Vacuum Training
System & Courses
Vacuum Science Training System for Workforce Development
The Kurt J. Lesker Company vacuum training system is designed to address the vacuum community's need for accessible, hands-on education. Recognizing the frustration caused by the lack of comprehensive vacuum training, we developed an affordable and versatile system tailored for both corporate and university environments. This practical training solution aims to raise the baseline of knowledge for aspiring vacuum technologists, providing easy-to-use tools and effective instruction to help you achieve new levels of expertise. Whether you're a professional or a student, our training system is your gateway to mastering vacuum technology.
Educational Objectives
- Understanding the components of a high vacuum system (pumps, valves, gauges) and their operation
- Proper sequence for venting and pumping down a high vacuum system using manual components
- Hands-on experience with disassembling/assembling high vacuum flanges (QF, ISO, ConFlat), including vacuum technology involving elastomer o-rings and copper gaskets
- Determining the cleanliness/leak tightness of a high vacuum system using rate of rise
- Calculating the effective pumping speed of a high vacuum system
- Performing conductance calculations and combining them
- Observing the pump down parameters with a contaminated component versus a vacuum clean one
Included Components
- A cylindrical stainless-steel chamber with ISO 320 flanges
- A carbon steel frame 22" wide, 34" deep and 42" tall
- An 84 l/s turbo pump
- A 3.8 cfm rotary vane mechanical pump
- One ion gauge and two convection gauges
- A 2.5" gate valve, along with 1" roughing and foreline valves
- A manual leak valve
- Hardware for installing a conductance limitation and demonstrating contaminated parts
- Two day, in house instruction for two personnel at KJLC (seven hours of instruction) covering all of the educational objectives
- A supplies and spare parts kit (tools not included)
- Base Pressure 1 x 10-7 Torr
- Electrical - Base system requires 110 volts, 15 amps
Options
- Two days of on site instruction for two personnel (seven hours) at the customer's facility covering the educational objectives listed above
- Helium leak detector including one day of in house instruction for two personnel at KJLC (six hours) covering the art of leak detection
- One day of Helium leak detector training for two personnel at the customer's facility (six hours) covering the art of leak detection
- Sniffer probe for the leak detector
- Hardware to outfit a high pressure Helium bottle to supply the proper amounts of Helium when performing Helium leak detection. The kit does not include the high pressure Helium bottle
- RGA installed on the KJLC Training system
- 3.6 cfm dry pump instead of rotary vane pump
System Companion Training Package
FOR THE TEACHERS
In support of teachers who will use the Vacuum Science Training System (VTS), the Lesker Company provides two unique training sessions, totaling three days, designed to train future trainers. The first class, titled "Practical Vacuum", is a 2-day course providing hands-on training with the VTS, a review and up-close application of fundamental vacuum concepts, combined with the practical considerations of running an actual high vacuum system.
The second course, typically presented before the system is ready for delivery, is titled "Introduction to Vacuum Science and Technology". It is a comprehensive 1-day class, which provides students with a review the fundamental concepts in vacuum science that all technologists need to perform effectively. The class is taught by on-line seminar or on site at the client's location, with prior arrangement. Abstracts, or course details, for all sessions follow.
Students can run their actual VTS and review vacuum fundamentals while gaining knowledge on the practices and technology needed to monitor system performance and troubleshoot typical issues with vacuum systems.
Day One is five-hour session covering scientific notation, pressure measurement, the parts of a high vacuum system, and practices including venting, assembly and disassembly of the system and evacuation, or pump down, to high vacuum. Vacuum hygiene is shown, and students learn to practice clean vacuum protocols and "how to" work with QF, ISO and CF flanges.
Day Two two-hour session the second day covers observing base pressure and then doing calculations based on measurements to determine why the system pumped to the pressure reached. It includes rate of rise calculations, theoretical base pressure, effective pumping speed, conductance calculations and a few "what if" scenarios.
Foundational concepts in the science, highlighting the unique scientific and engineering aspects of Vacuum, including:
- Resources for vacuum science
- How to measure vacuum
- Natural vs artificial vacuums
- Examples of practical vacuum systems
- Why vacuum
- Gas/Solid interactions in vacuum
- Gas/Gas interactions in vacuum
- Flow regimes of gases
- Gas conductance in vacuum systems
- Creating vacuum with pumps
- Designing pumping systems for high vacuum
- Characterization of vacuum systems
- Measuring pressure in vacuum
- Seals and flanges
- Surface finish and vacuum performance
- Detecting leaks in vacuum systems
- Cleaning for vacuum service
- Modeling vacuum systems
The course content includes the topics typically covered in the workforce development programs for the semiconductor industry, and applies to other industries including aerospace, microelectronics, energy generation and storage, and others enabled by vacuum technology. A copy of the class notes can be provided for prior review.