Chamber for Vacuum Extrusion System

vacuum extrusion system chamber
Rear view of the Custom Vacuum Extrusion Chamber
This is a custom acrylic vacuum chamber build for a high volume manufacturer of parts that are fabricated using vacuum extrusion techniques. The challenge was to build a vacuum chamber system which interfaced on 3 sides with various in-house extrusion equipment components in order to create a good vacuum seal. The bottom, the top, and on the rear of the chamber had to interfere with the vacuum extruder assembly. This was accomplished by incorporating a double gasket mechanism on the bottom and top and by incorporating a clamping mechanism on the rear. The top of the chamber interfaced with extrusion cutting equipment. The rear of the chamber interfaced with the vacuum extrusion die. The bottom of the chamber interfaced with the vacuum hopper.

The advantages of using an acrylic vacuum chamber in vacuum extrusion environments is that it allows for full visibility of the product. Additionally, a camera system can be added to the operation enabling fully visual inspection of the interior hence increasing throughput, quality, and safety.

On a personal note, this was a very tricky engineering problem because we were aiming to design a chamber which had to create a vacuum tight fit against three surfaces which were not completely perpendicular to each other due to wear and tear. This was accomplished by using a double gasket aluminum interface plate.

In the end, all went well, and looking back we have nothing but gratitude to this customer for giving us a chance to push ourselves beyond what we were comfortable doing - hence making us better engineers. This was a challenging and fun project; not only were we able solve a problem they were wrestling with for quite some time, we also made friends and connected with people on the other side of this country.

Video of the Extrusion Vacuum Chamber

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Portable Vacuum Chamber and Pump Systems
We carry a wide range of portable vacuum chamber and pump systems. A Portable Vacuum Chamber and Pump system is placed onto a frame structure and lockable swivel casters which enable you to move your vacuum chamber and pump system around your facility. Our portable vacuum systems are very popular among businesses that are constantly growing, evolving, or sharing. Our portable vacuum systems are moved with ease from location to location.
Belt Drive Rotary Vane Vacuum Pumps
A Belt Drive Rotary Vane Pump is almost identical to a Direct Drive Rotary Vane Pump. The only difference between the two is that the belt drive Rotary Vane Vacuum Pump is driven by a belt. There are several advantages why a belt drive vacuum pump would be preferable. One of these reasons is that the belt drive Rotary Vane Vacuum Pump runs at a slower RPM therefore the temperature created is lower, the wear and tear is less, and the overall lifetime of the pump is longer. The disadvantages are a lower CFM and performance.
Our Work: High Altitude Vacuum Testing of Electrical Connectors and Components
This was an interesting project where one of our customers needed to test wires up to 44 inches long within a high altitude simulation environment. In addition to testing wires, several other electric connectors required altitude testing as well. The altitude requirements were 100,000 feet (30.510 km) which corresponds to 8.36 Torr - a piece of cake when it comes to the vacuum requirements of our chambers.
Related Articles: High Altitude Package Testing utilizing an Acrylic Vac Chamber
An Acrylic Vacuum Chamber can be used to simulate elevation very reliably to altitudes up to 60.9 km or 200,000 feet. This provides several advantages over other testing methods as acrylic is transparent and enables full view of interior during testing. In this article, we will give you a through guide on what can be done to eliminate the risk of packaging damage during shipments at high altitudes.