Overview >>>

Testing >>>

Backplane Design >>>

Power Supply Design >>>

Enclosure Design >>>

Thermal Analysis >>>

Mil-Spec Manufacturing >>>

Program Management >>>

System Integration >>>

CAPABILITIES - ENCLOSURE DESIGN

All chassis, enclosures, and mounting hardware are designed using SolidWorks 3D CAD software. Structural, thermal, airflow, and mass analysis, all subjected to EDA finite element analysis, are performed on all models in anticipation of environmental testing on the first production units. Our CAD tools, analysis software, and experience allow us to produce a 3D CAD model upon approval from the customer prior to or during the PDR event.

Our highly reliable hardware platforms and power solutions, are typically subjected to extremely harsh environmental conditions, such as shock/vibration, altitude, extreme temperature ranges, EMI/RFI, HEMP, nuclear/chemical survivability, salt, fog, humidity, water, sand/dust, and explosive atmosphere. Design Goals High MTBF Low MTTR Increased packaging efficiency, size, weight and low power consumption (SWaP) Optimized cooling Ease of use and serviceability Reduced Total Cost of Ownership

CARBON FIBER TECHNOLOGY

New Solution To An Old Problem

NOVA Integration Solutions (NIS) now offers Carbon Fiber as new alternative to traditional enclosure building materials. Continuous fiber thermoplastic composite is used to build the housings of ATR Chassis, COTS and Rugged COTS chassis, and Hardened Computing products. It can be used in any design to reduce weight, increase strength, thermal conductivity, and more! Many materials and processes have been proposed for Portable Electronic Enclosures, each requiring compromise in one or more key characteristics.

• Traditional materials such as aluminum require extensive machining steps, are not easily adapted to imaginative style and they lack damage tolerance.
• Steel is generally relegated to rectilinear design and is very heavy.
• Magnesium alloys require expensive tooling, considerable post processing, lack damage tolerance and tend to be expensive.
• Injection molding processes offer lightweight fabrications with considerable style in smaller components. Injection molded parts are generally less damage tolerant, do not have good thermal properties, and require expensive tooling. They are very competitive in high volume small parts.
  

Continuous Fiber Thermoplastic Composites

The continuous fiber in a thermoplastic matrix such as nylon combines to make an extremely stiff, damage tolerant, lightweight structural composite. A comparable part in machined aluminum would weigh 40% more. This is a strong advantage for the composite solution.

In addition to the high strength to weight ratio they also have very good thermal conductivity and extremely low coefficients of thermal expansion. This simplifies tolerance issues for devices such as optical benches that would be affected by movement of a cover. It also simplifies many thermal management problems. EMI/EMC shielding is incorporated in the composite and provides superior performance that does not erode or flake off with time.

Thermoplastic Composite Advantages

Thermoplastic Resins	Notched Izod Impact
Specific Strength vs. Specific Stiffness	Thermal Expansion
*Click on chart to view a higher resolution image*