Cryomech was founded in 1963 by William E. “Bill” Gifford. Gifford was a professor at Syracuse University from 1961 to 1978 and (in collaboration with Dr. Howard O. McMahon) invented the Gifford-McMahon (GM) cycle cryo­cooler in 1957. This invention made research at very low temperatures much more accessible to the scientific community. The new GM cryocooler was affordable, easy to work with and far more re­liable than the “homegrown” equipment research institutions could build together at that time. In 1963 when Gifford began receiving requests from fellow scientists for GM cryocoolers for their labs, he founded Cryomech, Inc. – the era of cryocooler innovation began.

After Gifford passed in 1980, his son, Peter Gifford, led Cryomech to the next level of inno­vation. Cryomech continually improved GM cryo­cooler and pulse tube (PT) cryocooler as its key product lines. Cryomech listened to its custom­ers and created product lines that the industries needed, powered by its cryocoolers. The helium product line, such as liquid helium plant, helium reliquefier and the comprehensive helium recov­ery system, is very useful to support several in­dustries, especially during helium shortage events, such as what has occurred in 2022 and likely will continue in 2023.

Expertise in Cryo Equipment

The value Cryomech brings to its customers is expertise in cryogenics equipment. Whether in research, laboratory or industrial setting, our customers are experts in their areas of research. They do not want to be bogged down, worrying about the cryogenics equipment their experi­ments need. The expectation is clear: a safe, reli­able high-performance cryocooler or cryostat that works every time, and at a reasonable price point. Cryomech, through the cryogenics equipment it manufactures, offers these benefits for its clients.

Industries

There are four industries in which Cryomech generally participates. The first industry is quan­tum information science and technology. An example of Cryomech’s role in this application is the qubits (quantum bits) in superconducting loops that require a deep cryogenics environment to function properly. Performance improvement of the qubits can be enhanced when the cryogen­ics environment, provided by a dilution refrigera­tor, powered by pulse tube cryocoolers, is reliable and consistent.

Second, Cryomech’s equipment is used in the healthcare and life sciences industries. From magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and to superconduct­ing quantum interference device (SQUID) sensors in magnetoencephalography (MEG), high-tech life science equipment requires liquid helium to op­erate. This operation can be enhanced by helium management equipment, which includes cryo­coolers. Cryomech also offers cold-helium circu­lation systems, which provide better efficiency in cooling large magnets.

Third, Cryomech participates in the clean en­ergy industry. Applications from hydrogen, which power fuel-cell energy to the tokamak technol­ogy, lead development toward fusion energy and can be enhanced when suitable and reliable cryocoolers are involved. Finally, in the broad in­dustry of low temperature physics, where many key research activities are being pursued from ef­forts in understanding our universe to investigat­ing superconductivity behavior of a new material, Cryomech enables its customers’ objectives and uses its expertise to innovate and develop solu­tions that meet unique cryogenics requirements.

Today’s Innovations

Today, Cryomech occupies a brand new 76,000-square-foot manufacturing and office facility in Syracuse, New York. With more than 170 employees, Cryomech is poised to take on cryogenics projects from prototype stage to se­rial production mode. As its innovation legacy continues, Cryomech scientists and engineers develop larger and larger cooling capacity in pulse tube cryocoolers to meet the market’s demand for the betterment of human life. www.cryomech.com

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Image: Cryomech celebrates 60 years of cryo-innovation at its home office in Syracuse, New York. Credit: Cryomech Inc.

Image 2:  Cryomech PT425 remote motor. Credit: Cryomech Inc.