Aerospace & Defense Technology - August 2023 - 4

INSIDE STORY
Sponsored Content
The requirements of the aerospace and defense industries have created a need for the miniaturization
of o-rings and seals for use in the next generation of microelectronics. Apple Rubber is a
leading designer and manufacturer of microminiature o-rings for aerospace and defense applications.
In the following interview, Materials Manager John Tranquilli discusses how Apple Rubber's
MicrOrings have been optimized for use in these critical applications.
Aerospace & Defense Technology: Aerospace and defense
OEMs are being asked to fit miniaturized electronics into
smaller and smaller spaces to enable next generation
applications such as machine learning, AI and edge computing.
How does Apple Rubber Products optimize the fit
and performance of its MicrOrings for applications where
space is limited?
John Tranquilli: First is material choice
- finding the suitable rubber compound
for the applications. Many MicrOrings
are for miniature applications. Ozone
and UV exposure will break down many
rubber polymers. Picking more stable
polymer chains like EPDM, FKM, or silicone
is critical to maintaining sealing
force. Other factors are chemical or
temperature, which can cause premature
failures of the seal. Next is seal design for miniaturization.
Tolerance stack-up becomes even more critical when working
with micro seals. Hardware components require tight tolerance
precision while also holding higher tolerance on the rubber
molded part, typically in the RMA-A1 tolerances. Lastly, we will
look at how the seal will be installed to ensure that installation
will not be the cause of failure. For example, removing sharp
edges so as not to cut the seal during installation.
Aerospace & Defense Technology: The Department of
Defense recently established " Microelectronics Commons, "
to expand domestic microelectronics fabrication capability.
How can Apple Rubber Products' MicrOrings help in this
initiative?
Tranquilli: Many of our micro moldings are done at our U.S.
facility in Lancaster, New York. With our in-house tool shop,
95 percent of our molds are cut in-house. Raw materials are
purchased from U.S. sources, so material manufacturing is done
in the U.S.
Aerospace & Defense Technology: What role can MicrOrings
provide in enabling some of the next generation technologies
that the Department of Defense is focused on researching
and developing right now?
Tranquilli: As electronics get smaller, so does the need for
micro seals. We can fabricate micro seals with more robust
materials. Materials that have reduced outgassing help prevent
sulfonic corrosion of microelectronic circuits. Low durometer
LSR micro molding gives the wearable a soft feel to enhance
user experience. Self-bonding LSR allows seals or coverings to
be directly molded to some components to reduce assembly
issues or give better adhesions to secondary adhesives.
Aerospace & Defense Technology: How do MicrOrings enable
uninterrupted performance of mission-critical systems
such as communication, radar or navigation electronics and
computers?
Tranquilli: Properly designed sealing grooves and robust sealing
materials leads to less water permeation which can corrode
electronics. Fewer environmental issues like dust which can
cause electrical failures are prevented as well. Again, less outgassing
of rubber chemicals that can cause electronics to fail is
prevented by properly designed sealing grooves and materials.
For more information, visit www.applerubber.com.
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Aerospace & Defense Technology, August 2023

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Aerospace & Defense Technology - August 2023

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