Our vacuum chambers can be customized to include additional ports or spare ports on the lid, door, or side walls; space permitting of course. There are several reasons why you would want to include at least a few bulkhead ports onto your chamber.
What kind and type of bulkhead ports can be installed onto an acrylic vacuum chamber?
The short answer is: any type and kind. Below we discuss some of the options available to you.
NPT Threaded Ports
We offer all types of NPT threads from 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4, 1 inch NPT. The NPT Ports are plugged with its corresponding NPT plug, Teflon tape, and Thread Past to create a the most amazing hermetically sealed vacuum NPT port ever!PLEASE NOTE: An NPT thread is tapered conical thread. The taper helps engage the NPT threads to create an even better seal. However, this also means that you will only be able to connect something from one side. We also offer NPT ports that are threaded on both sides. We will ask to confirm, but be sure to mention this to us so that we can supply you with the correct NPT Port.
NW / KF / QF / Quick Flange Vacuum Fittings
We also offer all NW / KF / quick flange bulkhead ports such as NW16, NW25, NW40, NW50. The Spare ports are blanked off with its corresponding blank, Centering Ring, and bulkhead clamp
ISO Fittings and Flanges
You can add the following flange sizes to your vacuum chamber wall. ISO63, ISO80, ISO100, ISO160, ISO200, ISO250, ISO320, ISO400, ISO500. Each flange is either clamped against the vacuum chamber port with clamps or if the flange has a bolt patter, it is bolted onto the wall. The corresponding ISO O-Ring is included to keep the blank hermetically sealed.
Conflat Flanges Conflat Flange with the following ID are available for you: 133CF, 212CF, 275CF, 338CF, 450CF, 462CF, 600CF, 675CF, 800CF, 1000CF, 1200CF, 1325CF, 1400CF, 1450CF, and 1650CF. Space and size permitting, we can add as many conflat flanges as you need.
Why would you need spare ports?
There are three main reasons why you would want to add a spare port to you vacuum chamber:
1. You may need a vacuum port in the future
The main reason is that you don’t know what experiments or processes you will need to perform in the future. You will be surprised how many times our clients ordered a vacuum chamber from us only to come back and ask for additional ports later. Fortunately, we were always able to find a solution, but this upgrade took longer and cost more after we have delivered the vacuum chamber than had they added a few spare ports to their vacuum chamber in the first place. The addition of a spare bulkhead vacuum port gives you options for the future because many vacuum components can be installed onto the spare port.
2. Someone from a different department may want to use or borrow it
The second reason you would want to add a spare port to your chamber is due to the fact that someone from another department will see your newly delivered vacuum chamber and ask to borrow it for some of their own experiments, tests, or processes. Sometimes these processes would require additional vacuum feedthroughs and components which cannot be installed because there are no spare ports present. The addition of a spare bulkhead vacuum port give you the option to synergize among the various departments at your company in case someone else needs to borrow your vacuum chamber.
3. You may want to connect your own vacuum components
The third reason you would want to add spare ports is that you may have your own vacuum components, connections, or feedthroughs that you want to install onto your chamber.
Your Vacuum Ports Options
The good news is that you have options when it comes to Vacuum Ports and Vacuum Bulkhead Ports.
More about our Vacuum Ports
Let us tell you more about our acrylic anchoring technology!
One advantage of our threaded ports is that we never thread into our acrylic. Many years of experience have taught us that acrylic cannot be subjected to concentrated shear stress; this is the same shear stress applied by a bolt onto an acrylic thread – this will result in micro cracks or crazes or eventual failure of acrylic wall.
We have resolved this risk of crazing due to shear stress by using acrylic anchors which instead of shear stress apply compressive stress; compressive stress is not as damaging to the acrylic as shear stress. We then use a metallic port which is threaded and then anchor it onto the acrylic. The anchors function also as a way to compress an O-Ring between the metallic port and the acrylic vacuum chamber creating a leak tight seal.
Furthermore, our NW Quick Flange, ISO, and Conflat Ports are also coupled to the acrylic vacuum chamber through our specially developed acrylic anchoring technology.
Contact Us to find out how you can enhance your vacuum chamber by installing additional vacuum ports that will prove to be invaluable in the near future.