Custom membrane switches and printed PTC heaters
our proprietary double-sided polymer circuitry (D/SPC®) is uniquely engineered to eliminate the common failure points of single-sided circuitry.
Company Background
Founded in 1992, Reliatrace® (formerly GDSI) has consistently been one of the industry's most reliable designers and manufacturers of custom printed electronics. Powered by our proprietary double-sided polymer circuitry (D/SPC) technology, we produce some of the most innovative and dependable membrane switches and heater circuits.
And we don't just throw out the word reliable for show – we demonstrate it. With a circuit defect rate close to zero, leading companies in highly-regulated industries like medical devices and commercial machinery can depend on Reliatrace to meet the stringent requirements necessary for high-performance applications that truly can't afford to fail.
Located in Amery, Wisconsin, our people are no strangers to tough conditions, like the frigid Midwest winters, and we're proud to say that we're as reliable in harsh environments as the custom electronics we create. We value honesty, integrity, transparency, and an unrelenting commitment to high quality, which makes our vision simple – enable our customers to win.
That’s it. We don’t need a fancy mission statement to know that focusing on what matters most – exceeding your expectations for quality, value and on-time delivery – is what enables our clients to succeed. This focus is why leading companies have trusted Reliatrace with some of their toughest circuity challenges for 30 years.
Capabilities
Reliatrace specializes exclusively in the design and manufacturing of custom printed electronics. Unlike many of our competitors, we did not evolve from a simpler screen printing service and eventually add circuitry to our capabilities – our specialty has always been printed electronics. Since 1992, our engineers have been helping our clients maximize the performance and reliability of their applications using our proprietary double-sided polymer circuitry (D/SPC) technology. Our 30 year history of solving some of the most significant challenges in printed electronics, especially for harsh environment applications, is experience you won’t find with any other supplier.
All of our manufacturing is done at our Amery, Wisconsin location and we never outsource offshore. From initial design, to prototyping to manufacturing, you’ll be supported by our on-site engineers, quality and customer service team members. Our full range of capabilities include:
Design expertise
Focused prototyping
Screen printing and digital printing in Class 100,000 clean room
Steel rule and thin plate die cutting
Laser cutting
Auto dome and LED placement
Turnkey printed electronics assembly
Research and Development Accomplishments
Printed electronics are ushering in a new era of exciting innovation in circuitry, giving engineers more safe, efficient and flexible solutions in a wide range of applications. Reliatrace has a long history of partnering with our clients to develop new, innovative applications using our proprietary D/SPC technology, including:
Produced the first commercially successful membrane switch application on a curved surface, to develop for a golf hand pressure sensor used as a biofeedback training tool.
Used a proprietary ink formation to print a double-sided circuit on a polyetherimide substrate that was molded into a 3D circuit designed for use in an unusually harsh environment.
Eliminated the need to use an electrically conductive substrate for a backlighting panel, which eradicated previous interconnect field failures.
Enabled the ability to separate the sensor from the interconnect circuitry in a pioneering point-of-care blood chemistry analysis biosensor.
Combined our D/SPC technology with a new Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC ink) to provide improvements in PTC ink capability. This innovation allows for more even heat, more heat density, and greater circuit reliability. PTC ink is self-regulating, does not go above the target temperature and provides consistent heat profiles at a greatly reduced cost compared with copper circuit heaters. It needs no separate resistor, thermistor or controller, and leaves more room for other SMT requirements.
Environmental Responsibility
Built using an additive process, screen printing electronics is inherently more environmentally-friendly than other circuitry manufacturing processes. Copper circuitry, which is etched in chemical baths, produces a significant waste stream. Reliatrace also recycles all of our manufacturing outfall and scrap, as well as our paper products, including packaging. We can manufacture custom printed electronics using RoHS compliant materials and processes, and in 2007, Reliatrace was honored to receive the Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment for use of Innovative Technology.
Community Support
Reliatrace is a proud supporter of many local and statewide initiatives to support Amery and the surrounding community. We encourage a diverse workforce where all skills and abilities are utilized, and have received several community awards recognizing our inclusive efforts. Working closely with the local schools, we employ students in our Youth Apprenticeship and Work Experiences programs, and regularly conduct resume-writing and interview workshops in the classroom. We partner with local businesses who employ adults with disabilities and work with Wisconsin's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) to help find jobs at our plant for people who have disability limitations.
Of the many fundraisers Reliatrace participates in or initiates, the annual Reliatrace softball tournament is a community favorite, which was started in 2016 and raises funds for local charities. Past recipients have included Quarter Moon Acres, an equine-assisted therapy center for people with disabilities, and the Wisconsin Children’s Burn Camp. Reliatrace is also a member of the Amery Manufacturer’s Leadership Roundtable, which is sponsored by the Amery Economic Development Corporation, a non-profit that strives to support the community through business growth and retention.
Recognition and Awards
Over the past 30 years, Reliatrace has been honored to receive the following awards from our community, partners and clients!
