THIS PAPER DISCUSSES A CASE STUDY OF A SPECIFIC INDUSTRIAL LASER APPLICATION. THE APPLICATION IS THE HERMETIC SEALING OF MILITARY AND IMPLANTABLE-BIOMEDICAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. PROCESS CONTROL IMPROVEMENTS FROM FIRST TO SECOND GENERATION SYSTEMS IS STUDIED. THE PROCESS AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY PERFORMED AND THE SHORTCOMINGS OF THE ORIGINAL PROCESS IS DESCRIBED. THE REMAINDER OF THE PAPER IS DEDICATED TO THE PROCESS CONTROL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SECOND GENERATION SYSTEM AND THE HARDWARE/SOFTWARE INVOLVED.
