We engineered a custom Thermal Cycling Vacuum System capable of achieving high vacuum while simulating the extreme thermal conditions of space for optical unit testing. The system included two zones of cooling and heating for the thermal shroud and thermal platen using two chillers. The customer required temperatures from -30° C to +60° C which we were able to exceed. The system featured doors on each end for easy access, a Leybold 950I turbo, and a dry rough pump.
System is mounted on a ruggedized mobile frame and testing is controlled entirely using our versatile HVC-3500 Thermal Vacuum Controller.
| Chamber: | 36″ DIA x 80″ L – front-loading cylindrical vacuum chamber |
| Chamber Material: | Stainless steel w/hinged stainless steel door |
| Vacuum Rating: | 1 x 10-6 Torr |
| Temperature Rating: | Platen: -80 °C to 150 °C with Chiller Shrouds: -80 °C to 150 °C with Chiller |
| Ports: | NW16 (gauge, purge, electrical) | NW25 (high vacuum, vent) | NW40 (rough vacuum, feedthrough) | ISO100 (feedthrough) | ISO200 (High vacuum) |
| Leak Rate: | 1 x10-8 atm cc/sec (helium) |
| Lighting: | LED lights, mounted on inside of chamber |
| Temperature Controller: | HVC-3500 Thermal Vacuum Controller |
| Pumping System: | Dry Vacuum Roughing Pump and High Vacuum Pump |
| System Power: | 240 VAC, 60 Hz, 3 phase |
For ultimate flexibility and control of your vacuum system, the feature-packed HVC-3500 Thermal Vacuum Controller provides automated vacuum and temperature control, customizable software, and adjustable test recipes for your unique and complex vacuum processes. The HVC-3500 is ideal for any vacuum system requiring heating or cooling, and integrates vacuum gauges and valves for either automated mode or interlocked manual mode operation.
Ascent 1000 Series Ultra-Low Temperature (ULT) Chillers & Temperature Control Systems offer precise temperature control, with cooling down to -70° C and optional heating up to 150° C. Designed for applications like aerospace simulation, cannabis extraction, environmental testing, and semiconductor manufacturing.
Protect your sensitive equipment from contaminants during Ultra High Vacuum (<1-6 Torr) with an LN2-based Cold Finger. With simple integration via an ISO100 port, our LN2 Cold Finger captures outgassed materials and water vapor to ensure the safe, clean, and efficient operation of your vacuum system.
Protect your sensitive equipment from contaminants during High Vacuum (<10-4 Torr) with a refrigerant-based Cold Finger. With simple integration via an ISO160 port, the Refrigerant Cold Finger captures outgassed materials and water vapor to ensure the safe, clean, and efficient operation of your vacuum system.
The Frontier TVAC LACO Infrared (LIR) Bake-out Controller System gives you control of your vacuum chamber bake-out process. This system controls the power to the heat source and uses thermocouple feedback to regulate the temperature of the vacuum chamber. The heaters are small, high power quartz lamps that operate inside of the vacuum chamber. These heaters harness the radiant heat emitted by the IR lamps, enabling them to swiftly achieve surface bake-out temperatures compared to alternative surface heating methods.
LRS Cellular Remote Support Kit with 4G Cellular Connectivity is a small industrial VPN gateway device designed to offer easy remote access, across the internet, to LACO HVC and VC controllers. Kit includes:
The TITAN VERSA helium leak detector package is a proven solution using cutting-edge technology designed for leak detection of your TVAC systems. With its high sensitivity, the system can detect helium leak rates as low as 5×10-12 atm-cc/sec. Equipped with an internal dry membrane vacuum pump the TITAN VERSA achieves 2.5 L/sec helium pumping speed.
The TITAN VERSA is the only helium leak detector engineered and manufactured in the United States.
Thermal vacuum systems simulate the extreme conditions of space, enabling accurate validation of components, materials, and assemblies intended for orbital or deep-space missions. These systems also support thermal cycling, vacuum bake-out, and altitude simulation, allowing them to serve both space simulation and broader environmental testing needs.
Whether you are testing satellites, electronics, optics, or other mission-critical components, LACO’s TVAC platforms deliver repeatable, stable performance. In addition, every configuration aligns with NASA GSFC-STD-7000 and other key environmental test standards. As a result, your team can rely on LACO systems to support development, qualification, and pre-launch readiness with confidence.
See the Frontier system configurations below to determine which solution best fits your testing requirements:
Customer Configurations:
