Visual Departures, 48 Sheffield Business Park, Ashley Falls, MA 01222, US

Conard was founded in 1965 in Glastonbury, CT and has continuously specialized in photo etching -- also known as Photo Chemical Machining ( PCM ) or chemical etching. The founder, Richard C. Huttinger, was a metallurgist and engineer who had previously worked for both Boeing and Pratt & Whitney. Huttinger, working from his garage with his wife, developed a process to chemically mill the surface of forged aluminum propellor hubs for Pratt & Whitney. This process was more efficient and cost effective than conventional milling in the days before CNC machining was widely available.Conard's early expertise in etching aluminum came to the attention of a major aerospace avionics company. Military and commercial avionics systems needed flat aluminum heatsinks to cool printed circuit boards. The heatsinks required detailed cutouts around each component. Again, this was a very costly problem for conventional machining. Photo etching was an ideal solution, and flat heatsinks remain a significant part of our business today.Conard has made a commitment to environmental responsibility. We have consciously chosen to invest only in aqueous etching technologies. Our process waste water is actually better quality in terms of pH and dissolved metals than our local water supply which, incidentally, is touted as one of the purest in the country. Conard is a Green Circle Award recipient from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection for consistently meeting and exceeding our environmental requirements.Conard has achieved registration under the AS9100/ISO9001 standards. We elected to take on the additional requirements of the AS9100 ( aerospace ) standards in order to assure both existing and new customers that we are qualified to meet your requirements.