Shuttle System for transferring parts into and out of a high vacuum system. The Shuttle System was invented in 1988 to enable the rapid production of parts with an electron beam welding machine. Traditionally multiple fixtures are used to load several parts into the vacuum chamber; this amortizes the evacuation time over the number of parts. However the disadvantages are that it is a "batch" operation and it does not eliminate the evacuation time from the process. The Shuttle consists of a piston and cylinder normally mounted on the side of the vacuum work chamber and fitted with a pre-pumping stage. The part, or parts for processing are loaded into a breech cut into the piston and transferred into the chamber, stopping momentarily at the pre-pumping stage. The uniqueness of the system is in the displacement of the seals in the piston and cylinder, which facilitates transfer of parts without a pressure rise in the work chamber. Since the Shuttle volume is usually small compared to the work chamber volume there is the added advantage of "volume sharing" to dilute any residual pressure in the breech as it is transferred. For example the pre pumping stage is typically at a pressure of 100 mili torr but with "volume sharing" as the breech enters the larger work chamber there is no noticeable pressure rise. If a higher level of vacuum is required then it is only necessary to provide a higher level in the pre pumping stage. Today there are several Shuttles in operation, which have produced in excess of a million welded parts with production rates of over 250 parts per hour. It is anticipated that there are many more vacuum applications in industry that could use this invention. Richard Trillwood Patents "Shuttle system for rapidly manipulating a work piece into and out of an atmospherically controlled chamber for doing work thereon in the chamber" Patent number 5,062,758 and4,968,206. Trillwood 4/27/2004.