Cambridge Vacuum Engineering

What Cambridge Vacuum Engineering does

Cambridge Vacuum Engineering (CVE), operating legally as Aquasium Technology Limited, is a UK-based specialist manufacturer founded in 1957 and headquartered in Waterbeach, Cambridge. The company designs, builds, and services electron beam welding (EBW) and laser beam welding (LBW) systems, with a built-to-order manufacturing model executed at its Cambridge headquarters. Its product portfolio spans nine core machine families, including proprietary platforms such as Ebflow (a local vacuum EBW system enabling on-site heavy engineering welding at 20-30x the speed of arc welding), Evflow (a purpose-built EV powertrain welding platform), Ebflow Light (local vacuum laser welding up to 60mm thickness), and laser-in-vacuum systems achieving 2-3x the weld depth of atmospheric laser welding. Underlying technology combines high-velocity electron beam physics, vacuum engineering, CNC motion control, and integration with TRUMPF TruDisk laser sources.

The company serves four primary enterprise verticals: automotive and electric vehicles (Ford for EV motor stator hairpin welding), aerospace (aero engine and high-strength alloy components), nuclear (Sheffield Forgemasters for SMR pressure vessels, Kairos Power for pilot reactor vessels), and renewable energy (Dogger Bank offshore wind monopiles), with secondary exposure to electronics/sensors and defense. CVE operates a direct enterprise sales motion through its three offices (UK HQ, Agawam Massachusetts, Beijing China) supplemented by regional partners (e.g., Technika Spawalnicza in Poland) and generates revenue through custom hardware sales and recurring after-sales service, spare parts, preventive maintenance contracts, and training.

The business model is custom-built-to-order with quote-based pricing and multi-year contract cadences, supported by over 60 years of accumulated process expertise, 25 long-serving employees representing 600+ cumulative years of service, and active public-sector R&D co-funding (notably £430K Innovate UK for the Ford EB-eDrive project and £8M BEIS funding for the Sheffield Forgemasters nuclear consortium). CVE has earned multiple Great Place To Work certifications and UK Best Workplaces in Manufacturing recognition, indicating organizational stability alongside its technical specialization.

Name

Cambridge Vacuum Engineering

Legal name

Aquasium Technology Limited

Website

https://camvaceng.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cambridge Vacuum Engineering (Aquasium Technology Limited) is a UK-based specialist manufacturer of custom-built electron beam and laser welding systems, serving automotive/EV, aerospace, nuclear, and renewable energy enterprises globally with proprietary technologies like Ebflow and Evflow.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Welding Machinery

NAICS

Welding and Soldering Equipment Manufacturing (333992), Industrial Process Furnace and Oven Manufacturing (333994)

SIC

Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540), Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAGADAI

Welding & Plasma Power Supplies (Industrial welders, cutting power sources)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Electrical Equipment & Industrial Electronics/Industrial Power Electronics (Inverters, Converters, UPS, Power Supplies)

SECONDARYIMAHAGAN

Vacuum Systems & Components (Vacuum Pumps, Ejectors, Cups, Grippers)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Industrial Machinery & Heavy Equipment/Fluid Power & Motion Control Equipment

SECONDARYIMAHANAD

Vacuum Pumps & Systems

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Industrial Machinery & Heavy Equipment/Pumps & Compressors (Fluid & Gas Handling)

Keywords

• Electron beam welding
• Laser beam welding
• Vacuum welding equipment
• Welding machinery manufacturing
• Industrial welding systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterbeach

