German specialists partner to make photonic devices

05 Dec 2012

Optical, manufacturing firms pool talents to target lab-on-chip, optical MEMs sectors.

CDA, a specialist in micro-optics, optical storage media and plastic electronics, and Häcker Automation, a manufacturer of 3D micro-packaging systems, have announced their cooperation on the development of photonics-based lab-on-a-chip, embedded diagnostic systems and other specialist integrated opto/electronics systems.

The companies say the goal of their partnership is to provide the clinical, environmental and life science markets with a one-stop-shop for the technologies required to meet individual customer requirements in medical technology, micro-sensing and MEMs devices.

Lab-on-a-chip and intelligent embedded diagnostic systems are increasingly important for clinical, environmental and life science applications; compact, sensitive and complex devices offer high levels of parallelization. At the same time, micro-fabrication processes are enabling high volumes of components, whether singly or in arrays, to be produced at relatively low cost.

Pia Harju, business development manager at CDA, told optics.org, “The partnership combines the two companies’ areas of expertise and we believe that for our clients it will cut out certain third-party manufacturing costs. The market is absolutely global and we are targeting a range of industries including machine vision, lighting, medical devices, environmental applications and food production.”

CDA, which she describes as “a typical 200-strong mid sized German manufacturing company”, produces at peak millions of units per week of components such as diffractive optical elements, diffusers, optical encoder disks and Fresnel lenses.

“Our photonics activities represent a significant part of CDA’s overall business and we expect that the arrangement with Häcker Automation will lead to improved overall business for both parties,” she added.

The companies

Headquartered in Suhl, Germany, CDA was founded in 1994 and is today one of the largest independent manufacturers of optical storage media in Europe. CDA’s key competences have enabled it to be active in the areas of optical media manufacturing, automotive and micro-functional solutions. In 2008 CDA started to expand these activities into consumables for life science applications.

Founded in 1995, Häcker Automation GmbH is a medium sized, family-owned enterprise headquartered in Schwarzhausen, Germany. With core competences in 3D micro- and nano-assembly and laser micro-soldering, Häcker Automation is a leading manufacturer of platforms for micro-packaging and interconnection for , micro-sensors, optics, MEMs and medical technologies.

About the Author

Matthew peach is contributing editor to optics.org.