Customer Reviews

High-Vacuum Technology (Dekker Mechanical Engineering)

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This is one of the VERY few books that I'd pay $150 for. If you're limited to only one Vacuum book in your life, this is the one to have. An interesting blend of easy-to-understand technician-level information combined with enough engineering data and formulae to keep even the most severe calculator-phile happy. Mr. Hablanian was formerly the Engineering Director for Varian and so is emminently qualified to write such a book. As is fitting for the price, the production values are excellent. Crisp photos and excellent graphics. I have been pleasantly surprised to not find a single mis-spelled word or bad grammar so far. This is the book I recommend to people who have just entered the vacuum field and need a comprehensive crash course in the technology.

Mr. Hablanian's book on High Vacuum Technology is perhaps one of the finest books on the subject that I have ever read. The book gets into the technical and theoretical aspects of the subject without getting in too deep. This book is a practical guide which allows the reader to understand the subtleties of vacuum without a dissertation on mathematics to get you there. There are equations to learn if so inclined, but the equations are useful in the application and calculus is not needed to apply. If you are looking to understand vacuum from an applications point of view, then this is the book for you. If you really want to delve into the theoretical nature of vacuum from a purely mathematical standpoint then get one of O'Hanlon's books.

About this book the author write: "...It is intended to be an essential nonanalytical introduction to high vacuum technology for engineers and technicians who would like to have a general orientation before proceeding to a more technical and scientifically rigorous text...". But I want to add: there are many parts that stimulate to attention even a scientist, not only engineers and technicians.

This book was written by one of the most knowledgeable people on the planet in the field of high vacuum systems - Marsbed Hablanian. An M.I.T. grad, and pioneer in the vacuum field, Marsbed Hablanian literally wrote the book on vacuum theory.

His former employer, Varian Vacuum Systems, put his knowledge of vacuum systems to good use. If you have any questions about conductance, outgassing, continuum flow vs. molecular flow, turbomolecular pumps vs. diffusion pumps, calculating pump down time, or which type of vacuum seal or fixture to use - you need not look any further that this book.

As a researcher in the field of vacuum technology myself, I have found this book to be a wealth of knowledge and an extremely valuable reference. Marsbed Hablanian is also responsible for improving diffusion pump operation by creating the distinctive bulbous shape of oil based vacuum diffusion pumps.

This book is a must for any library or laboratory!