacturing and uses it to produce crystal oscillators for the global GPS, telecommunications and aerospace markets.

The company manufactures devices using traditional crystal fabrication processes but, two years ago, began investigating microfabrication as an alternative technology.

Microfabrication uses high performance optical methods such as photolithography and chemical etching. With 20 years silicon plant and micromachining experience, IRL was a logical partner says IRL research engineer Rob Kemp.

“We had a long-standing relationship with Rakon and they came to us to find out if microfabrication would work for crystal production, how good it would be, costs and logistics.”

IRL moved quickly, setting up a system where Rakon’s specialist staff could work in the laboratory alongside its own scientists at the Crown Research Institute’s Gracefield campus.

Rakon bought new machinery to complement IRL’s equipment and, drawing on the knowledge of its own staff and IRL colleagues, was able to construct a prototype manufacturing process which it implemented at Gracefield. The crystals produced using the new technology are more precise, cleaner and deliver better performance.

“Another advantage for Rakon,” says Rob Kemp,“has been the ability to use our facility to develop new technology without interrupting its current manufacturing plant and processes, and to learn from their experiences at Gracefield about what would work best for them on their site.”

“They also felt confident that IRL could provide the technical expertise and the level of confidentiality needed by a company that is at the forefront of a highly competitive global industry.”

In addition, the arrangement has allowed Rakon to benefit from the wider expertise within IRL. “We were able to offer input and knowledge from other people around the IRL campus, which was very beneficial for Rakon and helped them solve various problems they encountered along the way.”

Rakon is transitioning out of IRL’s campus and setting up a new clean room for microfabrication production at its Auckland manufacturing base. It can currently produce several hundred crystals at a time but will be scaling up the process to make up to a million high performance crystals a day.

Gregor Sedlmeier, project manager and photolithography research engineer at Rakon, says working at IRL gave Rakon the knowledge it needed to tailor-make its own development facility in Auckland.

“At Gracefield, we have been able to find out what equipment needs installing and determine what is required to develop our own facility. This has saved the company a lot of time and expense,” he says.

“The facility provided by IRL in Gracefield is world class. Leasing IRL’s facility enabled Rakon to catch up and even get ahead of our international competitors. Working with IRL scientists and engineers is always encouraging.”

Rob Kemp says the partnership is a great example of how IRL can work with the high tech manufacturing sector. “We have the capability to help companies overcome technology road blocks, maintain their world leading position and continue to be major contributors to the New Zealand economy.”