Automotive Manufacturer Partners with Medical Manufacturers to Develop New Micro-Machining Process

Delphi Automotive is partnering with medical component manufacturers Raydiance Inc. and Microlution Inc. in the development of a new micro-machining system. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has granted Delphi $3.7 million to develop this system for the machining of complex shapes. The system will use high-speed laser technology, and will purportedly be able to enhance production of flow control in Delphi’s direct injection fuel injectors.

Delphi claims that with these funds from the DOE it will be able to increase laser machining energy efficiency up to 25 percent compared to standard practices while eliminating secondary processes such as etching, deburring or surface cleaning.

While Delphi is partnering with Raydiance and Microlution, the system will be developed at Delphi’s manufacturing facility in Rochester, N.Y.

“We are very pleased to partner with the U.S. Department of Energy for these activities at our Rochester facility,” said Jeffrey Owens, chief technology officer at Delphi Automotive. “This project has energy-saving implications and applicability across numerous industries and our working relationship with the Department of Energy is critical to advancing these important initiatives.”

Based in Troy, Mich., Delphi manufactures technology mainly for the automotive industry—but the company does provide products for other industries including medical, e.g., strip connectors for diabetic glucometers.

Raydiance is headquartered in Petaluma, Calif., and provides laser-manufacturing services for a range of industries including medical device.

Microlution is a Chicago, Ill.-based machine tool manufacturer specializing in building high-performance manufacturing equipment that has been optimized for the fabrication of small, high-precision parts.