Specializing in the manufacture of deep drawn metal enclosures, cases, and stampings, Hudson works with many different materials, including various types of foil.
Available in stainless steel and other materials, metal foil exhibits many unique properties that make it an excellent solution for instrumentation and pressure sensing.
Foil is constructed in thicknesses between .0005 inch and .005 inch; material thinner than .0005 inch is widely known as converter foil, which is used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications.
Usually thinned through hammering or rolling processes, foil is typically made with malleable metals, such as aluminum, copper, tin, and gold. Foil usually bends under its own weight and can be easily torn.
The more malleable a metal, the thinner the foil that can be made with it. Foil is available in most 300 series of stainless steel, titanium, Hastelloy, and others upon request.
Metal Diaphragms and Foil Gauges
Here at Hudson, our team specializes in metal diaphragms; designed as flexible membranes, metal diaphragms are used to create seals in various systems — such as fluid control systems — in order to isolate different enclosures.
Diaphragms are typically are used in high-sensitivity, low-pressure applications, with pressure sensor isolation being one of the most common.
Versatile and extremely flexible, metal diaphragms allow for the transfer of pressure effects from the process system to a closed pressure sensor system while simultaneously providing protection from the process fluid as well as preventing contamination of the process fluid itself.
The team at Hudson creates deep drawn foil gauges for a range of applications; the highly engineered metal diaphragms made from these very thin foil materials play a critical role in detecting slight pressure variations in liquids, gases, and temperature measurement.
The variation measurements are often transmitted in the form of an electronic or electrical signature, which communicates with equipment that can make minute adjustments to flow, temperature, or displacement, allowing all equipment to effectively operate within specified design parameters.
The metal diaphragm made from foil has an engineered spring rate manipulated through the use of concentric formed rings or convolutions; these rings develop the sensitivity needed for the diaphragm to perform to specifications.
Development is often accomplished with the help of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software, which utilizes performance data requirements from the customer, metallurgical inputs for the proposed material, and metal forming skill to arrive at a virtual solution that will be converted into a finished thin foil diaphragm that meets specifications.
Hudson has manufactured many thin foil diaphragms for these and other applications; we continuously expand our capabilities and manufacturing techniques to capture a growing market share.
Common Foil Applications
Foil diaphragms are often used in the food and pharmaceutical industry to protect process fluids from contamination by pressure sensors; in pneumatic systems with air bearings to eliminate minor pressure changes; and as pressure regulators to convert movement into computer-readable communications.
Diaphragms may also serve as gas-liquid barriers and predictable failure points for overpressure protection, and can be used in applications involving automotive emissions, fuel pressure, and transmission hydraulic pressure.
Foil diaphragms are ideal for precise metering in flow control devices used in semiconductor equipment, ultra-sensitive instrumentation, and pressure transducer applications.
Learn More
Hudson Technologies has been an industry-leading metal diaphragm designer and manufacturer since our founding in 1940, and we continue to expand our capabilities and manufacturing techniques to meet our clients’ diverse needs.
Founded on a commitment to stringent quality control, Hudson is proud to hold a range of certifications, including ISO 9001:2008 and AS9100D.
To learn more about our deep drawing capabilities and options, take a look at our comprehensive product overview.
