Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question about our products? We want working with SST to be the best experience possible, so we have compiled the most relevant information in a handy FAQ to address any basic sales, customer service, or product questions you may have. Most common topics are covered, and we are always adding to the list.
For anything else, our incredible customer service team can be reached here.
Solid Sealing Technology
SST is a world-leading manufacturer of hermetic feedthroughs, hermetic connectors, and other related parts and accessories used in vacuum systems. Our team has decades of experience working with ceramic-to-metal sealing and designing custom feedthroughs to fit unique vacuum environments in all industries around the world.
Our most common feedthrough categories are listed here, but don’t forget about our custom work. We are constantly expanding our catalog of parts, and we have designed thousands of unique parts for our customers.
- Power (Electrical)
- Signal
- Coaxial
- Thermocouple
- Fiber Optic
- Liquid
- Custom – Call us! We can work with you to make almost any custom design.
SST manufactures many types of hermetic products used in vacuum environments. Product categories include:
- Viewports and Windows
- Pinch-Off Tubes
- Isolators
- Baseplates
- Connectors
- Pressure Components
- Accessories like plugs, cables, and contacts
- Custom
Yes! SST has decades of experience designing custom hermetic feedthroughs, connectors, and other parts like isolators, viewports, and pinch-off tubes. We offer modified versions of our standard products and build custom parts from the ground up. Contact us here to learn more and discuss your custom project with our engineers.
If you would like to schedule a visit, please reach out to our team. SST is located in the Watervliet Arsenal, so all visits need to be planned at least one day in advance in order to comply with arsenal security procedures. For directions, visit our contact page.
View our careers page to learn more about working at SST and view our open positions. You can apply online, and our HR team will review your qualifications.
Sales & Customer Service
Our full catalog is available online here. If you have any questions, or would like to request a modified or custom part, please contact us.
If you would like to order a standard part, the simplest option is to submit your request through our contact page. During business hours, we are also available by phone at +1 (518) 874-3600. Please include the part numbers and quantities you will need with any request. A salesperson will reach out to confirm your order.
You can submit a request through the Custom Part Form on our home page. Or contact us here. Please include as many details as you can. Our engineers will reach out to discuss your project.
Lead times can vary based on the parts ordered and volume. Our sales team will provide an estimated delivery schedule at the beginning of the project and a timeline for your order once details are finalized. If you have an urgent need, please let us know! We will work to accommodate you.
Yes, SST offers volume discounts in most circumstances. Reach out to our sales team to learn more.
SST follows all United States export rules and regulations. If you are located outside the US, our sales team will help coordinate all shipments in a timely manner.
SST uses all major shipping providers, and we will choose based on which will best serve your delivery. If you have a request or requirements for shipping, we are happy to make the necessary arrangements.
Our customer service and quality teams are always happy to help. If you have an issue with a delivery or any received product, please contact us.
Quality & Testing
- Leak Testing – High-sensitivity Helium Mass Spectrometer
- 100% of SST parts are leak tested before being shipped
- Pressure Testing - Hydrostatic Pressure testing up to 30,000 psi.
- Electrical Testing – Continuity, HiPot/DWV (Dielectric Withstanding Voltage), Megohm Resistance, Capacitance, Heat Rise Testing
- Physical Testing - Torque, Push-Pull Testing, Engagement Force Measurement
- CMM, Vision Systems, Go/No-Go thread and pin gauges, Surface Profilometer, and certified metrology equipment for inspection and analysis
- XRF Thickness Testing of Coatings & Material Verificaiton
- Basic Thermal Testing: LN2 exposure, vacuum bakeout
- Fiber Optic Insertion Loss Testing
At SST, the leak test is performed with a dry helium mass spectrometer, and parts are guaranteed to have a leak rate of less than 1x10-10 atm.cc/sec He.
Yes! Every part that leaves our production floor is leak tested to ensure hermeticity. In addition, our quality and inspection teams can test a wide range of attributes as required. If you have special testing requirements, please let us know.
Yes. SST provides full lot control and provides a lot number with each shipment of parts. This lot number can be used to trace the material certifications, equipment, operators, temperature profiles, and other valuable production data. Special services include single lot of materials and laser-marked serialization.
- ISO9001:2015
- ITAR compliance
- RoHS & REACH compliance
Technology & Engineering
Feedthroughs are components used to enable the transfer of electrical power, signaling, or other instrumentation into or out of a hermetic environment. Electrical feedthroughs are created with metal electrical conductors and ceramic or glass insulators. The specific metal or insulating material used will depend on customer requirements.
In addition to providing a hermetic seal for vacuum environments, SST feedthroughs are often designed to resist extreme temperature ranges, high pressures, and aggressive chemicals. View our full catalog of feedthroughs here.
At SST, ceramic-to-metal sealing refers to our ability to bond metal components to ceramic insulators to create hermetically-sealed electrical components. Being hermetic, these feedthroughs and related products are ideal for use in vacuum environments. Click here to learn more about our technology.
- Detailed engineering drawings for all SST parts
- Modified standard products
- Full custom design - custom feedthroughs and hermetic solutions
- 3D modeling with SOLIDWORKS®
- Fixture and tooling design
- Calculated production tolerances
- Basic FEA analysis
- Coaxial matched impedance design
- Beam Position Monitor (BPM) design
- Ceramic to Metal sealing
- Glass to Metal sealing
- Glass-Ceramic to Metal sealing
- Thick-Film Metalizing of ceramics
- Electroless Nickel Plating of ceramics
- Brazing
- Heat Treating
- Machining
- CNC
- Manual
- Welding
- Laser
- TIG
- Spot
- Cleaning and Packaging for high-vacuum
- Laser Marking
SST parts can accommodate a wide range of conditions including: temperature ranges from -269ºC to 450ºC, voltages exceeding 125 KV, currents up to 1000 amps, nonmagnetic materials, high and ultra high vacuum, underwater, down-hole oil, and other high pressures.
Visit our technology page here to explore our process.