Need UHV-ready vacuum components you can trust?
Discover CF flanges, fittings, and accessories engineered for reliable metal-sealed performance in advanced vacuum systems.
Introduction:
CF vacuum components, also known as ConFlat components, are the industry-standard choice for ultra-high vacuum (UHV) applications. They are designed to create robust, all-metal seals using a knife-edge flange and a copper gasket, making them ideal for environments where leak integrity, low outgassing, and bakeability are critical. CF flanges are described in ISO 3669, with detailed dimensions in ISO/TS 3669-2.
CF technology plays a vital role in advanced vacuum sectors such as semiconductor research, nanotechnology, surface science, particle physics, photonics, and UHV laboratory systems. UHV chambers equipped with CF metal-sealed flanges are used where minimal outgassing and long-term vacuum stability are essential.
At Anadolu Vacuum, our CF standard vacuum components are built for customers who need reliable sealing, consistent quality, and strong compatibility across demanding vacuum systems. We combine precision-focused manufacturing with practical engineering support to deliver CF solutions ready for advanced applications.
What is the CF standard?
CF, or ConFlat, is a metal-sealed vacuum flange standard used primarily in UHV and XHV applications. The seal is created when the flange’s knife edge bites into a soft OFHC copper gasket, producing a highly reliable metal-to-metal seal suitable for very low pressures. Agilent notes that CF flanges are suitable for UHV/XHV service, and copper gaskets are typically made from 99.99% OFHC copper.
Pfeiffer describes CF flanges in nominal diameters DN 16 to DN 250 in ISO 3669 and DN 10 to DN 400 in ISO/TS 3669-2. They also note that compatibility in larger nominal sizes should be checked carefully between suppliers.
What is the CF standard?
- CF is built for UHV performance, metal sealing, and high bake-out capability.
- KF uses elastomer-sealed centering rings and quick clamps, making it faster to assemble but less suitable for strict UHV requirements.
- ISO-K is a larger high-vacuum flange system using claw clamps and elastomer-sealed centering rings, ideal where serviceable large-diameter connections are needed.
In short: if the application demands cleaner UHV sealing, higher bake-out temperatures, and minimal virtual leaks, CF is usually the preferred standard.
