Synchronized Pneumatic Actuation

The Challenge

Our customer—a major manufacturer of semiconductor processing equipment—was looking to improve the performance of their wafer handling system. Their historical approach involved the use of an air cylinder and a welded metal bellows to seal the penetration into the vacuum chamber.

This multi-component approach presented problems that included a high parts count from multiple vendors and extensive calibration requirements at installation. Finally, components needed to operate smoothly across a very wide temperature range with extreme precision throughout the stroke.

The Solution

Senior provided a pneumatic pin lift that achieved multiple design improvements for our customer. The Senior Metal Bellow PRIME MOVER actuator integrates a metal bellows seal into the actuator, reducing the number of parts, eliminating the need for elastomeric seals—all within a compact unit.