Stainless steel provides the design engineer with a material that is infinitely suitable as the base material for glove boxes. Highly resistant to all but the most aggressive chemicals, it remains stable and resilient under high temperature and is not prone to sudden structural failure. Stainless steel is readily fabricated into complex structures and its surface can be prepared for low contamination retention and maintenance.

A stainless steel glove box is structurally self-supporting and can be designed as a rigid platform or assembly upon which other components can be easily attached and adequately supported. Surface finish can be natural, as it has no requirement for protective surface finishes.

Cost of material and the required use of skilled labour and special equipment, make stainless steel an expensive option of ownership, but of all the available materials it will prove the most cost effective over time, giving many years of service without deterioration or need of attention.

Generally used for "High Grade" specification systems, but lower grade "General Purpose" systems may also use stainless steel where conditions of use indicate this as a preferred material.

"High Grade" glove boxes are qualified by a bolted construction and comply with a maximum leak rate of 0.05% of container volume per hour.

"General Purpose" glove boxes are qualified by using conventional widow seals (eg as used on commercial passenger vehicles) with a maximum leak rate of 0.5% of container volume per hour.

The difference in permitted leak rate is 10 times greater for "General Purpose" window seals, and this reflects the acknowledged attainable difference in leak rate between the two types of construction.

This permitted leak rate potentially exposes the gas purifier to 10 times the level of leakage, and whilst this may not affect the ultimate attainable purity of contained gas environment, the gas purifier will be required to take up contamination at a greater rate and be exposed to more frequent regenerations.

The standard range of stainless steel glove boxes designed and manufactured by Glove Box Technology Ltd, are all "High Grade" Specification bolted construction with a maximum leak rate of 0.05% of container volume per hour.

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