Segmented Vacuum Pump Housing With Vacuum-Tight Thermal Joining
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing vacuum pump housings, particularly for turbomolecular pumps, are inefficient due to long working hours and significant material waste, requiring large blocks of raw material to be machined, which results in high material expenditure and long processing times.
Innovation Solution
The vacuum pump housing is assembled from multiple, individually fabricated housing parts joined together using a thermal joining process, allowing for a vacuum-tight and non-detachable connection, reducing material usage and processing time, and enabling the integration of electrical insulation and different material combinations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the housing is machined from a single block of raw material, then the housing structure is simple and strong, but the machining time is long and material waste is significant
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple separately manufacturable parts (flange part, main housing part, intermediate housing parts) that are joined together. This segmentation allows each part to be manufactured independently using optimized processes such as casting or near-net-shape forming, significantly reducing the total machining time compared to machining a single monolithic block, while still achieving the required structural integrity through vacuum-tight joining.
2Ease of manufacture
If a large block of raw material is used to machine the housing, then the housing can be manufactured as a single piece, but the material expenditure is high
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into multiple parts that can be manufactured using material-efficient processes such as casting or near-net-shape forming. This eliminates the need to start with a large solid block of material, thereby dramatically reducing material waste while maintaining the structural requirements for single-piece-like integrity through vacuum-tight joining of the segments.
3Productivity
If the housing is assembled from multiple housing parts, then material usage is reduced and processing time is shortened, but the vacuum tightness at joining points must be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical joining methods (such as bolting or riveting) with thermal joining processes including friction stir welding, laser welding, or electron beam welding. These thermal processes create metallurgical bonds between housing parts that provide vacuum-tight seals, ensuring reliability while maintaining the productivity benefits of modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes in the joining process by using controlled thermal energy input (through friction stir welding, laser welding, or electron beam welding) to melt and fuse the housing parts together. By controlling parameters such as temperature, heating rate, and cooling rate, the process achieves both vacuum tightness and structural integrity without compromising productivity.
4Loss of substance
If housing parts are manufactured separately and joined together, then material consumption is reduced, but the joining process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex multi-step mechanical joining processes with streamlined thermal joining processes. The thermal processes (friction stir welding, laser welding, electron beam welding) can join multiple housing parts in a single continuous operation, reducing the overall process complexity despite the modular design. These processes automatically create both mechanical strength and vacuum seals simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces material waste and processing time while ensuring a vacuum-tight seal, allowing for efficient production of vacuum pump housings with integrated insulation and diverse material usage, enhancing the manufacturing efficiency and reducing the overall material requirement.
Implementation Method 1
assembling it from two or more housing parts and permanently joining these parts, preferably in a vacuum-tight manner, using a joining process, particularly a thermal one
Data Source
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AI summary
A vacuum pump housing, in particular for a turbomolecular pump, comprises at least two housing parts which are non-detachably joined together by means of a joining process.