Smartline™ extended by VSI - a pure cold cathode vacuum transducer

The well-proven Smartline product family of Thyracont Vacuum Instruments GmbH has been complemented by the VSI, a pure cold cathode as inverted magnetron. It measures in the range of 2e-3 mbar down to 5e-9 mbar.

Several operating modes allow for maximum flexibility in the user’s process. In the automatic mode, the cold cathode switches on at a pressure of 2e-3 mbar and off at a pressure of 3e-3 mbar. This comfortable function considerably reduces the configuration expenditure for the user.

Alternatively, it is possible to turn the cold cathode on and off in manual mode by voltage signal or software command. However, if the pressure is too high an automatic safety shutdown ensures a safe operation.

The special design of the ignition aid of the VSI and the sensor design provide for a reliable and fast ignition of the cold cathode. Therefore, an immediate availability of the measuring value in the high vacuum range is guaranteed.

Like all of the Smartline transducers, the VSI has a digital RS485 interface and optionally an analogue 0-10 V output, EtherCAT® or Profinet® (available soon). The output signal can be scaled according to the required output characteristics. Thus, an exchange of existing transducers, independent of the manufacturer and without programming effort, is easily possible.

Furthermore, the transducers are optionally available with an integrated display for comfortable appliance control on-site. The calibrated sensor heads of the VSI can be exchanged by the user in a few simple steps which reduces the maintenance times to a minimum.

The typical fields of application for this transducer are coating, analytics, medical engineering and vacuum furnaces.

The Smartline™ product family includes:

• VSP (Pirani) Measuring range 1000 – 1 x 10-4 mbar

• VSR (Piezo/Pirani) Measuring range 1200 – 1 x 10-4 mbar

• VSM (Pirani/Cold cathode) Measuring range 1000 – 5 x 10-9 mbar

• VSI (Cold cathode) Measuring range 2 x 10-3 – 5 x 10-9 mbar

• VSH (Pirani/Hot cathode) Measuring range 1000 – 5 x 10-10 mbar

Further advantages of the Smartline™:

• Modular and robust industrial design

• Sensor parameters can be changed individually according to the requirements of the application due to integrated microprocessor technology ex works or by the user

• Status LEDs and optional, integrated display with green background illumination by standard and red background illumination in case of an error

• Two independent potential free relay switch points

• Robust sensors, insensitive against shock venting

• 2 channel vacuum controller VD12 or 4 channel vacuum controller VD10 optionally available

• Several components for sensor protection (e. g. filter, baffle) available

• Optionally with Bluetooth® adapter

• Thyracont VacuGraph™ software (VGR) for Windows Android to comfortably measure, visualize, analyze and save data