Diamond SA (Diamond) was founded with a mission to manufacture high-precision, high-performance fibre optic components and assemblies that exceed customer expectations, and the company has been doing just that for more than 65 years.
The Losone, Switzerland-based photonics firm started its journey by precision machining ultra-hard materials, including ruby, sapphire, tungsten carbide and diamond, for use in the production of high-precision technical components.
The team’s experience in this area grew and evolved, lending itself to form the basis of the company's expertise in precision machining and mass production, which Diamond has systematically expanded and perfected over the years and is best known for today.
In 1979, a need to diversify led Diamond into the exciting, high-growth field of fibre optics, where the company quickly established itself as an internationally recognised innovator. Zeno Nodari, Head of Sales explains: “The biggest difference between the Diamond of the 1950s and today is certainly the diversification of markets and customers, as well as the new fibre optic expertise developed over all these years of experience.”
Diamond in 2024
Today, Diamond is a global operator, with a team of experts in fibre optics who work closely with customers to develop solutions for a wide range of projects. The company currently has more than 300 employees, as well as facilities in Germany and the U.S.A. and subsidiaries and selected distribution partners throughout the world. Nodari attributes much of this growth to the firm’s ability to adapt and evolve. He says: “The company has grown a lot in its more than 65 years of history thanks to the continuous search for evolution, new technologies, new markets as well as new customers who have given us the opportunity to demonstrate the high quality standard of Diamond SA.”
Nodari believes that some of Diamond’s greatest successes to date are the markets it serves. These include telecommunications, avionics, medical, photonics, industrial/harsh environment and, more recently, space, which he says “has played a very important role for our company in recent years,” adding that: “Our greatest achievements are certainly the invention of the E-2000® connector in 1992 and the ESA qualification of our Mini AVIM® in 2018. The Mini AVIM® is the only single channel space qualified connector and the E-2000® connector is still one of the most reliable and versatile connectors on the market.”
When it comes to manufacturing, Diamond is able to assemble components in-house to create finished products and cable assemblies. Products can be manufactured and prefabricated using different optical fibres and ferrule technologies according to each individual requirement.
The company uses a unique two-component connector ferrule, which comprises of a high-precision ceramic ferrule with a titanium insert. This ferrule, together with Diamond’s patented Active Core Alignment process, can precisely align the fibre core to the axis of the ferrule to reduce insertion loss values.
Control of the supply chain
In addition, Diamond is a vertically integrated company, which means that it has total control over the material supply chain and manufacturing process used to make its products, and it can process high-quality ceramic, metal and plastic components, from the raw material right the way through to the end product. What this means for customers is that, with the exception of the cables and fibres, Diamond can manufacture every part of its fibre optic connectors at its Switzerland facility, giving the company ownership over every component to ensure that everything meets its high quality, reliability and performance standards. The firm’s products and processes have been governed by an ISO 9001 certified quality management system (QMS) since 1994, with any suppliers also required to comply.
In such a fast paced industry, new technology, techniques and application areas present themselves all the time, and this presents both challenges and also opportunities for a company such as Diamond. Nodari says: “Currently, the biggest challenges we face as a company and as new trends in the market are space, the quantum world and semiconductors. As the demand for low IL connectors and cleanliness products increases, we are developing new technologies such as ULL connectors and building new cleanrooms to meet new and evolving market demands.”
The opportunity to develop new and exciting technologies such as these is the best thing about working at Diamond, according to Nodari. He says: The best aspect is being able to interact with people with a tremendous wealth of experience in fibre optics. To have the opportunity to be part of a company with vertical integration, then in-house production of plastic, ceramic and metal components, thus offering great flexibility in the market and enrichment of internal knowledge. To be able to work on important projects, world leading customer names in different fields, supplying customers in all parts of the world is a continuous satisfaction. To be involved in very important medical projects that will solve different problems of people is exciting and at the same time to be part of cutting-edge technological developments is really satisfying.”
When it comes to customers or prospective customers looking for a partner supplier of components and assemblies, the message from Nodari is simple: “Our mission is to manufacture high-precision, high-performance fibre optic components and assemblies that exceed our customer expectations. We are a skilled team of fibre optics experts and not only develop projects, but also have the know-how and capability to industrialise products on a larger scale. If you are looking for a company to collaborate with and develop some projects or solutions together, please contact us.”
