Air-Vac Engineering Company

What Air-Vac Engineering Company does

Air-Vac Engineering Company is a US-based, privately held manufacturer of precision electronics rework equipment, founded in 1998 and headquartered in Seymour, Connecticut. The company builds a portfolio of capital equipment for surface-mount (SMT) and through-hole printed circuit board rework, spanning four product families — AVX (automated SMT rework and part-milling platforms), DRS (semi-automated to fully automated BGA/SMT rework), ONYX (high-precision automated SMT rework with 9-micron placement accuracy), and PCBRM (mini-pot and solder-fountain systems for plated-through-hole and selective soldering) — supported by PHS preheaters and a catalog of consumables including nozzles, titanium flow wells, and site-cleaning kits. Its proprietary technology base centers on Focused Convective Heating (FCH) for lead-free plated-through-hole rework, non-contact vacuum site cleaning, laminar solder flow with extreme thermal uniformity, and closed-loop temperature and flow-rate control, yielding quantifiable differentiation such as a 45% reduction in copper dissolution and 100% barrel fill on rework joints. The company sells to Electronics Manufacturing Services providers, high-reliability electronics manufacturers (servers, networking, storage), and OEMs performing in-house rework, with documented use cases covering BGAs, QFNs, micro passives (01005-0402), connectors, and large high-thermal-mass assemblies.

The business model is predominantly hardware sales of mid-to-high-ticket capital equipment sold on a quote basis, supplemented by a recuring-revenue stream of consumables, custom tooling, and spare parts sold through a direct e-commerce store. Air-Vac goes to market through an independent regional representative network covering all US states, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, with named partners such as MarTec, G.E. Clevenger, FHP Reps, Production Specialties, Production Technology, Technimark, Aligned Solutions, Methods Automation, SMT Industrial Supply, and ROM Desarrollos Tecnologicos. Capital purchase friction is reduced via equipment-leasing partnerships with LEAF Commercial Capital and Innovative Capital Resources. Bundled engineering consultation and free lifetime phone support/software upgrades are part of the equipment value proposition, anchoring the company in an application-engineering rather than pure-box-sale posture within the rework equipment niche. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; revenue, ownership, headcount trends, and management bios are also not disclosed in available sources.

Name

Air-Vac Engineering Company

Legal name

Air-Vac Engineering Company, Inc.

Website

https://air-vac-eng.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Air-Vac Engineering Company manufactures precision SMT and through-hole PCB rework equipment — including AVX, DRS, ONYX, and PCBRM systems — for EMS providers, high-reliability electronics manufacturers, and OEMs, selling through a North American regional representative network with leasing support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seymour

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Rework Equipment Sales: Sale of SMT and through-hole rework systems including AVX, DRS, ONYX, and PCBRM product lines. Equipment ranges from semi-automated to fully automated systems.
2. Equipment Leasing: Equipment leasing programs through LEAF Commercial Capital and Innovative Capital Resources to facilitate customer purchases.
3. Spare Parts and Accessories: Online store for spare parts, nozzles, flow wells, and accessories. Customers can purchase items like heater elements, solid state relays, vacuum filters, and nozzle o-rings.
4. Custom Tooling: Custom nozzle and flow well design services. Engineering consultation for specific component configurations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Air-Vac Engineering Company designs, manufactures, and sells precision SMT (Surface Mount Technology) and through-hole printed circuit board rework systems used by electronics manufacturers and contract assemblers. The company sells automated and semi-automated rework stations, selective soldering modules, infrared preheaters, and supporting accessories (nozzles, flow wells, site-clean kits), complemented by spare parts and custom tooling engineering services.

Product overview

Air-Vac Engineering Company manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of SMT (Surface Mount Technology) and through-hole rework systems, positioned as precision equipment for electronics manufacturing and repair. The product line consists of multiple distinct product families: AVX series automated rework platforms (AVX1200HG for large 180mm components, AVX1000/AVX1000M for precision milling), DRS series semi-automated to automated rework systems (DRS25, DRS27, DRS27T.6Z), ONYX29 high-precision automated rework, PCBRM mini-pot through-hole rework systems (PCBRM15, PCBRM System 5.2, PCBRM100 for large assemblies), PHS preheaters, and supporting accessories including nozzles, flow well tooling, and site cleaning kits. The systems range from bench-top semi-automated units to fully automated production rework machines, targeting electronics manufacturers, repair facilities, and OEMs requiring precise component removal and replacement capabilities for BGA, QFN, connectors, and through-hole components.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AVX: AVX series rework and assembly systems (AVX1000, AVX1200, AVX250, AVX1000M) - precision SMT rework equipment platform.
• DRS
• ONYX
• PCBRM
• PHS

