Projects

Projects

Vacuum outgassing installation

Demaco produced a vacuum outgassing installation for the research institute TNO, which is used to measure the outgassing of small samples using a Quadruple Mass spectrometer.

The analyzing chamber and the load lock can both be baked-out to very high temperatures, to be able to achieve a very clean ultra-high-vacuum. Also the sample holder itself is provided with a sample heater for 250°C, so the outgassing of these samples can be measured during temperature changes. The pumping system is provided with “dry” pumps. The challenge about this system was to make a spectrum of the residual gasses (except for hydrogen) into the 10-11 mbar region.

Manipulation in Ultra High Vacuüm

For this project, the space research institute ESTEC delivered two existing vacuum chambers to Demaco, wherein a sample holder of 200x200mm has to be transported completely computer-controlled between the two vacuum chambers.

Demaco installed a guiding rail for X, Y, and Z manipulation in these two vacuum chambers. In one of these chambers, the sample holder has to be positioned neatly on different positions by using stepper motors with a resolution of 0,5mm. In the other chamber, the sample holder is heated up to 350°C and cooled with liquid nitrogen to -150°C. Demaco’s knowledge in the field of temperature regulation and temperature uniformity was very useful for this project.

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ERD* measuring system for material characterization

A complete Ultra High Vacuum system for a National Research Institute in Belgium.

The system consist of a scattering chamber, bottom chamber and load lock with sample transfer. The system shows a vertical transfer arm that holds down 12 small samples in the center of the scattering chamber. These samples are mounted on a sample holder that will be transferred in and out the UHV chamber from the loadlock. The rotation resolution and reproducibility of the sample holder (+180° and – 180°) should be within 0,05°. Manipulation will be done with a Ferrofluidic rotary drive with stepper motor computer control. The rotation encoder on the shaft guarantees a resolution of 0,01°. The samples can be heated up to 950° Celsius by using a PBN heater.

* ERD = Elastic Recoil Detection. In ERD, the information comes from the energy of the recoiled target atoms.

Low pressure combustion chamber

This system is constructed for experiments with methane air flames which are stabilized on a McKenna burner at a (vacuum) pressure of 60 hPa. The flame was subjected to DC as well as pulsed electric fields directed towards the burner surface.

Axial profiles of the temperature of CH were measured by emission spectroscopy. Electric fields can modify the flow pattern and thus extend the stability limits of flames. Another aspect that has received much attention is the field induced reduction of emissions such as CO and NOx.

The central porous bronze plug was 60 mm in diameter and was surrounded by a hollow-cylindrical ring of the same material which was connected to a separate gas supply. Water cooling was provided by a coil of copper tubing embedded in the burner plug. The burner was mounted inside the lower vertical arm of a Ultra High Vacuum 6-way Cross. A vacuum pump was connected to the upper vertical arm of the six-way cross. A regulated throttle valve kept the chamber pressure at 60 ± 1 hPa. One of the horizontal arms of the six-way cross served to accommodate a ceramic high-voltage isolator which supported a ring electrode to keep the distance to the burner around 60 mm. Optical access with fused-silica windows was possible through the remaining three arms of the 6-way cross.

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Deacidification system for books

The Bookkeeper® Deacidification Process neutralizes harmful acids and greatly extends the lifespan of books and documents.

Accelerating aging tests have demonstrated that paper treated with Bookkeeper will have a life expectancy of a minimum of three to five times longer than that which has not been treated. Demaco produces for the company Preservation Technologies their Bookkeeper® Deacidification system which contains a Recovery skid, a Mix Skid and several vertical and horizontal treating vessels as well as vacuum vessels with pumps and valves.

Gold coating on hearing devices

Demaco sold several gold coating machines to one of the global leaders of advanced miniature components for hearing instruments.

The product range includes balanced armature receivers, high-end microphones and electromechanical components for the hearing instruments and high-end audio headsets. One of the major components in these hearing devices needs to have a thin gold coating layer. Our gold coating systems need to have a maximum reliability as they are in operation 24/7. Pumpdown time from Atmospheric pressure to 5.10 e-6 mBar takes only 30 minutes. At this pressure the gold coating will start.