Why choose a Terra desiccator?

At first glance, most desiccators look pretty similar. It's not until you put them into service—and fill them with delicate, expensive parts—that differences in quality become apparent.

Terra Universal is the world's leading designer and manufacturer of desiccators, with nearly twenty-five years of continuous product innovation. When you invest in a Terra desiccator, you benefit from our experience with literally thousands of systems. Simply put: Terra desiccators function better and function longer—significantly longer.

Compare Terra's Advanced Designs and Fabrication Experience—

Terra's full 304 stainless steel door frames offer the strongest door construction in the industry.

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Terra's stainless steel door frames eliminate the need for internal reinforcements, which create particle surfaces, compromise cleaning, and crack with repeated use. Unlike other doors with glue-on anti-bow pieces, Terra's doors use no adhesives. Their mechanical attachment eliminates particle traps, sources of outgassing—and extends the strength and service life of the desiccator.

Equipped with Terra's heavy-duty hinges, these doors stand up to years of daily use without bowing, cracking, or separating. Further, stainless steel doors are grounded on a standard basis with any stainless steel or static-dissipative desiccator cabinet.

	Tamper-proof hinges, available for added security

LiftLatches™:
Outward Action Eliminates Stress on Cabinets and Personnel
Terra's ergonomic lifting latches preserve seals and hinges.

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Rotary-type "push and twist" latches are hard on both people and cabinets. They violate ergonomic design because they require a twisting motion. They impose lateral torque on door hinges and contribute to premature door failure. As hinges fail, operators naturally apply greater pressure to seal the door, contributing to wear and failure of door seals.

Terra's LiftLatches™ open and seal easily with light pressure applied by a single finger. Their unique external mounting position on stainless steel door frames forms a natural stop that prevents excessive pressure on seals, regardless of how much pressure is applied. Because they have no internal components, they pose no contamination threat to the inside environment.

One-piece design with fused corners eliminates leaks

Seals: The Barriors between Your Product and Contamination
Terra's unique heat-fused one-piece gaskets seal far better, far longer.

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Other cabinets use "weather stripping"-style gaskets attached with double-sided tape. These gaskets creep under long-term use. They lose resiliency and compress quickly. Because they are applied in strips, their joints separate and leak. Adhesives create outgassing problems.

Terra's one-piece "e"-profile gaskets are mechanically attached to stainless steel door frames to prevent creeping, even under heavy use. They are hollow-formed to resist compression and retain their shape. Because corners are heat-fused, they will not separate or leak. This design shields products more effectively against contaminants and also minimizes expensive gas leaks.

Full Plenum Chambers: Uniform Gas Distribution
Terra precision-manufactures plenum panels on CNC machines to assure perfect fit and precise hole placement.

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Terra's standard multi-chamber desiccators include perforated plenum chambers that minimize backfill and ensure uniform gas distribution throughout all storage chambers. Gas pressurizes the plenum chamber before it enters the storage chambers. This design prevents contaminants and moisture from rushing into the rear of a chamber when a door is opened.

Plenum chambers also contribute to the overall strength of Terra desiccators and provide the optimal mounting location for ionizing nozzles

Stress points—at hinges and latch catches—are externally reinforced by solid bars

One-Piece Sealing Plate:
Increased Strength and Seal Integrity
CNC-machined sealing plates guarantee long-term seals.

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All Terra desiccators feature one-piece rigid front sealing plates, fabricated by computer numerical control (CNC) routers for absolute precision. This one-piece design ensures that all door gaskets seal uniformly. Unlike cabinets with glued-on sealing panels, this plate is solvent welded to the cabinet, forming a strong, rigid structure. The one-piece design also helps keep the cabinet in alignment, no matter how many chambers it includes.

For additional external strength, Terra cabinets feature 6 mm x 32 mm solid bar reinforcements at all front corners.

Stainless steel shelf (top) Stainless steel tray (bottom)

Stainless Steel Shelves and Shelf Supports: Support for Any Load
Terra's adjustable shelves are versatile and strong.

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To reinforce plastic shelves, Terra offers low-profile stainless steel supports that hold loads up to 130 lbs. (59 kg) without bowing. These supports can also be installed beneath the cabinet ceiling to support heavy process equipment or controls you might position on top of the cabinet.

Terra's stainless steel shelves, adjustable on noncontaminating racks, support loads up to 90 lbs. (41 kg)—more than you're ever likely to place on a single shelf!

Automatic RB® (Relief/Bleed) Valve: Critical Relief
Terra's micro-machined RB® Valve performs two critical functions, and stays out of harm's way.

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Terra's Automatic RB® Valve provides continuous pressure relief while also functioning as a check valve. By installing one on each desiccator chamber, you ensure that any contaminants that enter through an open door exit out the same chamber and don't migrate to other areas.

Other desiccators use either oil valves, which can contaminate a clean environment, or bulky valves that protrude from cabinets and are subject to impact damage. Terra's latest RB® Valve protrudes less than .5" (13 mm) from the chamber wall. It is designed to fit against the hinge reinforcement bar, so it can't be sheered off.