Atlas Vacuum Chamber Configurations
Atlas Vacuum Chamber Configurations
Plate, Tube, Spun, Solid and Extruded
Cylindrical
Cylindrical chambers can be fabricated from standard off-the-shelf tube and pipe, or custom
diameter aluminum roll-ups. An extensive selection of standard tube wall thicknesses is
available. Tube and pipe wall thickness will be according to the diameter and schedule
selected. Custom roll-up chambers are made from aluminum plate and are typically 5000
series aluminum alloy. All cylindrical chambers can be made with minimum wall thicknesses
because of the inherent strength offered by tubular geometry.
Formed
Hemispherical Spun/Formed chambers are usually made form 5000 series aluminum alloy.
These chambers offer minimum internal surface area and radially mounted flange axes
converge and focus to a central or strategic target point inside the chamber. Spun chambers
can be very large—and size is only limited by spinning/forming equipment capacity. These
chambers offer maximum strength and minimum wall thickness.
Monocoque chambers are machined from solid aluminum alloy 5000 and 6000 series billet or
thick plate. Forged material is often used to eliminate the risk of vacuum leak paths entrapped by the billet forming process—other methods can use cast micro-structure aluminum.
Aluminum is available in extremely thick plates (40” or 1016mm). Monocoque chambers
enable internal and external machining, which can provide a high concentration of design
features, a minimum surface area and a maximum surface quality without weld oxide contamination. Precise component location is achieved, because these are controlled in a single
machining setup and welding related distortion can be eliminated. Elaborate internal mounting brackets and shapes can be included in monocoque chamber designs.
Extruded
Atlas Vacuum Chamber Configurations
Plate-to-Plate chambers are constructed using aluminum alloy 5000 and 6000 series stock
aluminum plate. Chambers manufactured by this technique can be very large. Unlike stainless steel, Aluminum plate is available in very large areas. Off the shelf plate can be 48” or
60” x 144”. Atlas can supply even larger plates and chambers made from materials joined together by Atlas. Plate thicknesses are selected according to vacuum deflection calculations.
Large rectangular O-ring sealed access doors or polycarbonate windows can be included in
the design.
Extruded chambers are typically used for long chamber applications. However, intricate internal and external shapes can be economically added to other chamber types. Many synchrotrons require multiple chamber sections, each measuring between 4 to 8 meters in length.
Extruded aluminum fabrication is ideal and has been used for these applications, because of
cost and aluminum’s ability to handle high heat loads and its resistance to photo-desorption
of surface gases.
• Plate-to-Plate Chambers
• Cylindrical Chambers
• Formed Chambers
• Monocoque Chambers
• Extruded Chambers
Above, aluminum chamber built using several Atlas
manufacturing techniques... formed (spun) top and
bottom hemispheres, cylindrical main body (roll-up) and
tubular ports sealed with AT-CF and AT-ISO flanges.
Bellow, aluminum box-chamber built using plate-to-plate
and monocoque chamber manufacturing techniques.
Some typical Atlas chamber features (pictured in background) include Atlas glass viewports, polycarbonate
covers, flush-mount AT-CF flanges and built-in (machined)
monocoque chamber features.
6 Atlas Technologies
We build custom aluminum vacuum chambers employing these configurations, or combinations thereof. We also manufacture and
supply a wide range of aluminum vacuum
components and accessory hardware to
complement our aluminum vacuum chamber
products offering. Bimetallic Atlas CF Flanges
and AT-CR Fittings, solid aluminum tube
fittings as well as viewports are available.
Contact our sales department for more information on these and other Atlas products.
www.AtlasUHV.com
360-385-3123
360-385-3123
www.AtlasUHV.com
Atlas Vacuum Chamber Configurations
Plate-to-Plate
Monocoque
Atlas Technologies is the world leader
in aluminum vacuum chamber engineering and manufacturing. With over
30 years experience in cuttingedge vacuum product design,
we pride ourselves in providing
the world's finest and most
advanced UHV aluminum
chamber technology. Atlas'
aluminum vacuum chamber production techniques
(Chamber Configurations)
can be broken down into five
basic categories:
Atlas Technologies 7