Hermetic glass-to-metal feedthroughs, contact pins and stamped parts for electronics, sensor technology and automotive
Dietze Group (Eldur AG)
Maienfeld (CH) · Kehl (DE) · Altena (DE) · Bangor, ME (US) · Nesvady (SK)New on Amplifa
About the Dietze Group
The Dietze Group is a family-owned corporate group headquartered in Maienfeld (Switzerland), specialising in customised electrical connection components. The portfolio comprises glass-to-metal feedthroughs for hermetically sealed housings, wire-based and stamped contact pins (EloPin®, Elbik-X-Press®) as well as current feedthroughs for lighting technology. Core processes include glass-to-metal joining technology in self-developed precision furnaces at around 1000 °C under inert or reducing atmosphere, wire forming technology (blunt-pyramidal swaging and thermal tearing), stamping technology on Bruderer stamping presses, and in-house stamping tool manufacturing with wire EDM, die-sinking EDM, hard machining and precision grinding. Materials range from brass, bronze and copper alloys to stainless steel, titanium and special alloys (Kovar, Alloy 42, Inconel), through to technical glasses, glass-ceramics and sapphire. The group supplies the automotive, aerospace, electronics, lighting, energy, refrigerant, medical technology and sensor industries. Production sites are located in Switzerland, Germany, the USA and Slovakia.
- Site
- Maienfeld
- Processes
- Wire forming / blunt-pyramidal swaging for contact pins, Thermal tearing of pin ends, Stamping technology for stamped connectors (EloPin), Tool manufacturing for stamping tools (progressive compound dies in modular design), Wire EDM, die-sinking EDM, hard machining, precision grinding (tool manufacturing), Glass-to-metal joining technology (pressure glass feedthroughs and matched feedthroughs), Glass-ceramic feedthroughs (controlled crystallisation during sealing), Hermetic integration of ceramic and sapphire parts into glass feedthroughs
- Materials
- Brass, Bronze, Copper-based alloys, Copper, Stainless steel, Titanium, Carbon steel, Kovar
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001, IATF 16949 (processes aligned with the standard)
- Founded
- 1921
- Industries
- Automotive, Aerospace & Defence, Electronics, Lighting/Lighting Technology, Energy, Refrigerant Industry
- 01
Wire/stamped part and glass body pre-fabrication
- 02
Wire forming (swaging, thermal tearing) or stamping technology
- 03
In-house tool manufacturing (EDM, hard machining, grinding)
- 04
Glass-to-metal sealing in precision furnaces
- 05
Surface finishing (electroplating)
- 06
Brazing / press-fit technology
- 07
Final inspection (100% optical inspection, leak testing, burst pressure,
Materials and Processes
Brass
The most common wire material for customised contact pins in wire forming technology.
Bronze
Used as a contact pin wire material with good spring properties.
Copper and copper-based alloys
Allow high current-carrying capacity at small pin diameters, e.g. in glass-ceramic feedthroughs.
Stainless steel
Housing material for pressure glass feedthroughs with high pressure resistance.
Titanium
Can be sealed completely oxide-free in specially developed precision furnaces.
Kovar / Alloy 42 / NiFe47
NiFe alloys for matched glass feedthroughs with low residual stresses.
Inconel / Hastelloy / Molybdenum
High-grade special alloys for extreme environmental conditions.
Borosilicate and technical glasses
Lens glasses and sealing glasses as sintered glass bodies or drawn glass tubes.
Glass-ceramic
Temperature-resistant up to 700 °C through controlled crystallisation during sealing.
Ceramic and sapphire
Can be hermetically integrated into glass feedthroughs, e.g. for optical sensors.
Ag-Cu-Pd / Au-Ni brazing alloys
Brazing at 800–1000 °C in combination with the glass feedthrough process.
Carbide and tool steel
Tool components for in-house stamping tool manufacturing.
