MANUFACTURING
Custom Manufacturing
Made to order inorganic materials developed and manufactured around your chemistry, specification, and application requirements.
When a required material is not available from a standard catalog, Lorad can develop or adapt a practical synthesis route and manufacture the material to an agreed technical specification.
Made to Specification
Custom chemistry, purity, composition, particle characteristics, and other agreed material requirements.
Process Adaptation
Lorad can develop or modify a synthesis route when a production ready process does not already exist.
Recurring Supply
Successful custom materials can transition from initial qualification quantities into repeat production.
WHAT CUSTOM MANUFACTURING MEANS
A material made for your requirement, not selected from a catalog
Custom manufacturing is appropriate when a customer needs a specific inorganic material that is unavailable commercially, requires a nonstandard grade of an existing compound, or has technical requirements that cannot be met by an off the shelf product.
The customer defines the material need and the required performance or specification. Lorad determines how that material can be manufactured within an appropriate process, then produces material for evaluation, qualification, or recurring supply.
Unlike toll manufacturing, custom manufacturing does not require the customer to provide Lorad with a complete production ready process. Lorad may develop, adapt, or refine the synthesis and processing steps needed to manufacture the requested material.
A Good Fit When
You know what material you need, but the required composition, purity, morphology, particle size, or other characteristics are not readily available from standard suppliers.
Projects can begin with a target specification, a reference sample, published chemistry, application requirements, or an existing material that needs to be modified.
WHAT CAN BE CUSTOMIZED
Chemistry & Composition
Single phase compounds, multicomponent materials, nonstoichiometric compositions, doped materials, and application specific formulations.
Purity
Purity targets and impurity limits can be established according to the application and practical process route.
Particle Characteristics
Particle size distribution, morphology, agglomeration, and powder handling characteristics can be addressed where technically practical.
Product Specification
Custom acceptance criteria can incorporate chemistry, phase, particle properties, analytical results, and packaging requirements.
CUSTOM SYNTHESIS CAPABILITIES
Multiple routes for specialized inorganic materials
High Temperature Synthesis
Solid state, vacuum, inert atmosphere, and reactive atmosphere processing for materials that require controlled high temperature synthesis.
Wet Chemical Processing
Precipitation and other solution based routes for compositions that benefit from improved homogeneity, controlled precursor formation, or tailored powder characteristics.
Powder Processing & Finishing
Size reduction, classification, blending, controlled atmosphere handling, and other finishing steps can be incorporated according to the material and specification.
Broad Inorganic Materials Experience
Lorad works across a wide range of specialty inorganic chemistries, including sulfides, oxides, fluorides, halides, and multicomponent materials.
The appropriate synthesis route is selected according to chemistry, stability, purity requirements, desired material properties, and expected production quantity.
HOW A CUSTOM PROJECT WORKS
Define the Material
Review the chemistry, intended application, target specification, quantity, and critical performance requirements.
Establish the Process
Select, adapt, or develop a synthesis and finishing route capable of producing the required material.
Produce & Qualify
Manufacture an initial batch, characterize the material, and compare the results with the agreed requirements.
Repeat Production
Once qualified, establish a controlled process for future batches and recurring customer requirements.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT MANUFACTURING SERVICE
CUSTOM MANUFACTURING
You need a material made to your requirements
Lorad develops or adapts the manufacturing route and supplies the finished material to an agreed specification.
SCALABLE MANUFACTURING
You already have a successful material or process that needs to grow
The emphasis is on increasing production quantity while maintaining repeatability, quality control, and required material properties.
TOLL MANUFACTURING
You already have the process
The customer provides an established process, recipe, or production framework and Lorad provides suitable equipment, labor, facility resources, and manufacturing execution.
FROM ONE OFF REQUIREMENT TO RECURRING SUPPLY
Custom does not have to mean one time production
Some custom projects begin with a single development or qualification batch. Others become ongoing supply programs once the material has been validated in the customer's application.
Where demand increases, custom manufacturing can transition into a scalable manufacturing program using the same technical foundation and agreed product specification.
Need More Development First?
If the target material or process is not yet sufficiently defined for manufacturing, Lorad can support earlier technical work through Product & Process Development.
Product & Process DevelopmentCONFIDENTIALITY & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Custom materials often involve proprietary requirements
Lorad recognizes that custom manufacturing projects may involve confidential compositions, specifications, applications, process information, and intellectual property. Appropriate confidentiality, nondisclosure, ownership, and intellectual property agreements can be established before detailed technical information is exchanged.
RELATED SERVICES
Need a material that is not available off the shelf?
Send us the chemistry, target specification, expected quantity, and any critical application requirements.