Dynavac
Dynavac designs, manufactures, and installs custom high-vacuum capital equipment — thermal vacuum chambers for spacecraft testing and thin film deposition systems for precision optics and astronomical mirrors — serving NASA, defense and aerospace primes, observatories, and commercial space customers including Amazon Project Kuiper and Delta Air Lines.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersHingham, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Dynavac does
Dynavac (legal name: Vacuum Technology Associates, d/b/a Dynavac) is a Hingham, Massachusetts-based manufacturer founded in 1982 that designs, builds, and installs custom high-vacuum capital equipment for two closely related end markets. The Space Simulation Systems line produces turnkey thermal vacuum chambers — branded Sirius (3-8 ft chambers), Rigel (8-16 ft), SmallSat (12-36" cubes for microsats and cubesats), and Polaris (field-erected systems over 40 feet) — along with Thermal Conditioning Units (TCUs), Thermal Data Acquisition Systems (TDAS), Auxiliary Thermal Control Systems, and High Performance Cryopumps. The Thin Film Deposition Systems line is anchored by the Hyperion Optical Coating System (760mm-3m chambers, less than 2-3% coating uniformity, sub-0.5% achievable) and the EOS Astronomical Mirror Deposition System, supplemented by confocal sputtering, PECVD diamond-like carbon, and inline vacuum deposition systems. Proprietary technology includes the Spectrum-Pro broadband optical monitor for real-time deposition control, a water-cooled planetary mechanism, a unique mask-indexing design, and gaseous helium cryogenic shrouds achieving temperatures as low as 20K (70 panels were designed, manufactured, and installed for NASA Chamber A in support of JWST testing).
The company operates exclusively through direct enterprise field sales, targeting aerospace and defense customers (NASA, Ball Aerospace, JHU APL, Amazon Project Kuiper, Delta Air Lines), precision optics manufacturers (University of Rochester LLE), astronomy observatories (Lowell Observatory, Observatorio Astrofisico de Javalambre, Australian National University), and scientific instrument buyers. Revenue is generated from custom capital equipment sales, project-based professional services (system upgrades, retrofits, installation, commissioning, preventative maintenance, emergency field service, remote diagnostics), and recurring Application Lab process development work in the 1,700 sq ft Hingham facility. Pricing is quote-based on chamber size, thermal performance, configuration, and complexity, with multi-year contract cadences. Manufacturing and design/engineering sites are located in Hingham, Rockland, and Pembroke (Massachusetts) and Paris (France), totaling well over 130,000 sq ft of industrial footprint.
In September 2023, Dynavac was acquired by Weiss Technik North America, Inc. (itself part of the German Schunk Group) and in October 2024 was aligned as a sister company of OptoTech Optical Machinery within Schunk. Dynavac operates as a separate legal entity of WNA, continues under its existing brand, and remains led by President Tom Foley. Dynavac is ITAR-compliant and ISO 9001:2015 certified, supporting mission-critical programs including JWST, Orion, Artemis III (LEMS moonquake detector), ISS, GPS, LEO satellite programs, the Dragonfly Titan mission (Titan Thermal Cycle Chamber for JHU APL), and the Ball Aerospace next-generation Thermal Vacuum Test Facility.
Dynavac firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dynavac
- Legal name
- Vacuum Technology Associates, doing business as Dynavac
- Website
- https://dynavac.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Dynavac designs, manufactures, and installs custom high-vacuum capital equipment — thermal vacuum chambers for spacecraft testing and thin film deposition systems for precision optics and astronomical mirrors — serving NASA, defense and aerospace primes, observatories, and commercial space customers including Amazon Project Kuiper and Delta Air Lines.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dynavac industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Vacuum and Thin Film Deposition Equipment
- NAICS
- Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing (333912), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334)
- SIC
- Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Vacuum Systems & Components (Vacuum Pumps, Ejectors, Cups, Grippers) (IMAHAGAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Vacuum Pumps & Systems (IMAHANAD), Process Gas & High-Pressure Compressors (IMAHANAF)
Keywords
Where Dynavac is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hingham
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Dynavac business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Space Simulation Systems: Design, manufacture, and installation of turnkey thermal vacuum systems, space simulation chambers, and support equipment including thermal control units, data acquisition systems, and pumping systems. Revenue is generated from custom-built capital equipment sales.
- Thin Film Deposition Systems: Design, manufacture, and installation of PVD deposition systems including optical coating systems, batch PVD systems, inline deposition systems, and DLC coating systems. Includes evaporation, sputtering, and PE-CVD technologies.
