Automation, process plant and leak testing technology

Aprotec's team of around 30 engineers and technicians offers customers from the automotive and semiconductor industry, mechanical engineering and vacuum technology from the idea to the turnkey system.

The collaboration with Leybold goes deep into areas of application where experience is important. Managing director Michael Landgraf, says: This knowledge is the basis of our specialisation advantage over our competitors. Our positioning in the niche ensures not least that we can react quickly to customer requirements.

Aprotec's turnkey system are specially designed for processes and their process environments, such as vacuum, overpressure, temperature or gases from laboratory scale to industrial production. Aprotec's strategic goal, however, is to go into series production.

Founders Michael Landgraf and Matthias Roth started the business in 2015, with experience in the vacuum industry in process, testing and automotive technology.

Their customers rely on established methods, such as helium leak testing. The proven leak detectors PHOENIX Quadro and PHOENIX Vario with their high detection sensitivities play an important role. In addition to fuel cells, components, transmission and engine components, pharma packaging and battery housings are tested.

The high-tech systems from Aprotec are designed for short cycle times, low tolerances and a high level of safety. This requires high-quality materials and a great deal of engineering expertise are necessary. The solutions are therefore experts with decades of application knowledge such as for high-temperature systems for the semiconductor industry. In addition to the expertise, it is also used in crystal systems in which the ingots for silicon wafers are produced, the use of the best vacuum pumps because it is elementary here, to be oxygen-free and to be able to set particle pressures precisely.

Leybold has a high level of experience with crystal pulling processes and can also supply the vacuum pumps suitable for this purpose. The VARODRY dry screw pump is not only attractively priced, but also completely oil-free. Thanks to its toothed belt drive, it works without gear oil so that there is no risk of contamination due to oil backflow from the vacuum pump to the vacuum chamber.

Talking about what characterises Aprotec's systems, Landgraf says: In our division testing technology, where we primarily use helium leak testing, we develop systems that push the limits of what is technically feasible. This is where most other suppliers reach their limits.

We test in measuring ranges up to 10-10 mbar l/s or at test gas pressures of up to pressures of up to 1500 bar. Recently we have put a leak test system for fittings into operation with a test gas pressure of 1500 bar and a detection limit of 10-7 mbar l/s. Implemented in this is a PHOENIX Quadro and a Leybold NEO D rotary vane pump.

Landgraf reports that he chose Leybold because of the good performance of the products and the great expertise and the good advice from the company.

Our contacts are experts with decades of application knowledge especially in the field of leak testing. On this basis, we can offer systems that are not yet available on the market, for example in hydrogen technology. This is how we will assert ourselves in this market.