3. Pumping. Pressure level

3.1 General

• Vacuum is a confusing technology: the vacuum technician is often looking for a diagnosis to understand what's going on inside his installation, and then once the treatment has been applied, he analyzes its effects to achieve the desired result. Measuring instruments (of which there are only a few) provide very little information on what's going on inside. The complexity of phenomena, due to the interdependence of physico-chemical parameters, makes interpretation difficult.

  This success is regularly called into question over time, as operation also requires all the necessary skills. Opening a door or an airlock, changing a gauge, stopping and restarting a pumping unit all have to be carried out according to rigorous procedures....