- System Upgrades and Retrofits: Complete platform of equipment and services to extend the life or capabilities of existing deposition and vacuum systems. Includes control system upgrades, process equipment, substrate fixturing, and pumping system maintenance.
- Application Lab Services: Process development and testing services in their 1,700 square-foot Application Lab helping customers evaluate thin-film processes before committing to capital investment.
- Field Service and Support: Worldwide customer support including system installation, startup, training, preventative maintenance, emergency field service, remote diagnostics, and spare parts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom capital equipment systems - quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Dynavac product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dynavac designs, manufactures, and installs high-vacuum systems for two primary applications: (1) space simulation, including thermal vacuum chambers used to test spacecraft, satellites, and components under simulated space conditions; and (2) thin film deposition, including optical coating systems and PVD/PE-CVD equipment used to deposit precision coatings on optics, mirrors, electronics, and industrial components. The company also builds custom specialty vacuum systems for scientific instruments and provides system upgrades, field service, and application lab testing.
Product overview
Dynavac designs, manufactures, and installs high-vacuum systems for space simulation and thin film deposition. The product portfolio comprises two core offerings: Space Simulation Systems (thermal vacuum chambers for spacecraft testing) and Thin Film Deposition Systems (PVD and PE-CVD coating equipment for optics, electronics, aerospace, and lighting). The Space Simulation line includes the Sirius (mini/medium spacecraft), Rigel (larger satellites, 8-16 ft), SmallSat (cubesats), and Polaris (field-erected, >40 ft) thermal vacuum system families, complemented by support equipment including Thermal Conditioning Units (TCU), the TCU-100-HP with high-pressure blower, Thermal Data Acquisition System (TDAS), Auxiliary Thermal Control System (ATCS), and High Performance Cryopumps. The Thin Film line centers on the Hyperion Optical Coating System (precision optics, 760mm–3m chambers), the EOS Astronomical Mirror Deposition System (large telescope mirrors), Confocal Sputtering Systems, DLC Coating Systems (PECVD for diamond-like carbon), and Inline Vacuum Deposition Systems for continuous production. Dynavac also offers Specialty Systems (custom turnkey vacuum systems) and an Application Lab for process development and testing. As part of Weiss Technik (Schunk Group), Dynavac operates manufacturing facilities in Hingham, MA and Paris, France.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sirius: Turnkey thermal vacuum systems for mini and medium class spacecraft with chamber diameters of 3 to 8 feet.
- Rigel
- Polaris
- Hyperion
- Eos
- SmallSat TVS
- TCU-100-HP
Products and services
- Space Simulation Systems Turnkey thermal vacuum systems that simulate the harsh conditions of space for the development and testing of spacecraft, systems, and components. Covers thermal vacuum chambers, electric propulsion test chambers, vacuum bakeout, and environmental test chambers. Sold to aerospace, defense, and space agency customers.
- Thin Film Deposition Systems World-class thin film deposition systems utilizing evaporation, sputtering, and plasma (PE-CVD) technologies. Includes optical coating systems, batch PVD systems, inline deposition systems, and DLC coating systems for diverse industrial and aerospace applications. Sold to optics, astronomy, electronics, and lighting manufacturers.
- Specialty Systems (Custom Vacuum)
Quantifiable outcome
- Coating uniformity <2-3% (sub-0.5% achievable)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Dynavac
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Dynavac technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Dynavac partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- OptoTech Optical Machinery Inc.flagshipDynavac joined the Schunk Group and became a sister company of OptoTech. Combined expertise delivers comprehensive precision optics manufacturing solutions including pre-processing, polishing, measuring instruments, and thin film deposition. This collaboration enables full-spectrum precision optics manufacturing capabilities.
- Matrix Service Company / Matrix PDMcoreStrategic partnership with Matrix Service Company for designing, building, and supporting large thermal vacuum systems. Collaborated on the Titan Thermal Cycle Chamber for JHU APL's Dragonfly mission and Ball Aerospace's next-generation Thermal Vacuum Test Facility. Matrix PDM provides field erection and infrastructure expertise for large vacuum vessel construction.
- Ball AerospacecoreDynavac serves as technology partner for Ball Aerospace's next-generation Thermal Vacuum Test Facility. Provided design and fabrication of high vacuum pumping system, control and data acquisition system, and integrated thermal control system for the facility expanding Ball's environmental test capabilities and production capacity.
