VITROVEX Instrument Spheres

Precision-Made Glass Housings for Underwater Instruments

VITROVEX instrument spheres are pressure-resistant enclosures specifically designed to protect underwater instrumentation while providing buoyancy. Each sphere consists of two precisely mated hemispheres, sealed together using a vacuum process and secured with sealant and protective tape.

When sealed, the hemispheres are kept together by atmospheric pressure on land and by hydrostatic pressure during deployment in the water column. A vacuum port is typically incorporated to allow for repeated sealing and unsealing as needed.

Meticulous Manufacturing

VITROVEX instrument spheres are engineered for maximum reliability and consistency:

• Parting plane sealing faces and ground flats around drill holes are honed to a precise flatness through a three-step finishing process:
  1. Milling with a diamond tool
  2. Manual smoothing
  3. Polishing (where required)
• Precision-molded borosilicate glass ensures minimal deviation in shape, even under high pressure.
• Strict quality control guarantees that each sphere is free of significant imperfections.
• Hemispheres of the same outside diameter and wall thickness are fully interchangeable, individually replaceable, and require no special alignment during assembly.

Configuration Overview

The table below provides specifications for the most commonly used VITROVEX flotation spheres and their configuration options. This list serves as a selection guide—if your preferred model or configuration is not listed, please contact us for additional options and custom solutions.