| Ed Ellis'Early Years Thick Film Pioneer |
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CTS Corporate Headquarters R&D Elkhart, IN R&D Technician As R&D Technician Ed worked literally hands-on; using basic thick film equipment of the type pictured at the left. Under mentoring engineers he developed organic media, glass frits, used in the composition of thick film resistive inks, metallization inks and dielectrics inks. Ed personally formulated organic media and glass frits which were in turn used in the thick film inks for fixed and variable resistors that he formulated. His work on developing ruthenium based thick film resistors enabled the development of cermet potentiometers, cermet trimmers, cermet TV focus controls and 750-760 Series solid construction resistor networks which were manufactured in the 1970's and 1980's at a rate in excess of a million networks per week. In addition while in this position Ed was assigned the responsibility of compiling the recipes and processing specifications for CTS electronic materials ... a task that he carried with him most of his career with CTS. Throughout his tenor as R&D Technician; Ed attended Purdue University, Tri-State University and Indiana University classes in physics, chemistry, math, and business receiving a BS degree from Indiana University in 1970. Senior R&D Engineer As Senior R&D Engineer, Ed researched, formulated and developed printed thick film electronic materials and their processing. These materials included ; (1) resistor compositions, (2) conductor compositions, (3) capacitor dielectric compositions, and (4) insulative dielectric compositions. In addition Ed researched, formulated and developed their intermediate materials which included; (1) organic printing media developed for specific rheology properties and (2) glass frits developed for specific performance properties such as TCR, STOL, high stability and high voltage withstanding. In the course of Ed's work to develop materials formulations and processing; he introduced statistically designed experimentation to CTS Corporation using an IBM "main frame" computer to perform the complex calculations. This work provided breakthroughs in glass frit composition and the preparation of ruthenium dioxide, the primary conducting fraction in CTS thick film resistors. One of the fruits of this work is US Patent 3,916, 037, " Resistance Composition and Electrical Resistance Elements" published Oct. 28, 1975. The compositions of this patent provided the industries first laser trimmable thick film resistors above 10 kilo ohms/sq exhibiting high stability ... a significant improvement over Du Pont's 1400 Series which was the commercially available state-of-the-art source of the time. Ed's intimate knowledge of the electronic materials and processes that he developed made him the obvious troubleshooter for manufacturing operations. Ed traveled to CTS facilities in the US, Canada, Mexico and the UK solving and permanently fixing electronic component and circuit manufacturing problems. Ed designed and analyzed experiments for operations which included but were not limited to: (1) screen printing, (2) curing/firing, (3) laser trim, (4) soldering, ((5) wire bonding, (6) frit bonding), (7) ultrasonic welding and (8) plastic molding. CTS Corporation Resistor Network Division Berne, IN Manager Cermet Materials Division As Manager of Cermet Materials Division Ed directed the manufacture and R&D of all CTS Thick Film Materials which included, (1) the identification, selection and justification of capital equipment, (2) engineering and manufacturing activities to meet cost and scrap targets. Ed designed and implemented a high volume electronic material manufacturing operation which produced 5 tons of electronic materials and inks for electronic passive components and sensors. The operation was complete with written materials specifications for TQS. Ed interfaced with customers and material suppliers in the obtaining of material property test data and directed the performance and attribute testing of all materials to prevent and resolve quality issues. In addition Ed established a Technical Service team to service all users of CTS Materials in the United States, Mexico, UK and Singapore. Director of Resistor Division R&D and New Product Development As Director of R&D and New Product Development, Ed managed and directed all R&D and product development engineering activities from concept through pilot line programs and start of production. Ed planned effective project plans to meet timetables and business case justification. In addition to the development of new electronic materials and products; his responsibilities included, (1) the identification, selection and justification of capital equipment, (2) engineering activities and corrective actions to meet cost and scrap targets, (3) the writing and organization of materials specifications for TQS. In the performance of these activities and responsibilities Ed traveled extensively in the United States and abroad; interfacing with customers and material suppliers. This information was used to define customer requirements & specifications and obtain material property data. Other duties included, performance and attribute testing to insure the resolution of quality issues. |
| CTS Television Focus Controls |
| CTS 750 Series Pluggable Resistor Networks |
| CTS 731 Series Insulated Alumina |