Products and services

• AVX1200HG High-performance, fully automated SMT rework and assembly system for components up to 180mm x 180mm, with precision site recognition, dual-camera alignment, 15-micron placement accuracy, automatic tooling changer, and integrated site cleaning for electronics manufacturers and OEMs.
• AVX1000 SMT rework platform supporting components from 01005 to 125mm BGA, available in AVX500 and AVX1000 configurations with multiple board size options, targeting electronics manufacturers performing BGA and micro-component rework.
• DRS25 Semi-automated SMT rework system with closed-loop temperature and flow rate control, automatic nozzle height adjustment, vacuum sensing, removal and drop-off, equipped with Leica inspection-quality stereo microscope or HD camera for vision alignment.
• DRS27 Large board and large component rework system with 2000-watt upper heater and radiant IR panel bottom heater, multiple field of view vision system, force placement control from 20-2000 grams, and proprietary non-contact site cleaning for BGA and high thermal mass assemblies.
• DRS27T.6Z Enhanced DRS27 variant featuring a 6-zone, 32x24 inch IR preheater at 15000 watts power and an extra-large 32.5x50 inch board carrier for rework on high thermal mass assemblies.
• ONYX29 Automated SMT rework system with 9-micron placement accuracy at 3 sigma, featuring high volume rework capability, fast controlled board cool down, process repeatability, uniform joint temperature, and supporting components up to 3.0 inch (75mm).
• PCBRM100 Next-generation solder fountain system designed for lead-free rework of plated-through-hole (PTH) components on large, high thermal mass assemblies, featuring integrated Focused Convective Heating (FCH), 28x28 inch IR preheater at 16Kw, and proprietary technology that significantly reduces copper dissolution.
• PCBRM15 Mini-pot through-hole rework and selective soldering module featuring cast iron solder pot with titanium pump designed for lead-free solder, simple operation with preset controls for temperature, time, and pump speed, ideal for lead-free and tin-lead through hole rework.
• PCBRM System 5.2 Complete through-hole rework system featuring PCBRM15 module with 6500-watt preheater, extended board carrier, and sturdy base plate, supporting boards up to 20x20 inches with top and bottom preheater zones, reducing time and temperature requirements for heat absorbing assemblies.
• PHS1500/4000 Preheaters Standalone infrared preheater modules ideal for medium to high-mass assemblies, designed to minimize process temperature, reduce risk of thermal damage, and activate flux; available in PHS1500 (1500W, 1 zone, 13.375x20 inch max board) and PHS4000 (4000W, 2 zones, 22x20 inch max board) configurations.
• AVX250 Component and part milling machine for automatic removal of electronic components including residual solder on heat-sensitive assemblies, featuring automatic board and component height measurement, automatic vision align, automatic tool changing, vacuum-based debris removal, and board scanning with max board size 10x18 inches.
• AVX1000M High-precision part milling machine with automatic removal of electronic components including residual solder on heat-sensitive assemblies, featuring automatic board and component height measurement, automatic vision align, automatic tool changing, vacuum-based debris removal, and board scanning with max board size 24x32 inches.
• BGA Rework Nozzles Standard and micro nozzles compatible with DRS27/25, AVX1200/1000 (HG), and ONYX29 systems, including standard nozzles for conventional components and special nozzles for thermal control and joint temperature uniformity.
• Rework & Site Clean Kits Precision rework and site cleaning kits for standard and micro components, enabling precision rework in four steps: removal, site clean, apply solder paste, and component replacement, including component-specific micro tips for precision process operations.
• Flow Well Tooling Custom titanium flow wells that match component lead patterns and determine size, shape, and direction of solder flow on PCBRM models; Air-Vac maintains 23 standard size titanium flow wells plus 23 standard cleaning hoods and offers custom designs for complex board configurations.
• PVSG Desoldering Iron Hand-held vacuum desoldering tool for surface mount component touch-up, utilizing tubular tip which transmits heat to site and vacuum removes solder leaving pads clean, featuring instant high vacuum with simple button operation using compressed air.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45% reduction in copper dissolution (0.5 mils vs 0.9 mils) using Focused Convective Heating process
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Metcal (OK International): Broader soldering and rework solutions provider with a wider product portfolio spanning bench-top soldering, fume extraction, and precision rework. Comparable to Air-Vac on soldering/rework technology but serves a much broader market including hand soldering.
• JBC Tools: Spanish manufacturer of professional soldering and rework stations with global distribution. Comparable to Air-Vac on soldering/rework equipment but focused primarily on hand soldering rather than automated rework systems.
• Weller Tools (Apex Tool Group): Major global brand of professional soldering tools and stations under Apex Tool Group. Comparable to Air-Vac on soldering/rework category but operates at much larger scale and broader consumer/professional market rather than automated rework equipment.

Direct peers

• Kurtz Ersa: German-headquartered global manufacturer of soldering and rework equipment including selective soldering and BGA rework stations. Most directly comparable to Air-Vac across product categories (SMT rework, selective soldering, through-hole rework) and end-customers (EMS and OEMs).
• DDM Novastar: US-based manufacturer of SMT equipment including pick-and-place, reflow, and rework systems. Comparable product mix and customer base to Air-Vac in the North American EMS/OEM market.
• Finetech: German manufacturer of precision rework and micro-bonding equipment for advanced packaging and high-reliability electronics. Comparable to Air-Vac on high-precision placement and high-reliability customer focus.
• PDR (Practical Design & Rework): UK-based specialist in BGA/SMT rework stations and infrared rework systems. Closely comparable niche competitor serving EMS, OEM, and defense rework applications with a similar specialty-equipment positioning to Air-Vac.
• Heller Industries: US-based manufacturer of reflow ovens and SMT equipment serving EMS and OEM customers. Adjacent product overlap with Air-Vac in SMT process equipment for electronics manufacturing.
• Manncorp: US-based supplier and manufacturer of SMT equipment, including rework and assembly systems for EMS and OEM customers. Comparable to Air-Vac in product scope and North American focus.
• VJ Electronix: Manufacturer of rework systems and X-ray inspection equipment for SMT electronics manufacturing. Direct overlap with Air-Vac on BGA rework and SMT process control equipment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/air-vac-engineering-company-inc.

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Air-Vac Engineering Company