When did vacuum technology first become important in industry?

Vacuum technology first became important in industry around 1900, primarily driven by the manufacture of electric light bulbs.

Following this initial application, the technology expanded to support the operation of various electron tubes. Over time, it was discovered that performing processes in a vacuum could yield superior results or enable tasks impossible under normal atmospheric conditions, such as the preparation of blood plasma, the "blooming" of lens surfaces, and the production of reactive metals like titanium. The emergence of nuclear energy in the 1950s further accelerated the large-scale development of vacuum equipment, eventually leading to widespread applications in fields like microelectronics and space simulation.1