News
Latest news about Microtek.
Microtek partners with Mission Driven Finance
August 2020
Microtek partners with Mission Driven Finance for an impact-based financing for our current growth phase. This loan will be used for hiring and training new employees and for helping to acquire capital equipment, machinery, and tooling needed for meeting our customers' manufacturing capacity needs.
We are excited to work with a lender like Mission Driven Finance, whose values of supporting diverse small businesses and entrepreneurs align with our own priority of building an inclusive workforce.
Mission Driven Finance is an impact investment firm dedicated to building a financial system that ensures businesses have access to sufficient, affordable capital. Mission Driven Finance was launched in 2016 in San Diego, CA and is a Certified B Corporation. Visit their website to learn more about the companies that Mission Driven Finance supports.
Microtek Summer Internship Program 2020
July 27, 2020
Microtek’s internship program is well under way! Even during these uncertain times, the company has welcomed Junior Montoya (Cornell College) and Peter Nguyen (UCLA) to join the team for the summer. The goal of the internship program is to provide opportunities to work on important projects while gaining real-world experience in the field of medical device development and production. By the end of the internship experience, the students will be equipped with relevant skill sets, a plethora of resources and a network of field experts that will help them along in their career journey. For internship inquiries please contact careers@microtekinnovations.com.
Microtek adds Heller 1705MK5 Reflow Oven
February 21, 2020
Microtek is pleased to announce the acquisition of a Heller 1705 MK5 reflow oven. This oven is another piece of equipment at the bleeding edge of microelectronic assembly and biotechnology giving Microtek the ability to increase both throughput and quality at the same time. The Heller 1705 MK5 utilizes 5 heated zones and 1 cooling zone to craft an optimized reflow profile for any commonly used solder. Moreover, this oven is retrofitted with a nitrogen kit to accommodate applications requiring low levels of oxidation.
To handle the large amounts of heat and fumes generated, a Purex 1500i fume extractor was paired to our new reflow oven. The fume extractor utilizes a physical filter to strip 99.997% of particles >0.3 µm and a carbon filter to remove harmful chemicals not collected by the physical filter. The extractor has a variable flow rate that automatically adjusts the blower speed to maintain constant extraction rate up to 850 cfm regardless of filter condition. Additionally, the machine has integrated sensors to monitor the quality of filtration and alert operators to problems as they develop.
The addition of the Heller 1705 MK5 reflow oven and Purex 1500i fume extractor to the lineup of equipment at Microtek is a step forward in speed, quality, and reproducibility. Andrew Hanson, product development engineer, says, “We now have the capability to carefully craft reflow profiles optimized to individual projects using the integrated data logging functions on the Heller oven." Ultimately this all equates to a higher quality finished product with lower costs.
Microtek adds Xyztec Condor Sigma Bond Tester
October 1, 2019
Microtek is proud to announce the acquisition of another industry leading piece of equipment, a Xyztec Condor Sigma bond tester. This machine allows for the fully automation of bond and shear testing to increase speed, accuracy, and reproducibility. The Condor Sigma is equipped with four sensors that are mounted on a rotating head allowing for seamless switching between sensors: 100gf pull test and 100gf, 1kgf, or 10kgf shear test sensors. However, the machine can perform push, pull, and shear tests up to 200kgf with additional sensors. In addition to the huge testing range of the Condor Sigma, the machine boasts some of the most accurate sensors in the industry with 0.075% accuracy.
This industry leading piece of equipment further increases the unique product development capabilities at Microtek. Andrew Hanson, product development engineer, says, “after the addition of our new K&S IConn wire bonder, the upgrade to the Xyztec Condor Sigma was the next logical step in our progression as a company. This machine increases both accuracy and speed, which allows us to develop more robust and higher quality parts quicker.” The current wide range of equipment and the continued acquisition of equipment, such as the Condor Sigma, uniquely positions Microtek to provide R&D and product development support unlike any other companies in the microelectronic manufacturing industry.
