conflat flange
A conflat flange, often abbreviated as CF flange, represents a crucial component in high and ultra-high vacuum systems, designed to create and maintain reliable, leak-tight seals. These specialized flanges utilize a knife-edge design that bites into a soft copper gasket, establishing a metal-to-metal seal capable of maintaining vacuum integrity under extreme conditions. The unique design incorporates precisely machined knife edges on both mating flanges, which compress and deform a copper gasket when the flanges are bolted together. This deformation creates an exceptionally tight seal that can withstand high temperatures and maintain vacuum levels up to 10-13 Torr. Conflat flanges are manufactured from high-grade stainless steel, typically 304L or 316L, ensuring excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical stability. The standardized design allows for easy assembly and disassembly while maintaining consistent performance across multiple cycles. These flanges find extensive applications in scientific research equipment, semiconductor manufacturing, particle accelerators, and various high-vacuum processing systems where ultimate vacuum integrity is paramount.