KVG Quartz Crystal Technology GmbH

About KVG

KVG Quartz Crystal Technology GmbH develops and manufactures quartz crystals, quartz oscillators (XO, VCXO, TCXO, VCTCXO, OCXO) as well as quartz and SAW filters. Manufacturing is vertically integrated: from synthetic, hydrothermally grown quartz, crystal elements are produced in AT- and SC-cuts, coated in high vacuum with aluminium, silver or gold electrodes, and hermetically sealed into housings by cold welding or resistance welding. The oscillator portfolio covers designs from 10 to 150 MHz with extension up to 500 MHz to 2 GHz; a 100-MHz OCXO achieves a phase noise floor below −185 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset and a g-sensitivity below 1 ppb/g. Quartz filters are offered as monolithic and discrete filters, linear phase filters and LC filters with center frequencies of 5–200 MHz and bandwidths of 1.5–75 kHz. The products are used in measurement and test equipment, telecommunications, medical imaging, military systems as well as aerospace/defense. The company with around 50 employees operates on approximately 6000 m² at its headquarters in Neckarbischofsheim, of which 1200 m² is production and test space.

Site

Neckarbischofsheim

Processes

Development of custom quartz oscillators and quartz filters, Comprehensive environmental testing (vibration, mechanical shock, thermal shock, salt spray,, Vertically integrated manufacturing of crystals, oscillators and filters

Materials

Synthetic quartz (SiO2, α-quartz, high-purity crystalline material), Aluminium, Silver, Gold, Synthetic quartz (α-quartz), Vacuum coating, Cold welding / resistance welding

Certificates

ISO 9001, ISO 14001:2015, EN 9100:2018, ISO 9001 (included in EN 9100), ISO 14001, EN 9100

Founded

1946

Employees

50

Industries

Measurement and test engineering, Telecommunications, Medical technology (medical imaging), Aerospace, Defense/Military technology

1. 01

   Growth/procurement of synthetic quartz crystals

2. 02

   Cutting of crystal elements in AT-/SC-cuts

3. 03

   Vacuum coating with aluminium, silver or gold electrodes

4. 04

   Hermetic sealing by cold welding or resistance welding

5. 05

   Assembly of oscillators and filters (XO, VCXO, TCXO, OCXO)

6. 06

   Environmental testing (vibration, mechanical shock, thermal shock,

7. 07

   Development and distribution of custom frequency products

Materials and Processes

Locations

Neckarbischofsheim

DE

Headquarters (development, manufacturing, sales)

Materials

Synthetic quartz, aluminium, silver, gold

• Vertical autoclaves (quartz growth)
• Vacuum coating systems
• Welding systems for cold welding/resistance welding
• Environmental testing: vibration, mechanical shock, thermal shock, salt spray, altitude

Components

Inside the production

Quality

KVG has operated a quality management system according to ISO 9001 since 1994 and an environmental management system according to ISO 14001 since 2000; since 2016 the company has been certified to EN 9100. Annual surveillance audits by TÜV SÜD (ISO 14001) and DEKRA (EN 9100) accompany the processes; environmental tests such as vibration, mechanical shock, thermal shock, salt spray and altitude are carried out in the company's own test area.

History

1. 1946

   Founded by the physicist Kurt Klingsporn as "Kristallverarbeitungsgesellschaft Neckarbischofsheim GmbH", initially manufacturing quartz crystals from natural quartz

2. 1994

   Introduction of a quality system according to ISO 9001

3. 1997

   Acquisition of the company Quarzkeramik in Stockdorf/Munich, known for OCXOs and precision quartz crystals

4. 2000

   Introduction of the ISO 14001 environmental management system

5. 2002

   Manfred Klimm takes over KVG and continues it as "KVG Quartz Crystal Technology GmbH"

6. 2016

   First certification according to EN 9100:2009

7. 2018

   Audit according to ISO 14001:2015 by TÜV SÜD

8. 2019

   Audit according to EN 9100:2018

9. 2022

   Article in Microwave Journal: "KVG, The Hidden Champion of Quartz Crystal Technology"