Scitek, a leading provider of scientific instrumentation solutions, has announced their partnership with Plasma Technology for cutting-edge plasma-based technologies. This partnership will see Scitek become the exclusive distributor of Plasma Technology’s innovative instruments in the Australia and New Zealand regions. 

This partnership leverages Scitek’s extensive network, expertise, and reputation in the scientific community. 

“We are excited to partner with Plasma Technology” said Tobias Schappeler, Managing Director at Scitek. “Plasma Technology’s commitment to product excellence, aligns well with Scitek’s mission to provide our customers with the most advanced and reliable solutions available.” 

Through this partnership, customers will gain access to Plasma Technology’s diverse range of instruments, including plasma etching and deposition systems, advanced surface modification tools, plasma sources, and more. These instruments are designed to meet the demanding needs of research, manufacturing, and industrial applications, contributing to advancements in multiple fields. 

Plasma Technology products can be used for various applications, including semiconductor manufacturing, energy production, environmental solutions, aerospace, and more.  

For more information about Plasma Technology’s instruments and solutions, visit
www.plasma-treating.com  or contact Scitek at contact@scitek.com.au  

About Scitek

Scitek specialise in vacuum related technology, providing products and customising solutions for a range of different scientific applications. Sourcing the best tools and technology from a range of manufacturers around the world, they’re experienced in integrating technologies to achieve the best, most efficient production outcomes. 

Media Contact
Adrienne Vaughan
Marketing Manager 
Mobile: +61 476 779 848
Email: adrienne@scitek.com.au 

Figure 1 (front Left) Nick Pond, Service Engineer from Scitek and (front right) Ben Vaughan Facility Manager from the Centre for Organic Electronics with the Intellivation Roll-to-Roll Web Coater and researchers at the University of Newcastle.

A new tool at The Newcastle Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF) Materials Hub, will support Sovereign Manufacturing, says Managing Director of Scitek, Tobias Schappeler.

Scitek, who specialise in vacuum facilitating technology solutions, are this week finalising the installation and commissioning of the Intellivation Roll-to-Roll Web Coater within the Newcastle Institute for Energy (NIER), which will provide the opportunity for researchers and industry to trial and test new product developments, without the initial investment of millions of dollars to purchase their own equipment.

Tobias Schappeler said, “This is the first of its kind in Australia and New Zealand. This technology has the capacity to sputter coat materials onto very large, continuous rolls of flexible surfaces and will create opportunities for companies looking to develop their concepts into something that is manufacturable.

Many Technologies will Benefit

Many technologies could be advanced by this new tool including solar companies wanting printed solar cells; bandage manufacturers wanting to put electrodes onto bandages to monitor wounds; industry who need reflective coatings wrapped around odd-shaped objects; defence customers who require specialised coatings, and enterprises that require barrier films. Basically, any surface metal coating product or technology where someone wants to put a thin metal layer down on a flexible surface.

Translating Research to Industry Outcomes

Ben Vaughan, Facility Manger at the Centre for Organic Electronics (which is part of the ANFF network) said “We are here to support industries in doing new things. Our role is to help companies design and develop the next new widget. We work together to develop out a project and a plan around what outcomes they are looking for and try and achieve those as efficiently as we can, translating research outcomes into industry outcomes and moving through to something that is potentially manufacturable.”

This tool is part of the suite of tools available for use through the ANFF Newcastle Materials Hub (https://www.anffmaterials.org)

About Scitek

Scitek (www.scitek.com.au) specialise in vacuum related technology, providing products and customising solutions for all different scientific applications. Sourcing the best technology from a range of manufacturers around the world, they’re experienced in integrating technologies to achieve the best, most efficient production outcomes.

Media Contact

Adrienne Vaughan
Marketing Manager
Mobile: +61 476 779 848
Email: adrienne@scitek.com.au

Sydney, Australia | 24 February 2023

Product purity is a fundamental requirement in the pharmaceutical industry. Whilst this is generally achieved through appropriate work methods and use of compliant infrastructure, the cost of freeze-drying equipment suitable for sterile production may be unaffordable in some cases, such as for early clinical trial production or for low value bulk products.

