Our Facility
Viable Power has been designing and manufacturing custom AC-DC power supplies, custom DC-DC power supplies and power supply accessories since its incorporation in 1995. Our facility in Pointe-Claire, Quebec includes a 7,500 square foot electronic assembly and test area. The manufacturing area is specifically designed for our production needs, from the epoxy coated ESD floor to the temperature and humidity control systems situated on the roof. Our modern facility meets the requirements of today’s manufacturing standards, with improved workflow from the reception of materials to the kitting, issuance of travelers, and their progress from workstation to workstation.
Stores
A dedicated 600 square foot secure store with fixed and mobile high density mechanically assisted space saver units for the storage of all electronic components and mechanical piece parts. Moisture sensitive components are stored in a Manncorp Ultra-Dry cabinet. All inventory is managed through Viable Power’s proprietary ERP system which facilitates accurate inventory control and timely kitting to the production floor.
All our products are designed, manufactured and tested in Canada.
All our products are designed, manufactured and tested in Canada.
Component Preparation
The majority of components that Viable Power uses are standard lead-free types. These are prepared for assembly with tools such as the Ren-Thang RT-86W axial lead bender and former. For compatibility with the leaded solder process the lead-free component leads are solder dipped in a Quick 100-15S solder pot.
Soldering
Viable Power has the capability to perform both tin-lead and lead-free (RoHS compliant) solder processes using a Manncorp 16.350 Ultra-Compact wave soldering machine with a second solder pot. The machine brings complete through-hole, surface mount and mixed-technology wave soldering capability in a compact footprint. Capable of soldering 1,500 assemblies per 8-hour shift, the 16.350 includes advanced features such as dual waves, a self-cleaning titanium finger conveyor, spray fluxer, forced hot air convection pre-heat, and an energy-saving mode that conserves power and reduces dross formation.
For the secondary assembly or manual solder processes Viable uses Metcal MX-PS5000 and Weller WS51 soldering irons. Repairs can be performed with the Weller WR-3M repair stations. All work benches are equipped with Weller WSA-350 smoke absorbers and centralised adjustable rate smoke extraction.
Washing
After soldering processes, each assembly is washed in a Trident ZDO Zero Discharge Fully Automatic Cleaning System from Aqueous. Trident ZDO is an environmentally responsible fully automated cleaning system. It includes a closed loop (zero discharge) wash solution section and a built-in rinse water recycling system alleviating the requirement for a drain. It is capable of removing all flux species as well as other polar and non-polar (water-soluble and non-water-soluble) residues. It has automatic wash, rinse and dry cycles and built-in programmable cleanliness verification testing.
Wire Preparation
Viable Power has invested in a number of machines to improve the throughput and quality of cable assembly manufacture. Wire cutting and stripping is done using a Schleuniger MS980S machine. Crimps are done using a Schleuniger Uni-Crimp 200 with customized applicators for automated crimping or various manually activated pneumatic crimpers. Crimps are tested using a Schleuniger CXM-PT25 pull tester. These machines are in dedicated space for cable assembly manufacture.
Coatings and Adhesives
Coatings and adhesives are applied in a dedicated and controlled space. Pneumatic dispensers allow for the precise application required for our electronic assemblies. Epoxies and other adhesives can be prepared and applied as needed. Conformal coatings are applied in a SAS Sentry Air Systems 50” ESD safe extraction hood. Coating inspections are performed under UV light in a bench top inspection booth.
Electrical Testing
Electrical test is performed in a dedicated section of the facility. Our wide range of products manufactured in low to medium volumes are typically tested manually by skilled test technicians using standard laboratory equipment and custom test fixtures. For higher volume product or those with more complex and lengthy test sequences we use proprietary Automated Test Equipment (ATE) which uses Chroma, Agilent and Tektronix equipment coupled with custom designed equipment. The ATE permits fast and accurate testing of our products.
Our skilled test technicians perform electrical test on products manufactured in low to medium volumes.
Vibration Testing
Viable Power performs all environmental stress screening tests in house on our Thermotron DSX-4000/24-915/1 electrodynamic shaker. This is a single axis shaker, however, with our custom adapter we can perform 3-axis vibrations on units upwards of 18” square, dependant on product mass and vibration level.
Temperature Testing
Environmental Stress Screening tests for temperature cycling is all performed in house in one of our two Cincinnati Sub-Zero temperature chambers. Each chamber has a 16 cubic foot capacity and a temperature range of -65°C to 190°C. The chambers can achieve ramp rates in excess of 5°C per minute with live loads up to 3.5kW to -40°C. One of the chambers is equipped for humidity, 10% to 98%. Both chambers use 10Hp-10Hp cascade refrigeration systems with a scroll compressor and remote air-cooled condenser units.
Learn more about our Temperature & Humidity Testing services.