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Electron Beam Welding Machines: Design, build, and service of custom electron beam welding machines. Machines are built-to-order at Cambridge headquarters. Includes Ebflow (local vacuum EBW), Evflow (EV-specific), 60kV and 150kV models, turbocharger models, and batch/strip models.
2. Laser Welding Machines: Laser beam welding systems including conventional laser welding at atmospheric pressure, laser in vacuum systems, and Ebflow Light local vacuum laser welding. Machines can weld unusual metal combinations including high performance and gas sensitive alloys like titanium, magnesium and aluminium.
3. Customer Support and After-Sales Services: CVE's customer support team provides service and after-sales support including spare parts, preventive maintenance contracts, machine troubleshooting, repairs, training and development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cambridge Vacuum Engineering designs, builds, and services custom electron beam welding (EBW) and laser beam welding (LBW) systems at its Cambridge headquarters. Its machines—including the proprietary Ebflow local vacuum EBW, Evflow for EVs, 60kV/150kV EBW models, turbocharger and batch/strip EBW systems, Ebflow Light, and laser-in-vacuum systems—are built-to-order for enterprise customers in aerospace, automotive, nuclear, and renewable energy sectors.

Product overview

Cambridge Vacuum Engineering (CVE) designs, builds, and services electron beam welding (EBW) and laser welding systems. The company offers two main technology platforms: Electron Beam Welding and Laser Welding. Under Electron Beam Welding, the product portfolio includes Ebflow (local vacuum electron beam welding for heavy engineering), Evflow (EV-specific electron beam welding), 60kV Models (small component welding), 150kV Models (aero engine/aerospace applications), Turbocharger Models, and Batch/Strip Models. Under Laser Welding, offerings include Ebflow Light (local vacuum laser welding), conventional Laser Models (atmospheric pressure), and Laser in Vacuum Models. All machines are built-to-order at CVE's Cambridge headquarters with 60+ years of process know-how.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ebflow Proprietary local vacuum electron beam (LVEB) welding system for heavy engineering applications. Enables high-integrity welding of large, complex structures without a traditional vacuum chamber by creating a localized vacuum around the weld zone, with welding speeds 20–30 times faster than conventional arc welding.
• Evflow Electron beam welding machine designed specifically for electric vehicle powertrain components, including batteries, inverters, and motors. Built for high-integrity welding of EV-specific parts.
• 60kV EBW Models 60kV electron beam welding machines used to manufacture small components including medical equipment, bellows, and transducers. Low heat input minimizes risk of damage to sensitive electronic components.
• 150kV EBW Models 150kV electron beam welding machines used in aero engine, aerospace, and power generation applications for high-strength and heat-resistant alloys.
• Turbocharger EBW Models Electron beam welding machines specifically designed for welding turbocharger parts used in modern diesel and gasoline engines for improved fuel efficiency and performance.
• Batch and Strip EBW Models Continuous strip and batch electron beam welding machines for large production batches. Suitable for joining two or three dissimilar metals and ideal for EV battery production, reducing labor and material costs by welding continuous strips rather than individual components.
• Ebflow Light Local vacuum laser beam welding machine combining laser welding benefits with CVE's proprietary local vacuum system. Supports in-situ welding of large fabrications up to 60mm thickness in a single pass, with welding speeds up to 30 times faster than arc welding.
• Conventional Laser Welding Models Laser beam welding machines for conventional laser welding at atmospheric pressure using shielding gas. No X-rays are emitted, eliminating the need for expensive vacuum chambers and increasing productivity. Integrates TRUMPF TruDisk laser technology.
• Laser in Vacuum Models Laser in vacuum welding machines that achieve two to three times the depth of weld compared to atmospheric laser welding, with reduced oxidation and exceptionally high weld quality. Features 5-axis CNC motion system for complex geometries and large components, plus wire-feed system for additive manufacturing and cladding.
• Customer Support and After-Sales Services CVE's customer support team provides service and after-sales support including spare parts, preventive maintenance contracts, machine troubleshooting, repairs, training, and development for installed welding systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20-30 times faster welding speed compared to conventional arc welding
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, flagship, regional and strategic.