Microtek hires Bao Tran as
QA/Product Development Engineer
September 09, 2019
Microtek, Inc. has hired Bao Tran as Quality Assurance and Product Development Engineer. Mr. Tran is a key team member in engineering and production. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from UCSD. His new role will include overseeing the quality assurance and production programs and will also work on projects in the R&D division.
Mr. Tran will help support Microtek’s exceptional services for biotech product development for a diverse clientele, including academia, startup companies, and large companies from a variety of industries. "Bao will play a critical role bridging engineering and life science technologies and will greatly help Microtek develop its IP portfolio," says Dr. Leah Villegas, VP of Operations.
Microtek awarded Phase 1 SBIR grant
from NIH, ORIP
September 6, 2019
Microtek, Inc. receives a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institutes of Health, Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (NIH, ORIP). The award will enable the company to develop and commercialize a miniaturized device to be used in therapeutic delivery studies in preclinical models of lung diseases.
“We are honored and enthused to have received this award from such a highly competitive program. We look forward to developing a new tool that can be used for both basic science research and in the pharmaceutical drug development industry,” says Dr. Leah Villegas, the principal investigator of the aforementioned SBIR project and Microtek’s VP of Operations.
In the pharmaceutical industry, poor pharmacokinetic and toxicology data from preclinical studies are common causes of market approval failure of potential therapeutics, especially for lung diseases. The development of a miniaturized intratracheal (µIT) device for preclinical models would fill in this technological gap, by improving inhaled dosing strategies and increasing the accuracy of respiratory drug studies.
Francine Busby, the District Director of U.S. Congressman Mike Levin (CA-49) says, “we do know that your work is very important and will have an impact on many lives. We also appreciate the contributions that you are making to our vibrant regional research community and to our local economy.”
For more information on the ORIP SBIR program, visit: https://orip.nih.gov/small-business
Microtek adds Automated Wire Bonder
September 06, 2019
Microtek is pleased to announce the acquisition of another cutting-edge piece of equipment that will greatly expand our production capabilties. The K&S IConn is a fully automated wire bonder. "Once programs are developed, this machine increases our wire bonding rate by almost tenfold from our manual machine,” says Andrew Hanson, product development engineer. The K&S IConn is powered by a state-of-the-art X-Y-Z motion control system capable of achieving ≤ 2 μm accuracy while operating at full capacity. Moreover, the IConn can wire bond at pitches as small as 35 μm with loop heights as low as 40 μm. With the ability to add a copper wire bonding kit in the future, the IConn provides Microtek with the wire bonding capacity we will need to continue growing.
Microtek hires Andrew Hanson as
Product Development Engineer
September 3, 2019
Microtek, Inc. has hired Andrew Hanson as Product Development Engineer. He will be an
instrumental member of the engineering team. He has built a proficiency in cleanroom
operations and prototype manufacturing using an array of microengineering techniques.
Mr. Hanson has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Cornell College and has previous
experience working in life science laboratories. His additional roles will include working with
different projects in the R&D division involving biological applications to devices and sensors. Tri
Le, president of Microtek, says that “Andrew will greatly contribute to Microtek’s expanding R&D
team as the company begins to develop new technologies for drug delivery and biosensors.”
Microtek hires Leah Villegas, PhD, MBA,
as the VP of Operations
September 03, 2019
Microtek, Inc. has hired Dr. Leah Villegas as Vice President of Operations. Dr. Villegas brings over 15 years of experience in life science research and technology development. Her role at Microtek focuses on supporting the company’s research and development programs, operations, and corporate finance/investment strategies.
Tri Le, President of Microtek, said, “We are enthused to have Leah on board. With her scientific expertise and business development acumen, I firmly believe she will bring great leadership to the company. I look forward to working with Leah to develop new and exciting technologies for Microtek.”
