Negative pressure motor sealing

1. A system comprising:

an electric motor including a housing enclosing a substantially-sealed internal environment;

a pump including an inlet connected to the substantially-sealed internal environment of the electric motor via a first conduit; and

a fluid supply storing a makeup fluid, the fluid supply including an outlet connected to the substantially-sealed internal environment of the electric motor via a second conduit,

wherein the pump is configured to create a negative pressure within the substantially-sealed internal environment of the electric motor to mitigate potential contamination of an external environment of the electric motor with the makeup fluid.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a regulator within the second conduit between the fluid supply and the substantially-sealed internal environment of the electric motor, wherein the regulator combines with the pump to control flow of the makeup fluid within the substantially-sealed internal environment of the electric motor.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the flow limits contamination of substantially-sealed internal environment with contents of the external environment.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pump includes an outlet, wherein the system further comprises a filter configured to filter fluids exiting the outlet of the pump.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the makeup fluid consists essentially of oxygen and/or nitrogen.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the external environment comprises at least ten percent by weight of argon.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electric motor is a positioning motor for a manufacturing process, the manufacturing process including at least one of a group consisting of:

semiconductor manufacturing;

directed energy deposition;

chemical vapor deposition; and

radioactive material handling.

8. An electric motor comprising:

a housing enclosing a substantially-sealed internal environment;

an outlet to the housing, the outlet being configured to apply a vacuum to the substantially-sealed internal environment;

an inlet to the housing, the inlet to the housing being configured to supply a makeup fluid to the substantially-sealed internal environment,

wherein the inlet and the outlet are configured to create a negative pressure within the substantially-sealed internal environment of the electric motor to mitigate potential contamination of an external environment of the electric motor with the makeup fluid.

9. The electric motor of claim 8 , further comprising a regulator connected to the inlet to the housing, wherein the regulator combines with the outlet to the housing to control flow of the makeup fluid within the substantially-sealed internal environment of the electric motor.

10. The electric motor of claim 9 , wherein the flow limits contamination of substantially-sealed internal environment with contents of the external environment.

11. The electric motor of claim 8 , further comprising a filter configured to filter fluids exiting the outlet.

12. The electric motor of claim 8 , wherein the makeup fluid consists essentially of oxygen and/or nitrogen.

13. The electric motor of claim 8 , wherein the electric motor is a positioning motor for a manufacturing process, the manufacturing process including at least one of a group consisting of:

semiconductor manufacturing;

directed energy deposition;

chemical vapor deposition; and

radioactive material handling.

14. A method comprising:

operating an electric motor within an external environment;

applying, during the operation of the electric motor, with a pump including an inlet connected to a substantially-sealed internal environment enclosed by a housing of the electric motor via a first conduit, a negative pressure to the substantially-sealed internal environment of the electric motor; and

supplying, during the operation of the electric motor, a makeup fluid with a fluid supply via an outlet connected to the substantially-sealed internal environment of the electric motor via a second conduit,

wherein the negative pressure within the substantially-sealed internal environment of the electric motor mitigates potential contamination of the external environment with the makeup fluid.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, during the operation of the electric motor, controlling flow of the makeup fluid within the substantially-sealed internal environment of the electric motor with the pump and a regulator within the second conduit between the fluid supply and the substantially-sealed internal environment of the electric motor.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the flow limits contamination of substantially-sealed internal environment with contents of the external environment.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, during the operation of the electric motor, filtering filter fluids exiting the pump outlet with a filter connected to an outlet of the pump.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the makeup fluid consists essentially of oxygen and/or nitrogen.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the external environment comprises at least ten percent by weight of helium.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein operating the electric motor includes positioning a manufacturing element as part of a manufacturing process, the manufacturing process including at least one of a group consisting of:

semiconductor manufacturing;

directed energy deposition;

chemical vapor deposition; and

radioactive material handling.