If you work in a laboratory setting, chances are fairly high that you’re familiar with the importance of a good vacuum chamber. These handy additions to research efforts are useful in a wide array of fields. They find use in both scientific research and industrial development, and the needs of no two laboratories are the same. Vacuum chambers literally create enclosed spaces free of matter; anything that plays so thoroughly with the fundamental forces of physics is going to require a lot of complex, powerful parts, and all of those parts need to be of the highest possible quality for the unit to function. You need the best of the best, and finding the one that’s right for you can be a hassle if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for.
Fortunately, we’re here to help. We’ve done plenty of research into what makes for a good vacuum chamber, and we’ve come up with some guidelines for how to select the appropriate manufacturer for your needs. There are a few factors that go into determining what unit you’re going to need, and those factors are just as complex as the machines themselves.
What Do You Use It For?
There are two main reasons to invest in one of these beauties: you’re researching something for science or you’re developing something for industry. You’re generally not going to casually need an advanced vacuum chamber for your home basement. The science behind them is fascinating, and can be read about at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_chamber. In manufacturing, they’re extremely useful for removing moisture from the environment around a product so that they can be coated with protective films, tested in a unique environment, or determining leaks. Aerospace engineers use them to test a material’s resistance to a space-like environment, and biopharmaceutical companies require them to test and crystalize samples and medicines.
Even the comparatively humble food industry has a use for them! Food spoilage is a major problem, especially when transporting food over a long distance. Seafood in particular tends to spoil quickly during transport unless properly treated. Treatment usually involves cooling, and that process is made quick and easy with a good vacuum chamber. You may be surprised at how many everyday products you have that were subject to testing in one. They’re used to degas liquids by lowering the pressure inside the unit. They’re also commonly used to sterilize equipment and products.
For scientific research, the ability to create an environment free of all matter is invaluable. Chemical substances and specific materials act differently in an environment devoid of pressure. One use for them that shows extreme promise is the field of energy research. By using powerful units with equally powerful magnets, scientists are attempting to discover the secrets of reliable, usable fusion energy. As you can see here, researchers are closing in on generating the power of the sun in a controlled setting, a process that relies on vacuum chambers to sustain plasma and the related reactions.
Custom vs. Generic
One of the important things you’ll need to determine is whether or not you need a custom piece or if a prefabricated model will do. This is going to be the major money decision, as custom pieces tend to run more expensive, just as in any industry. Both options have upsides and downsides that should be considered, but ultimately, you’ll need to determine which of the two is best for you. Fortunately, this decision doesn’t need to be as complicated as the actual devices themselves, and you’ll have an easier time understanding what you need than you would understanding advanced physics.
The main advantage of a custom vacuum chamber is that you’ll be able to tailor it to your specific needs. You can be absolutely sure that whatever your research or manufacturing requires, a custom unit will meet those demands. The major downsides to a custom piece are that the uses are generally limited to whatever your specific goal is, and that they tend to be more expensive. However, if you have long term needs, they’re the way to go for sure! Ultimately, we think that custom designs are going to be better than generic models that may not do what you need.
