Vacuum News All models are available with ‘High Speed’ or Blowhard quenching. This high speed quenching system is useful for ADH & M type steels using extra large quench gas turbines and the standard efficient orbital gas quench system. The well named ‘Blowhard’ operates at 2 bar gas quench pressure with an extra large turbine, for production hardening of M3 bearing steel for example. Recent tests showed a quench rate of 45 s on two pre-shipment test runs giving full hardening of oil hardening grades of 02 and 4340 material. VFS have thus produced the perfect balance between a sensible working pressure and a super efficient orbital gas circulation system. To sum up, VFS furnace features include: 1
Heavy duty moly elements surrounding work load.
2 All-metal shields, or alternatively graphite or mineral super efficient insulation giving 50% the running costs of all-metal types. 3. Low mass modular ring type hot zone design, easily removable for service when required. 4. Horizontal round work zone gives a versatile hot zone volume for odd-shaped components with the access benefit of a horizontally opening door. 5. Orbital injection of cooling gas, on a 360” basis for uniform quenching. 6. Four-stage vacuum pumping system for fast pump down, and to handle gassy parts. 7. Honeywell microprocessor controller, DCP 7700, with 10 program memory storage, or (option) other controllers. VFS also offer efficient rebuilt hot zones for most vacuum furnace makes. A new graphite type hot zone can make economic sense if your present installation is gorging power. For more information on VFS furnaces, ring Norman Harris (022 023 2646) or Brian Garside (0223 811870). Naturally the well-known Torvac Service Department will be behind the VFS equipment here-they are probably the strongest service team in the industrial vacuum business.
Current
production
In the shop at present we have several interesting equipments. There is a 100 kV electron beam welder, approximately 6 mJ capacity vacuum chamber, just coming into test. This is very fully equipped and is computer controlled. Next we are building a tall series 36 furnace, with a hot zone approximately 2 m high, 585 mm dia. This furnace is in the early stages, and we expect to have it under test in 6 or 8 weeks. We would be very pleased to demonstrate it soon. It is particularly interesting for high quality heat treatment of long thin components,
Future
prospects
I am glad to report that general business conditions for Torvac equipment are satisfactory. The order book is healthy, there is a good list of sales negotiations in hand and our delivery times are starting to lengthen. The British market for vacuum equipment is growing, or perhaps one should say waking up, and there is a lot going on in export markets, so let us know early about any prospective requirements. We are effectively booked to the end of July, and we expect that August and September will also be filled within the next 4-6 weeks. Deliveries may therefore extend shortly to 7 or 8 months for all but the most basic standard equipments. At the same time we have a very healthy level of orders for up-dates 444
and rebuilds of Torvac and other manufacturer’s equipment. Once again, deliveries are beginning to extend, so if you do have requirements in mind please start talking to us early so that we can offer the best possible delivery. Torvac Ltd. Histon, Cambridge, CB4 4HE
Computer controlled sample analysis
auger
microprobe
for fractured-
Cambridge Mass Spectrometry Ltd has recently delivered a computer controlled Auger Microprobe to the Central Electricity Research Laboratories of the CEGB at Leatherhead. The system analyses fractured samples and is an example of the one-off customized projects undertaken by the Special Systems Division of Cambridge Mass Spectrometry Ltd. CERL supplied an old high vacuum scanning electron microscope to be used as the electron probe, and this was refurbished and interfaced via differential pumping apertures to a CMS designed mu-metal uhv chamber. The heart of the system is a Hemispherical Auger analyser with electrostatic input lenses. This was designed and built by CMS. A Hewlet Packard desk-top computer is used to control the analyser and provide data manipulation facilities, such as spectrum display, multiple scans and differential spectra. Samples can be fractured in a preparation chamber and then transferred onto the CMS precision uhv specimen stage in the analysis chamber. The system was supplied at a fraction of the cost of commercial Auger microprobe instruments and yet has an analytical performance comparable to these systems. Cambridge Mass Spectrometry Ltd. Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 4BH, UK
TECVAC gets ‘fit for work’ award system reaches the commissioning
as its first major stage in India
Two major events in the life of Tecvac, the vacuum metallizing and ion coating specialists of Cambridge, have come together. For, as the Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, Sir Peter Proby, was presenting a ‘Fit for Work’ award to the company, a team of its engineers--one of whose work led directly to the award-were in Southern India preparing to commission the first vacuum metallizer to enter production under the Tecvac name. Tecvac operates from Stow-cum-Quy, Cambridge, and won the Manpower Service Commission’s ‘Fit for Work’ award because of special adaptations made to machinery so it could better be operated by Mr Alec Patman-Wallis, who is disabled as a result of a road accident. The adaptations were specially designed by Tecvac’s Chief Engineer, Mr Don Custerson. The award was recognized by the MSC, whose citation said Tecvac showed ‘exemplary policies and practical involvement’ in the employment of disabled people. Sir Peter Proby, accompanied by Lady Proby. visited the Tecvac premises and later presented the award to Tecvac’s Managing Director, Mr Malcolm Boston at a luncheon at the nearby village hall. While all this was going on, two Tecvac engineers were some 7000 miles away in Trivandrum, in the Southern Indian State of Kerala, and were shortly to be joined by Mr Custerson. Here a subsidiary of the State Development Corporation became the first major Tecvac customer by buying a Semi-continuous Vacuum Metallizer, Slitters and other accessories. Tecvac’s engineers were commissioning the
Vacuum News system, which will make a range of metallized film for electrical capacitors.
