What you need (90-second prep)

  • A working vacuum pump sized to your antechamber volume.
  • An absolute gauge on the load-lock.
  • Cold/charcoal trap if you transfer solvent-wet items.
  • Clean O-rings on both doors; no lint, no nicks.

Standard 3-Cycle Procedure (floor-proof)

  1. Load & seal the outer door.
  2. Evacuate to ≤10 mbar abs (large chambers: ≤20 mbar is acceptable). Hold 10–20 s.
  3. Backfill with the working gas (N₂/Ar).
  4. Repeat steps 2–3 two more times (total three cycles).
  5. Equalize: after the final backfill, match the antechamber to main-box pressure (±1 mbar).
  6. Open inner door slowly, transfer parts, close, return to normal operation.

Targets: fast labs hit ≤10 mbar in 30–60 s (small 5–10 L chamber); larger 30–50 L chambers take 60–120 s depending on pump and plumbing.

Solvent & special cases

Hot items: pre-cool/dry outside; hot parts outgas and will raise dew point for hours.

Solvent-heavy loads: add a 30–60 s low-pressure soak on each evac; use cold/charcoal traps; prefer the small antechamber.

Fragile powders/parts: reduce vent speed (add a restrictor) to avoid turbulence; still complete three cycles.

Common mistakes → fast fixes

  • Only one pump-down → leaves air in the load-lock → always three cycles.
  • Skipping equalization → pressure slap on the main box → equalize to ±1 mbar before opening.
  • Gloves moving during test → false readings → hands off until equalization is done.
  • Wet beakers & wipes → dew point drift → close lids; bag wipes; use traps.
  • Damaged door O-ring → repeat leaks → clean/replace; light grease if OEM specifies.

Mini checklist (print next to the load-lock)

  • 3×: Evac ≤10 mbar → hold 10–20 s → backfill
  • Final step：Equalize (±1 mbar) → open inner door
  • Solvents：add soak + traps
  • Log: time to ≤10 mbar, any anomalies

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