Production Sites
Eldur AG, Maienfeld
CHHolding, administration and production of glass-to-metal feedthroughs, contact pins, current feedthroughs
- Materials
- Stainless steel, titanium, copper, technical glasses, glass-ceramic
- In-house precision sealing furnaces with multiple temperature zones
- Wire processing machines with swaging units
- Camera systems for 100% inspection
Elbik GmbH, Kehl
DEProduction of contact pins and hybrid parts
- Lot size
- Small to large series
- Materials
- Brass, bronze, copper-based alloys
- Wire processing machines with swaging units
- Thermal tearing process
Elbik Stanztechnik GmbH, Altena
DEProduction of stamped parts, hybrid parts, stamping tool manufacturing
- Lot size
- Large series (stamping presses)
- Materials
- Steel, copper alloys, carbide
- Bruderer stamping presses
- Wire EDM machine
- Die-sinking EDM machine
- Hard machining centre
- Precision grinding machine
Eldur Corporation, Bangor
USProduction of glass-to-metal feedthroughs, contact pins, stamped parts, current feedthroughs
Eldur Slovakia k.s., Nesvady
SKProduction of glass-to-metal feedthroughs and current feedthroughs
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wire forming / blunt-pyramidal swaging for contact pinsForming | – | – | small to medium-sized series | – | Brass, Bronze, Copper-based alloys |
| Thermal tearing of pin endsForming | seamless, burr-free pin ends | – | – | – | Brass, Bronze, Copper-based alloys |
| Stamping technology for stamped connectors (EloPin)Forming | – | – | – | – | Steel, Copper alloys |
| Tool manufacturing for stamping tools (progressive compound dies in modular design)Engineering | highest precision | – | – | – | Steel, Carbide |
| Wire EDM, die-sinking EDM, hard machining, precision grinding (tool manufacturing)Machining | – | – | – | – | Steel, Carbide |
| Glass-to-metal joining technology (pressure glass feedthroughs and matched feedthroughs)Joining | – | up to 30 cm × up to 20 cm (terminal plates) | – | Current-carrying capacity up to 300A; | Stainless steel, Titanium, Copper, Kovar, Alloy 42, Molybdenum, NiFe47 / Alloy 52, Inconel, Hastelloy, Carbon steel |
| Glass-ceramic feedthroughs (controlled crystallisation during sealing)Joining | – | up to 30 cm × up to 20 cm | – | Temperatures up to 700 °C; | Copper, Stainless steel |
| Hermetic integration of ceramic and sapphire parts into glass feedthroughsJoining | – | – | – | – | Ceramic, Sapphire |
| Glass preform technology (sintered glass bodies by pressing and sintering; drawn glass tubes)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Technical glasses, Borosilicate, Barium oxide, Soda-lime, Aluminoborate |
| Brazing in combination with the glass feedthrough processJoining | – | – | – | Brazing temperatures 800 to 1000 °C | Ag-Cu-Pd, Au-Ni |
| Surface finishing / electroplating (full or selective)Surface | – | – | – | – | Nickel, Soft gold, Hard gold, Zinc, Tin (Sn 100% matte on Ni) |
| Press-fit technology (EloPin®, Elbik-X-Press®) for solder-free PCB assemblyAssembly | Hole diameter 0.60 +/-0.05 mm to 1.49 +/-0.05 mm | – | – | Temperature range -40°C to +150°C; IEC | Copper, Brass, Bronze, Copper-based alloys |
| Manufacture of current feedthroughs / lead-in wiresJoining | – | – | – | – | Silicon, Glass |
| Final inspection / testing: optical inspection (100%), leak testing, burst pressure testing,Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Moulding of customer-specific products (hybrid parts with plastic injection moulding partners)Plastics | – | – | – | – | – |
7 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruderer stamping presses | Bruderer | – | – | – | ELBIK Stanztechnik GmbH, Altena |
| Precision furnaces (sealing furnaces) for glass-to-metal joints, multiple temperature zones, | in-house development | – | Furnace temperature approx. 1000 °C | – | Dietze Group |
| Wire processing machines with swaging units | – | – | – | – | Dietze Group |
| Wire EDM machine | – | – | – | – | ELBIK Stanztechnik GmbH (tool manufacturing) |
| Die-sinking EDM machine | – | – | – | – | ELBIK Stanztechnik GmbH (tool manufacturing) |
| Hard machining centre | – | – | – | – | ELBIK Stanztechnik GmbH (tool manufacturing) |
| Precision grinding machine | – | – | – | – | ELBIK Stanztechnik GmbH (tool manufacturing) |
Additional services
Quality
The Dietze Group operates a quality management system certified to ISO 9001; as an automotive supplier, many internal processes are aligned with IATF 16949. Final inspection includes 100% optical inspection as well as leak, burst pressure and insulation tests.
| Evidence | Dietze Group |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |
| IATF 16949 (processes aligned with the standard) |
History
- 1921
Foundation of Brückner & Dietze in Coburg by Bruno Dietze and Gustav Brückner; mechanical engineering for the lighting industry
- 1931
Focus on current feedthroughs; operations in Vienna, Paris, Turin and London
- 1960
Foundation of Eldur AG in Maienfeld by Dr. Wolfgang Dietze
- 1989
Werner Dietze acquires Elbik GmbH; entry into the contact pin and connector industry
- 1996
Foundation of Eldur Corporation in Bangor, Maine (USA)
- 2000
Foundation of Eldur (Shanghai) Electronic Components Co for diode current feedthroughs and SMD stamped parts
- 2005
Foundation of Eldur Slovakia k.s. in Nesvady
- 2006
Acquisition of GMV Steinach; entry into glass-to-metal joining technology
- 2015
Acquisition of Kasperzik Werkzeugbau to strengthen the stamping division