-Elimination of runs, sags and tear drops. -Excellent gloss and image clarity.
Tecvac. recently approved as a Government contractor, was formed some 2 yr ago to combine the vacuum coatings business of Torvac Ltd with other specialized vacuum engineering activities. Torvac Ltd now concentrates on vacuum furnace and electron beam welding and is based nearby at Histon, Cambridge.
In addition to the lacquer, Oxy Metal Industries markets a full range of equipment specially designed for the electrodeposition of Electroclear, which consists of the process tank, deposition controller, filtration, re-circulation systems, heating and temperature control.
Tecvac makes metallizers for a variety of industries-such as electronics, packaging and decorative products-and also provides an in-house production service at Quy. The company is also involved in the development of a range of ion coating processes and is working on applications using aluminium, copper, nickel and titanium. Tecvac T. MET. L Ltd. Vacuum Specialists, Main Street, Stow-cum-Quy, Cambridge, CB5 9AB. UK
A special feature of the equipment is the anode cell design in which an anode box fitted with a selective ion membrane facilitates solution control and ensures a consistent coating quality.
Oxy metal increases cover for ICI electroclear Oxy Metal Industries Europe, under the terms of its recently extended licence from ICI. has added the UK and Italy to the European metal finishing markets in which it has been selling the Electroclear coating process since 1980. Electroclear is the clear organic water-based coating developed by ICI Paints Division for protecting highly reflective, easily tarnished metal surfaces such as silver and brass. Electroclear has already gained wide market acceptance in the manufacture of jewellery, giftware (including trophies and presentation items), spectacle frames, door and light fittings in Britain and other Continental Western European countries such as Spain, Holland, Belgium, France, Sweden and Germany. Other applications are anticipated where decorative metal finishes are a priority. Through the new licensing arrangement, Oxy Metal becomes ICI’s second distributor in the British and Italian markets, where another ICI licensee, Albright and Wilson Ltd. have been selling Electroclear since 1980. The cathodically deposited lacquer replaces all solvent and other water-based lacquers and is compatible with other metal finishing techniques. Because it is applied by electrodeposition rather than by conventional dipping or spraying, it has the following advantages over other existing lacquers: -Reduction in handling costs because Electroclear can be integrated into automated finishing sequences. -Potential reduction in labour and high material utilization costs. -Even distribution of Electroclear on all surfaces, and over complex shapes. -Better control of deposition thickness.
Electroclear complements the wide range of metal treatment processes and technical back-up services offered by Oxy Metal Industries throughout Europe. ICI Paints Division, Wexham Road, Slough, Berkshire SL2 5DS, UK
Components for new pulsed neutron source Avica Equipment are to supply four injection beam line magnet vacuum vessels to the Science and Engineering Research Council’s Rutherford and Appleton Laboratory, who are constructing a new high intensity pulsed neutron source called the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) designed to provide UK universities with a powerful facility for condensed matter research in the mid-1980s. Avica, who manufacture similar chambers for various research laboratories in the UK and overseas, are also supplying the RF (Radio Frequency) screen plates for the ceramic vacuum vessels in the accelerator ring. SNS activities will include scientific collaboration with university scientists, the provision of technical support for their work and the development of new instruments and techniques. All components being supplied by Avica, specialists in rubber hose assemblies and components for marine, aviation and industrial applications, are precision engineered to close tolerances, in grade 316 stainless steel, and with the high quality surface finish and cleanliness standards required to meet the requirements for achieving 5 x lo-’ torr ultra-high vacuum (uhv) and radio frequency screening conditions. Neutron beams provide a powerful probe for physicists, chemists and biologists to study the structure and properties of matter. Support is provided for neutron scattering research by universities using reactors and the electron linac at Atomic Energy Research Establishment Harwell Laboratory and the high flux reactor at the lnstitut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble. Avica Equipment, Mark Road, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 7DQ. UK
New literature Leaflets and booklets from vacuum equipment manufacturers Vacuum Generators Ltd, have issued a four-page leaflet called ‘New Products ‘82’ in which are described in outline (with relevant photographs): water-cooled chevron baffles on double-sided fc flanges; a motorized manipulator, motorized drives, a differentially pumped feedthrough, inert gas purifiers, magnetic linear/rotary drives, remotely operated valves, zero length mini viewports, new non-magnetic components, six new catalogue items, a new range of
clean vacuum furnaces, an ion pump/sublimation pump module, ellipsometers for thin film work, a set of information posters, miscellaneous items for sale as obsolete components or refurbished equipment and a series of technical information bulletins of which the first three are entitled: ‘Ultra-high Vacuum Flanges’, ‘UHV Pumps’ and ‘Pressure Measurement on UHV’. Vacuum Generators, Menzies Road, Hastings, E. Sussex TN34 1YQ 445