INTERVIEW WITH BAY ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES THE A-TEAM BUILT FOR FLUIDICS

Q: Your work aligns a lot with Controlled Fluidics with a few key differences. Would you describe your niche in your industry?

A: “We’re a $200 million distributor and manufacturer for four core markets: life sciences, semiconductors, non-semi thermal management, and automation. We do a lot of work in fluid control.”

Producing products for fluid control is an essential part of our work at Controlled Fluidics. Fluid control includes working with:

• Fluids that flow at high speeds
• Fluids that should never touch each other
• Fluids that are caustic
• Fluids at high temperatures
• Fluids at low temperatures
• Fluids at high pressure

Q: Do you have a typical client or a type of project that you work with most often?

A: “Many of our clients are major players in life sciences and engineering. We often work with engineers in various divisions of companies that design, produce, and integrate instruments. One of our best products is metallic precision-welded manifolds for thermal management for semiconductors.”

Controlled Fluidics’ clients also include many organizations in life science. Life science includes medicine, biotechnology, scientific research, and much more. The products we produce for life science include:

• Machined plastic manifolds for fluid control
• Collection trays
• Cases for various devices
• Handles for instruments
• Inner and outer coatings of various products

Q: What kind of finished products does Controlled Fluidics make for you?

A: “Controlled Fluidics provides us with bonded manifolds to be used with isolation valves for critical fluids. Very few suppliers in the world can bond manifolds, which is why we use Controlled Fluidics.”

Controlled Fluidics produces pneumatic and fluidic applications, making them ideal for life science applications that include:

• Diagnostic instrumentation
• Gene sequencing
• Point of care devices

Q: Does Controlled Fluidics provide you the machined plastic materials for your other parts and you machine them yourselves, or does Controlled Fluidics machine them for you?

A: “In most cases, we purchase the prepared manifolds from Controlled Fluidics as well as critical machined plastics. We also purchase machined plastics from other suppliers for semiconductor applications, but the vast majority of our machined plastics come from Controlled Fluidics. They have what we need for our work in life sciences.”

Controlled Fluidics works with a wide range of plastics that have an even wider range of features. The material for each product is chosen carefully for its demonstrated ability to perform under the conditions it is needed for. We choose to work with plastics like these:

• PEEK, for its low moisture absorption
• Polycarbonate, for its impact resistance
• Radel, because it can stand up to repeated sterilization in an autoclave
• Torlon, for its heat resistance

Q: Would you say you’re pleased with Controlled Fluidics’ work and intend to keep using their products and services?

A: “We have a great relationship with Controlled Fluidics. Bay AT is not only a customer of Controlled Fluidics; we are a sales arm. Together, we design and develop fluid manifolds for the life science industry. We rely on them for quality control and are working with them on a design guide right now. Tom is the most knowledgeable person in plastics I know.”

Controlled Fluidics is grateful for Bay Advanced Technology's business and their team's kind words. Each of our clients is unique and highly valued. To find out more about how we work, contact us any time on our website or give us a call.