Lyoprotect® products offer a cost-effective solution for sterile production without the associated equipment cost, by providing a smart barrier system that allows the lyophilisation process to occur whilst preventing product contamination.

Freeze Drying Specialists Scitek, have announced their exclusive partnership with Teclen for distribution within Australia and New Zealand.

Teclen® GmbH design and manufacture containers for lyophilization of API (active pharmaceutical ingredients) https://teclen.com/en/

Managing Director of Scitek, Tobias Schappeler, said “We are pleased to partner with Teclen. Their Lyoprotect® platform is highly attractive for many of our existing clients across the wider pharmaceutical industry. Applications range from drying formulations in vials to bulk processing in the medicinal cannabis industry.”

About Scitek
Scitek specialise in vacuum related technology, providing products and customising solutions for all different scientific applications. Sourcing the best tools and technology from a range of manufacturers around the world, they’re experienced in integrating technologies to achieve the best, most efficient production outcomes.

Media Contact
Adrienne Vaughan
Marketing Manager
Mobile: +61 476 779 848
Email: adrienne@scitek.com.au
Website: www.scitek.com.au

VACUU·PURE® screw pump on a magnetron sputtering system (Image source: ETH Zurich)

Clemens Todt conducts exciting research at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH), where he is a doctoral student in the Laboratory of Solid State Physics.

Why is cryopump regeneration so important?

Clemens Todt: Our high purity plants are absolutely “sacred”. Our defects in the crystal lattice are 1013 per 1024 atoms per cubic centimeter. So we have eleven orders of magnitude before we find an atom, which we don’t want. When the cryopump is regenerated, contaminants from the fore vacuum pump can enter the system, such as moisture from the air, oil, abrasion. When the chamber is back in a high vacuum state, we can detect the contaminants with a mass spectrometer. We want to avoid these contaminations with absolutely clean fore pumps.

How was VACUU·PURE able to succeed?

Clemens Todt: Before using it on our sensitive plant, we investigated whether the VACUU·PURE screw pump could be used in our plant. For the regeneration of our cryogenic pumps, we were looking for a robust and high-purity vacuum pump: this must have a base pressure of at least 10-2 mbar. In addition, a sufficiently high pumping speed is required to cope with the escaping gases from the cryopump. Of course, it is also essential that it is completely oil and particle free.

VACUU·PURE met all the requirements. We tested the pump on a cryogenic pump on a test chamber. The screw pump handled the amount of argon gas without seizing. In addition, we could see in the mass spectrometer that it did not bring oil or other hydrocarbons or abrasion into the system. Therefore, we subsequently added the new vacuum pump to the actual “sharp” magnetron sputtering system.

Are there any other special features of VACUU·PURE?

Clemens Todt: The beauty of VACUU·PURE is that it is a small compact cube. We can easily move the vacuum pump from A to B for our various applications. Then just plug it in, turn it on, and we’re done.

Do you use VACUU·PURE for other tasks?

Clemens Todt: We use it to purge the high-purity gas supply system of the magnetron sputtering system. To do this we pump down the line to the screw pump’s base pressure of 10-3 mbar, fill to just above atmospheric pressure with argon, and pump down again. We do this whole thing a couple of times. In addition, VACUU·PURE is also used on the UHV systems to generate the rough vacuum.

Advantages of VACUU·PURE® 10C

• Ultimate vacuum of 10-3 mbar
• Pumping speed of 10 m3/h
• 100% oil-free, without hydrocarbons
• Abrasion-free, without particles
• Ideal for regeneration of cryopumps
• Suitable for pumping light gases such as argon
• Compact design

How is the cooperation with VACUUBRAND?

Clemens Todt: I like to tell people that my main job is active problem solving. (Laughs) A good example is finding the right vacuum pump to regenerate the cryogenic pumps. Fortunately, I never had any problems with VACUUBRAND – the pumps just run. The products have proven themselves for us. For example, we already use many of their diaphragm pumps. With the VACUU·PURE screw pump, we have now added a great new product to our equipment.

Would you like more information about cryopump regeneration or any vacuum application? Please contact us