Microwave Journal
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Company Profile: Modular Components National

July 15, 2008

Company History

Modular Components National (MCN) was founded in 1981 in Massachusetts by Irka Zazulak and her husband Peter, with a focus on the future of microwave technology, providing quality products and engineering expertise for both the commercial and military markets. Peter who was then an engineer at Raytheon realized the needs in product and technology facing a fledgling microwave industry. His knowledge and experience in microwave technology enabled him to design and develop microwave circuit boards, matching materials and processes, to accommodate critical performance in any application. In 1985, as the company continued to grow, MCN relocated to a larger facility in Forest Hill, Maryland where it is still headquartered.

After Peter’s death, Irka maintained ownership fostering MCN’s dedication to the microwave industry through the development of cutting-edge products and technologies. MCN purchased Microwave Printed Circuit Company in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1997. The two companies grew together to become the industry’s leading microwave circuit board fabricators. This merger of skills and expertise enabled the new entity to analyze, master and enhance any technological challenge to the science of PTFE circuit fabrication. As part of a corporate growth strategy to encourage lean manufacturing and shorter lead times, in 2005 the Lowell facility consolidated with the headquarters in Forest Hill to expand capacity, and streamline operations for efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

MCN’s value-added assembly and test operation was developed to accommodate prototype and short production runs, and eliminate costly, time consuming full line assembly when applicable. By specializing in the assembly of microwave and RF components, the skilled technicians at MCN have the experience and training required to complete build to sketch, or build to print designs. The engineering staff can also assist with product design or provide a turnkey design through assembly option. MCN is an ISO9001:2000 certified facility with AS9100 certification pending.

A six acre tract of land has been purchased in Forest Hill for the construction of a new manufacturing facility to accommodate the increase in volume that MCN continues to experience each year.

Company Today

With well over 25 years of service to the microwave industry, Modular Components National remains dedicated to providing quality products and cutting-edge processes for microwave applications. MCN’s ability to anticipate and fulfill the changing needs in microwave technology has earned the company an established place as a worldwide leader in the manufacture of microwave circuit boards for the defense and commercial telecommunications markets. MCN’s recent increase in capacity will foster growth in the automotive, aerospace, and medical markets. MCN offers rapid prototyping and fast delivery of production runs with rapid response to requests for pricing, engineering assistance and prototypes, concentrating on customer satisfaction. MCN guarantees a rapid response to requests for pricing, engineering assistance and prototypes concentrating on customer satisfaction.

Investing in a highly skilled staff of engineers and support personnel, over $2,000,000 in capital equipment, and a state-of-the-art clean room for pristine assembly, MCN combines manufacturing expertise with a range of advanced and innovative production systems. The company offers a unique in-house machine shop for the milling and drilling of thick metal back and metal core multilayer designs.

Two custom designed CO2 lasers, developed internally using MCN’s proprietary technology, incorporate a high-tech vision system for precise, smaller radii cuts on Teflon materials. MCN recently acquired an MKII Plasma Etch System to accommodate high-speed through hole preparation, contributing to overall process consistency. The MKII will be used in processing a variety of boards including mixed dielectrics, multilayers, PTFE and PTFE multilayers of any size and configuration for both the commercial and military markets. The high-speed MKII etching process ensures critical uniformity in board production.

With a broad range of product offerings, expanded capabilities and capacity in assembly and test, plating, precision etching, and internal laser cutting, MCN is now the preferred soft substrate supplier to leading OEMs worldwide.

The future of microwave technology starts at MCN. From concept through production, standard to complex, MCN’s investment in cutting-edge equipment, highly-skilled engineering personnel and a customer friendly support team, guarantees complete satisfaction for each customer’s unique requirements. The needs of the microwave industry are constantly changing. Modular Components National continues to meet those needs. But the dedication to microwave technology will never change. MCN’s commitment to the future will always remain the same.

Products

• Fine Line Etching

• Laser Routing and Drilling

• PTFE and Hybrid Multilayer Construction

• Microstrip and Housing Assembly

• Pre and Post Bonded Circuits with Aluminum Backing

• Screened Resistors, Blind and Buried Vias

Contact Information

Modular Components National.
105 East Jarrettsville Road
Forest Hill, MD
Phone: 410-879-6553 • Fax: 410-838-7629
sales@modularcomp.com
www.modularcomp.com

A Woman-Owned Business