- Winona PVD CoatingsminorPartnership announced for thin film coating services and market collaboration.
- Schunk GroupflagshipDynavac was acquired by Weiss Technik North America, which is a member of the Schunk Group. The Schunk Group is a globally active technology group with over 65 locations in 26 countries, employing over 9,200 people. Dynavac continues to operate under its current name as a separate legal entity of WNA.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights8 records
Dynavac competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bühler Leybold Optics: Swiss/German manufacturer of precision optical coating systems (sputtering, evaporation, plasma) for precision optics manufacturers. Most direct competitor to Dynavac's Hyperion optical coating platform serving precision optics and architectural glass.
- Cincinnati Sub-Zero (CSZ): Manufactures environmental test chambers and thermal vacuum systems serving aerospace and defense customers. Directly competes with Dynavac in thermal vacuum and environmental qualification chambers for spacecraft and satellite testing.
- Angelantoni Test Technologies: Italian manufacturer of environmental and thermal vacuum test chambers for aerospace, automotive, and energy. Direct competitor in European thermal vacuum chamber market, where Dynavac also operates via its Paris facility.
- Thermotron Industries: US manufacturer of environmental test chambers for aerospace, defense, and commercial customers. Direct competitor in thermal, humidity, and vibration test systems used for product qualification.
- Von Ardenne: German supplier of vacuum deposition systems (PVD, PECVD) for architectural glass, solar, and optics. Comparable in engineering profile to Dynavac and shares the German industrial ownership heritage now extended to Dynavac via Schunk.
Broad incumbents
- ULVAC: Japanese manufacturer of vacuum equipment, sputtering systems, and thin film deposition tools serving semiconductor, display, and industrial markets. Competes with Dynavac in vacuum deposition at significantly larger scale and broader end-market exposure.
- Veeco Instruments: Public US equipment maker of thin film deposition systems (PVD, MOCVD, ALD) for semiconductor, photonics, and data storage. Overlaps with Dynavac's thin film deposition line at larger scale and broader customer base.
- ESPEC Corp: Japanese-headquartered global leader in environmental test chambers used for semiconductor, automotive, and aerospace reliability testing. Overlaps with Dynavac in thermal vacuum and environmental test systems but operates at much larger scale across multiple verticals.
Emerging players
- Angstrom Engineering: Canadian manufacturer of PVD and thermal evaporation deposition systems for research and small-scale production. Overlaps with Dynavac's confocal sputtering and Hyperion offerings but focuses on R&D and pilot-scale customers rather than large aerospace systems.
Others
- OptoTech Optical Machinery: Sister company under Schunk Group (joined October 2024) producing optical processing and polishing machinery. Now combined with Dynavac to deliver full-stack precision optics manufacturing solutions, making it both a partner and adjacent player rather than a head-to-head competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Dynavac social profiles
Digital presenceDynavac compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Dynavac financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dynavac leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Dynavac funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dynavac M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dynavac
What does Dynavac do?
Dynavac designs, manufactures, and installs high-vacuum systems for two primary applications: (1) space simulation, including thermal vacuum chambers used to test spacecraft, satellites, and components under simulated space conditions; and (2) thin film deposition, including optical coating systems and PVD/PE-CVD equipment used to deposit precision coatings on optics, mirrors, electronics, and industrial components. The company also builds custom specialty vacuum systems for scientific instruments and provides system upgrades, field service, and application lab testing.
Is Dynavac a public or private company?
Dynavac is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Dynavac founded?
Dynavac was founded in 1982. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Dynavac based?
Dynavac is headquartered in Hingham, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dynavac make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Space Simulation Systems are the primary driver. The others are thin Film Deposition Systems, system Upgrades and Retrofits, application Lab Services and field Service and Support.
Who are Dynavac's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bühler Leybold Optics, Cincinnati Sub-Zero (CSZ), Angelantoni Test Technologies, Thermotron Industries and Von Ardenne. Broad incumbents are ULVAC, Veeco Instruments and ESPEC Corp. Angstrom Engineering is listed as an emerging player. OptoTech Optical Machinery is listed as an others.
Does Dynavac have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dynavac.
What industry is Dynavac in?
Dynavac's product category is Vacuum and Thin Film Deposition Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAGAN, Vacuum Systems & Components (Vacuum Pumps, Ejectors, Cups, Grippers), with a secondary code of IMAHANAD, Vacuum Pumps & Systems. Its NAICS code is 333912 and its SIC code is 3567.