• Kielce University of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2026Installed Poland's first laser-in-vacuum welding machine at Laser Research Center, co-funded by Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Will support advanced engineering education, research, and smart manufacturing in Central Europe.
• FordmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Innovate UK-funded EB-eDrive project (£430,000) to prove electron beam welding improves electric motor stator manufacture. Partners demonstrated that EB welding is effective for joining copper hairpins in EV stators with tensile strength 6x minimum limit and pore-free welds.
• Kairos PowermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2025Successfully installed pilot reactor vessel fabricated in the UK using CVE's electron beam welding technology, supporting the company's advancement in nuclear reactor manufacturing.
• Dogger Bank Wind FarmmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2021Pioneering use of Ebflow electron beam welding technology for offshore wind turbine monopile fabrication, supporting renewable energy infrastructure development.
• Sheffield ForgemastersflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 December 2019Led £10.5M landmark research project (£8M BEIS funding) for industrialization of electron beam welding in civil nuclear assemblies. Demonstrating EBW for manufacturing 4.3m high x 3.0m diameter SMR pressure vessels, reducing circumferential welding from 150 days to 10 days.
• Technika SpawalniczaregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPolish partner that facilitated the purchase and installation of CVE's laser-in-vacuum welding machine at Kielce University of Technology.
• Cranfield UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project to pave the way for wider industrialization of Laser in Vacuum welding technology, including development of window protection solutions.
• TWIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical partner in Sheffield Forgemasters' £10.5M landmark nuclear research project for industrialization of electron beam welding.
• Arc EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Sheffield Forgemasters' landmark nuclear research project for electron beam welding in civil nuclear assemblies.
• NAMRC (National Additive Manufacturing Research Facility)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Sheffield Forgemasters' landmark nuclear research project.
• University of ManchestercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in Sheffield Forgemasters' landmark nuclear research project.
• Cambridge UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in Sheffield Forgemasters' landmark nuclear research project.
• TRUMPFstrategicTechnology or IntegrationTRUMPF TruDisk laser technology integrated into CVE's laser welding systems, enabling entry into new markets and enhanced laser welding capabilities.
• Pennsylvania College of TechnologyregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership for technology education and development in welding technologies.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• pro-beam: German specialist in electron beam welding and additive manufacturing systems, including EBW chambers and large-part welding solutions, directly competing with CVE across aerospace, automotive, and heavy engineering. Closest direct peer given its EBW focus and similar high-value custom-machine orientation.
• Sciaky: US-based EBW and additive manufacturing provider focused on large-format, high-deposition parts for aerospace and defense. Direct competitor in electron beam welding, particularly relevant for US aerospace and nuclear-adjacent work where CVE also competes.
• TechMeta: French electron beam welding specialist offering EBW systems and services for aerospace, automotive, and medical components. Direct peer in the EBW niche with comparable customer base and small-company scale.

Broad incumbents

• TRUMPF: Global leader in laser welding and cutting systems and a key technology supplier to CVE (TruDisk lasers integrated into CVE systems). Competes with CVE in laser welding at scale while supplying core laser sources, making it both partner and competitor.
• Lincoln Electric: One of the largest global welding equipment manufacturers offering arc, laser, and resistance welding solutions across industrial markets. Broad incumbent that overlaps with CVE in heavy engineering welding, though its portfolio is much wider.
• ESAB Corporation: Global welding and cutting equipment manufacturer serving heavy industry, aerospace, and energy. Competes broadly with CVE in industrial welding solutions while offering a much larger installed base and broader product line.
• IPG Photonics: Leading manufacturer of high-power fiber lasers used in welding and cutting systems globally. Competes with CVE in laser welding systems and is a key technology supplier alternative to TRUMPF for laser sources.
• Mitsubishi Electric (e-F@ctory / Laser): Major industrial conglomerate with laser welding and processing systems used in EV battery and automotive manufacturing. Overlaps with CVE's EV-focused Evflow product line at much larger scale and broader geographic reach.

Emerging players

• Yaskawa Motoman: Industrial robotics and welding automation specialist providing arc and laser welding cells for automotive and EV manufacturing. Adjacent competitor as automation becomes a larger part of EV and battery welding solutions.
• Han's Laser: Chinese laser welding and cutting equipment maker with strong presence in EV battery and automotive welding. Regional competitor in Asia, particularly relevant given CVE's Beijing office and ambitions in the Chinese EV supply chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/camvaceng

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cambridge Vacuum Engineering