Microtek is a growing bioengineering company established in 2015 in the biotech hub of San Diego, CA. The company specializes in microelectronics, bridging engineering with chemistry and biology to bring innovative tools and devices to the scientific community.
“This is an exciting time for Microtek, as the company begins to build out its technology portfolio and strengthen its partnerships with the biotech community in San Diego and nationwide. I am thrilled to be a part of the team,” said Dr. Villegas.
Microtek adds Keyence Digital Microscope
August 29, 2019
Microtek is pleased to announce the addition of the Keyence VHX-7000 digital microscope to its facility. It is the world’s first 4K ultra-high accuracy microscope. With a magnification range between 20X to 2000X and the ability to create 3D composition images and models, Microtek is now able to make NIST calibrated, submicron
level measurements of parts for process development, quality assurance, and failure mode
analysis.
Microtek hosts National Manufacturing Day Event
October 5, 2016
Microtek welcomed Councilman Mark Kersey of San Diego’s Fifth District prior to participating in the companies’ first Manufacturing Day event on October 7th.
National Manufacturing Day celebrates modern manufacturing and seeks to inspire the next generation of manufacturers. Thousands of manufacturers across the nation participate by hosting open houses, public tours, career workshops and other events. Colleges also host similar events to showcase courses that can lead to well-paid careers in the manufacturing industry. Microtek will be providing information on future career opportunities that will be available as the company grows.
There are more than 3,000 manufacturers across the San Diego mega-region making it a hub for manufacturing. Manufacturing Day enables San Diegans to visit local manufacturers and find out first-hand about the products and innovations that are being created in the region.
Manufacturing Day events are meant for anyone who is curious about modern manufacturing and would like to learn more. Further information about Manufacturing Day can be found at www.mfgday.com.
Microtek, Inc. - Startup bioengineering company
December 01, 2015
Microtek, Inc., a San Diego based startup company is proud to announce the opening of its Corporate Headquarters at 10865 Rancho Bernardo Road, Suite 101, San Diego, CA.
Over the past decade, there has been an increased demand by medical products to integrate biochemistry directly with an integrated circuit (IC) into a single microelectronics device. From human implants to flexible, wearable IOT (Internet-of-Things) devices. “Microtek was created to address this need by offering industry leading services, quality, innovation, and high-level integration,” said Microtek President Tri. Q. Le. “These services accelerate time to market of new products through a proven blend of expertise focused on optimum microelectronics packaging solutions.”
The new facility, furnished with state-of-the-art equipment, will enable Microtek to provide highly customized, innovative miniaturization and product development to a wide variety of customers in the medical, military and industrial sectors. Coupled with its alliance of partners, Microtek is structured to provide a full range of design, engineering, and manufacturing solutions, thus providing the technical bridge from R&D through manufacturing. Microtek is dedicated to integrating engineering with life sciences to create innovative products.
Microtek adds Lambda Die Bonder
July 25, 2016
Finetech, a global supplier of micro-assembly equipment, and Microtek, a microelectronics product development innovator, announce the addition of a FINEPLACER® Lambda bonding system at the recently opened Microtek facility. The die bonder will be used for customized packaging applications in prototype and development projects, including wireless, photonics and medical diagnostics and therapeutics. “Microtek provides a proven blend of expertise focused on advanced chip level packaging solutions. Our facility is filled with state-of-the-art equipment to achieve this end and we are pleased to add the Finetech Lambda bonder to our capabilities”, says Tri Le, President of Microtek.
The FINEPLACER® Lambda is ideal for low-volume, prototyping and R&D environments requiring flexibility, precision, advanced technologies and the highest bonding placement accuracy (down to 0.5 µm). This versatile system can be used for precise placement, die-attach and advanced packaging utilizing various bonding technologies — soldering (Eutectic, Au/Sn, Indium), thermo-compression, thermo-/ultrasonic bonding, gold/tin laser bar bonding, adhesives and UV curing.
