Top Seiko’s Guidelines for Manufacturing Excellence – Part 1

In the world of precision machining, ensuring high-quality output while balancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness is a constant challenge.
Top Seiko, a leader in machining advanced ceramics, refractory metals, glasses and crystals, has established comprehensive guidelines to optimize manufacturing processes.

These guidelines address critical constraints, material properties, and cost factors to enhance the precision and reliability of machined components.

Understanding Machining Constraints

Top Seiko has identified several constraints in machining that must be considered for optimal design and manufacturing.
Each factor plays a crucial role in determining the feasibility, durability, and cost of the final product.

Tool Factor

• Diamond-coated drills, commonly used in machining, have cylindrical shapes that limit their capability. This requires careful planning of pocket and hole dimensions. Adding a radius to the corners of square pockets or relieves is necessary. The smaller the radius, the higher the machining cost.
  
  
  

• Square pockets and holes require corner radii of R0.2–0.3mm for smooth machining, as sharp corners may cause tool wear or breakage.

• Deep holes should be strategically positioned to avoid interference with high walls. If walls are too high, additional tool protrusion may be required, increasing the machining complexity.

• Machining from multiple ends may result in micron-level misalignment (0.01–0.03mm), which must be considered in high-precision applications.

• Edges of low bosses or dimples must have a full radius (0.2–0.3mm) to prevent defects and ensure structural integrity.

Material Factor

• Sharp edges are prone to breakage; chamfers or rounded edges are recommended to improve durability.
  This is particularly important for fragile materials such as ceramics and glass.

• All sharp edges are removed unless specified to prevent chipping and cracks, which can compromise product reliability.

• Wall thickness varies depending on the material: Alumina/AlN (0.2mm), Glass (1–2mm), Tungsten (1mm). Designing within these constraints ensures mechanical stability.

• Glass surfaces appear translucent after machining and require polishing/lapping for transparency. Additional processing steps should be considered for optical applications.

To be continued in Part 2…