Vacuum ovens are commonly used in a wide range of industrial and laboratory applications such as medical devices, electronics, and aerospace. These applications depend on these ovens to eliminate substances such as lubricants, epoxies, and solvents from samples without overheating. Understanding the basics of vacuum processing across several industries lets you choose the best type of vacuum oven for your application. If you are looking to purchase durable and high-quality vacuum ovens, check out your options at LeDab. The following are the uses of vacuum ovens in various industries:

Medical Devices

During manufacturing, product components are filled with trapped chemicals which can be harmful when introduced into the human body. Devices like heart valves, catheters, and artificial joints must go through vacuum processing before implantation. Typically, these devices are made of heat-sensitive resins that would be damaged in a high-temperature convection oven. 

Electronics

When manufacturing printed circuit boards, manufacturers use vacuum processing to cure coatings and dry the electronics. Because the boards are made of heat-sensitive plastics, they would quickly shrink in a standard convection oven. The use of a vacuum oven and the reduction of the pressure allows for curing the epoxies and pulling out of the water at nice, low temperatures. This results in a clean and dry board that’s ready for the next stage of production. 

Aerospace

Vacuum technology is used in the aerospace industry for research and manufacturing. Before items are sent into space, engineers must determine their behavior in this vacuum. Engineers use vacuum vessels to stimulate the high vacuum environment of space to evaluate the behavior of various widgets before launch. 

Everything that goes into space from wire harness to upholstery should be processed through a vacuum oven before launch. Although this may not be a problem at atmospheric pressure, once a craft full of unique components is launched into space, the chemical substances will off-gas and when chemicals can mix and react when released. Such reactions can cause fire, corrosion, or condensation on the spacecraft.

Cannabis Extraction

The reduction of the pressure in the vacuum oven allows trapped water and solvents to transition from a liquid to a gas and be pulled out of the chamber, leaving behind purified and stabilized oil. When using the oven for manufacturing cannabis-derived oils, it is important to get heat to the product by contacting with a thermal-conductive surface such as a solid aluminum shelf. Also, the right pump must be used. And to ensure effective off-gassing of solvent and water, the pump must be kept on and the vacuum valve open.