SoftShut Gate Valves

The SoftShut concept, and the track guided mechanism that makes its realisation possible, were born out of the firm conviction that there was a better way of designing and building vacuum gate valves for HV and UHV applications.

The SoftShut is a revolutionary new design that provides unrivaled reliability and performance. The new patented track-guided technology gives low wear rates, low particulate generation and controlled closure.

This introduction to the new SoftShut range gives a brief overview and should in no way be considered a comprehensive and exhaustive guide. In reality there are a great number of possible variations on the basic valve model, making SoftShut the most versatile gate valve available today.

This section covers the more popular and widely used gate valve models for both the HV and UHV markets. As well as tables of product there are sub-sections detailing some of the wide range of accessories available to upgrade and expand the capability of the basic SoftShut valve model.

The array of products already available, plus the constant additions to our ranges, should satisfy most of your valve needs. However, if you cannot find the specific item you require in this section, please contact your local representative.

Shock Free Mechanism

The patented fully track-guided mechanism uses a much lower closing force than other valves giving virtually shock free operation. This is especially useful in sensitive applications.

Increased Time to Service Intervals

Due to the innovative design of the SoftShut valve the forces acting upon the mechanism are very low. This means that the cycle time to service of the valve is greatly increased; up to 500,000 cycles on some of the HV units and 50,000 cycles on the UHV valves.

Vulcanized Gate Seal

Unlike other valves where the gate seal is inserted into an O-ring groove the SoftShut valve uses a vulcanised seal attached to the valve plate. This results in reduced particle generation and reduces down time due to O-rings sticking. However gate seals using O-rings are available for applications that demand this type of seal.

Viewport in Seal Plate

The innovative design of the new SoftShut valve optimises the amount of space in the valve plate allowing viewport windows of any material to be integrated into the gate.

Heated Seal Plate

An additional feature of the SoftShut valve is its ability to have a heated plate as an option. This allows independent bakeout of the seal plate to prevent condensates building up during operation.

Two Year Guarantee

All SoftShut products come with a full 2 year warranty.