Knowledge Center

James Webb Space Telescope

Engis Corporation expertise has contributed to the powerful cutting-edge technology that is enabling the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope to answer questions about our solar system, study exoplanets in new ways, and look deeper into the universe than we've ever been able to.

Much of what powers JWST’s ability to see deep into space comes from its 21 foot wide primary mirror which is comprised of 18 segments made from Beryllium.

Beryllium is a light metal that is very strong for its weight and is good at holding its shape across a range of temperatures.  Because beryllium is very difficult to grind and polish, diamond machining processes were used to fabricate the mirror segments.  Before the segments were coated with a thin layer of gold, the segments were polished by L3 Tinsley Laboratories using specially developed Engis diamond abrasive products.

A downloadable media video of the mirror is available here,

The Effect of Diamond Powder Characteristics on Lapping of Sintered Silicon Carbide

By BENJAMIN ROSCZYK, ARTEM TITOV, ERIC BURKAM, CLEMENT ONYENEMEZU, Ph. D. AND ION C. BENEA

Abstract - This paper was presented at Intertech 2015, May 19 -20, Indianapolis, Indiana, and was published in proceedings of the conference.    Click to download (Coming Soon)

Diamond Synthesis "The Science" - A Theoretical and Experimental Study

By ION C. BENEA

Sixty-five years ago, the first repeatable diamond synthesis was successfully achieved by H. T. Hall of General Electric. Nowadays, billions of carats of diamond powders are produced annually worldwide, based on the high pressure-high temperature catalytic diamond synthesis process. Although, the pressure-temperature conditions needed for diamond synthesis can be easily established, the mechanism of high pressure-high temperature catalytic transformation of graphite to diamond, remains insufficiently understood. Over time, both published and, unpublished theoretical and experimental studies on graphite-diamond polymorphic transformation have been performed by many.  Click to download

A Study on Fracture Characteristics of Micron Diamond Powders Under Static High Pressure Conditions

By ION C. BENEA and BENJAMIN ROSCZYK

The manufacturing process of polycrystalline diamond compacts (PDC) consists primarily in sintering of micron size diamond particles into a coherent and homogeneous polycrystalline diamond (PCD) layer on top a tungsten carbide substrate, under high pressure and high temperature conditions (i.e. P > 5.5 GPa; T > 1,400 ^oC).  Click to download

Particle Size and Size Distribution of Superabrasive Diamond Powders

By ION C. BENEA

The purpose of this article is to present the techniques and standards that are currently employed in the superabrasive industry for the determination of particle size/particle size distribution of diamond and CBN powder.  Click to download

Crystallographic Defects and Mechanical Strength of Micron Size Monocrystalline Diamond

By ION C. BENEA and BENJAMIN ROSCZYK

Crystallographic defects or crystal growth defects of diamond are the result of the nucleation and crystal growth processes that govern the catalytic high pressure-high temperature (HPHT) graphite to diamond transformation (so called diamond synthesis process).  Click to download

Effective Polishing of Al-face of AlN Substrates using Advanced Polishing Process and Consumables  

This paper presents a novel surface finishing process and consumables for achieving an epi-ready finish on the Al-face of Aluminum Nitride (AlN) single crystal substrates and wafers. The designed combination of process parameters and newly developed slurries produces superior surface finish on the Al-face of AlN substrates and high removal rates yielding in significant reduction of wafer surface finishing process times for stock removal and chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) steps.  Click to download

Diamond Lapping and Lapping Plate Control

The word "diamond" brings the word "expensive" to mind.  But when it comes to lapping with diamond superabrasives, start thinking "low" - as in lower slurry consumption, lower slurry cost per hour, lower sludge generation, lower cycle time, lower reject rates and fewer process steps.   Click to download

Flat Lapping Ceramics with Diamond

Precision lapping improves mechanical seal quality and reliability at Morgan Advanced Materials.   Click to download

Flat Lapping is often the Process of Choice when  Finishing a Ceramic Surface to Precise Dimensions

As advanced ceramics evolve and ever harder and more stable materials are introduced into the market, the challenge to finish parts to precise dimensions grows. Flat lapping is often the process of choice when it is necessary to achieve dimensional flatness and finish requirements.  Click to download

A System for Successful Lapping  of PCD and CVD Diamond

The use of PCD (polycrystalline diamond) and CVD (chemical vapor deposition) diamond has been expanding into a wide variety of industrial, electronics and optics components and applications. While the technologies to produce these materials differ, they present similar challenges in flat lapping and polishing because of the extreme hardness of the materials.

Lapping Severe Service Ball Valves - Case Study

Significant benefits of Engis Hyprez diamond compounds include superior surface finishes in less time with no scratches.  Our slow drying formulations allow for fewer charging cycles, with increased cut rate compared to other compounds. Less down time and faster lapping rates. Reduce overall lapping time up to 40%.  Click to download

Advancements in Superabrasive Bore Finishing Tooling

Superabrasive Single-Pass Bore Finishing was originally developed in the 1970’s as a means for precision finishing through bores in cast iron valve bodies. Over the years the process has been refined to a point where almost any application, in a wide variety of materials can be finished in production.  Ongoing research and development programs continue to find ways of improving the process and the tooling to push the envelope of what can be achieved in regard to bore precision and productivity.   Click to download

Superabrasive Bore Finishing - Cycle Times Halved and Tight-Tolerance Repeatability Achieved when Machining Turbocharger Housings

Cummins Turbo Charger, Ltd., which has an outstanding record in the automotive sector, recently installed a single-pass four-spindle super-abrasive bore-finishing machine to help it halve cycle times and achieve repeatability on the critical tolerances of two types of turbo- charger bearing housings.    Click to download

Bobcat Triple Productivity with New Bore Finishing System

For more than 50 years Bobcat skid-steer loaders have represented durability and reliable performance for construction, landscaping and agricultural applications.  The key to a dependable loader is to have properly balanced horsepower and hydraulics so operators can work efficiently in rugged conditions.  With an eye to continuous product performance and reliability improvement, Bobcat invested in an Engis bore finishing system which not only improved the quality of a key hydraulic component, but increased manufacturing throughput by 300%.  Click to download

Superabrasives Come of Age in India

Single-pass process involves a series of pre-set diamond coated tools that get passed through a bore with a single in-and-out stroke movement, while the tool, part or both are rotating.  The key to the single-pass process is to allow the diamond tooling to follow the existing centerline of the bore to be finished with as little pressure as possible.  Click to download 

Benton Foundry Story

The Engis product development group teamed up with Benton and Waupaca Foundries to produce a line of diamond-plated wheels for their grinding and cleaning operations.  Click to download