Qdrive is the cryogenic cooler development and manufacturing arm since 2001, of the Clever Fellows Innovation Consortium (CFIC), Inc.  Qdrive's mission is providing quiet, low-vibration, no-maintenance, cryogenic cooling.  Our acoustic Stirling (pulse-tube) cryocooler line is the industry's widest capacity range of unitary coolers.  They are available in standard and custom configurations.  Additionally, we have oil-free compressors to drive Gifford-McMahon and Joule-Thompson coldheads; and we offer our TwinSTAR pressure wave generators and STAR resonant linear reciprocating motors/alternators, for researchers and equipment developers. 

What are you cooling?  Let us know — we can help.

Our Technology

The "heart" of our long-life, no-maintenance technology is our patented STAR™ resonant linear reciprocating motors/alternators. These motors were developed over more than 14 years in the resonant power business. STAR™ motors have a unique wear-free suspension system — with unlimited life and pure single-axis motion. It eliminates contact between moving parts and the associated lubrication requirements.  STAR™ motors utilize our innovative interdigitating moving magnet design with robust coil-over-iron stators. They are recognized throughout the world as the premier linear reciprocating motor. 

For more details, please see the Products and Technology pages.

Strategic Alliances

Our technological strength is sustained by key alliances and technology licenses. Praxair, Inc. - the largest cryogenic air separation and industrial gas company in the Americas - has a non-exclusive license for large cryocooler uses of CFIC Technology (above 4 kW electrical).

We have also licensed Brooks Automation to make and sell Qdrive coolers for the demanding fields of semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing.  The CTI-Cryogenics division of Brooks is the global leader in cryogenic high-vacuum products (cryopumps) where reliability and low-vibration are paramount.

These and other manufacturing user alliances with Qdrive bring worldwide support, superb technical resources, and enhanced application development.

Our development collaborators include Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State University, both global leaders in thermoacoustics, as well as, leading superconducting products companies, major international refrigeration manufacturers, NASA, DoE, DoD, and national laboratory and university researchers globally.

Our People

The excellence in our technology is born from our excellence in personnel. From the production force to top management we have the experience, skill, knowledge, and drive to bring affordable, reliable, cryocooling systems to the world.

Our Facilities

We are located at the CFIC, Inc. office and production site in Troy, NY.