Images from the fabrication of the DFBX boxes
(LBNL procurement of the LHC IR feed boxes)
at Meyer Tool and Manufacturing, Inc.

Photos taken by Tom Peterson unless otherwise noted.  CAD model images courtesy LBNL.  (Click on the assembly model image above for a larger view.)  Contact Tom (tommy@fnal.gov) with questions or requests regarding photos and web page content.

Added in 2007:  Photos and documents pertaining to the 2007 DFBX review, upgrade, and repair work

DFBX fabrication documents (DFBX page maintained by Phil Pfund, with links to various documents)

Cryogenic flow schematics for the four interaction regions


Some photos of government-supplied components



 
The current leads, bus ducts, and instrument wire conduits are government furnished material.  The HTS current leads, specified and procured by LBNL, are fabricated by Pirelli/BICC in England and tested at Fermilab.  The bus ducts were designed and built at LBNL.  The instrument wire conduits were designed and assembled at Fermilab. 
 
 
 
 

HTS current leads for DFBX at Fermilab for inspection and testing (CAD model shown at right) 
Bus Ducts (CAD model shown at right) were designed and built at LBL.  They contain the lambda plug and bridge the superconductor from the 4 Kelvin feed box bath to the 1.9 Kelvin magnet.  The link illustrates the bus duct assembly sequence. 
MQX2 (Quad) Instrument conduit assemblies at Fermilab (CAD model shown at right.  Link is to photos of the conduit assemblies.)

MBX2 (Dipole) Instrument conduit assemblies at Fermilab (Photos from Dave Burk of the Materials Development Lab at Fermilab show the process of pre-forming a stycast plug which acts as a dam during the final potting process, and final conduits)

Photos from Meyer Tool

 
The DFBX feed boxes are being assembled (and most parts fabricated) by Meyer Tool and Manufacturing, Inc., in Oak Lawn, Illinois.  The order was placed in late March, 2003, and the "kick-off" meeting was held on April 1, 2003.  The links below provide a chronological view of the assembly process at Meyer Tool.  The image on the right is a view of the completed DFBX-G assembly, the first complete box; click on it for a larger picture. 
Two DFBX feed boxes have been shipped to CERN as of May 1, 2005.  The photo on the right shows DFBX-G in the above-ground test assembly in building 181 at CERN. 
Meyer Tool personnel in front of the last two completed DFBX boxes, 26 October 2005.  .

2003 PHOTOS

2004 PHOTOS

2005

January 11, 2005  DFBX-D nearly complete and off the assembly frame, DFBX-E piping almost done, DFBX-F top plates hung

January 18, 2005  DFBX-D in its shipping frame.  DFBX-E piping and jumper lines.  DFBX-F getting helium vessel.

January 21, 2005  A series of photos taken by Chicago Export shows the process of loading the first DFBX shipment (DFBX-G and D with some smaller skids of material) into its container

February 1, 2005  DFBX-E with HTS current leads installed, getting buswork soldered.  DFBX-F helium vessel installed, getting piping installed, almost ready for bus duct.  DFBX-A top plates hung.

February 8, 2005  DFBX-E corrector leads installed, working on buswork.  DFBX-F has bus duct installed, doing more piping work.

February 17, 2005  Good progress on DFBX-E, F, and A

February 25, 2005  DFBX-E getting final piping leak check before installing thermal shield.  DFBX-F instrumentation wiring in progress.  DFBX-A has bus ducts installed, next is leak check of current lead chimneys.

March 8, 2005  DFBX-E vacuum box being welded.  DFBX-F almost ready for current lead installation.  DFBX-A helium vessel and current lead chimneys passed first leak check.

March 22, 2005  DFBX-E ready to go into the shipping crate.  F and A under assembly.

April 6, 2005  DFBX-E is at Chicago Export.  DFBX-F -- one chimney bellows is being replaced, which required removal of an HTS lead and opening the helium vessel.  DFBX-A and DFBX-B assemblies well underway.

April 12, 2005  DFBX-F has been repaired and progress resumes.  DFBX-A has current leads and has nearly caught up to F.  DFBX-B getting chimneys and piping.

April 26, 2005  DFBX-F, DFBX-A and DFBX-B progress.  The leak check for DFBX-A was underway which revealed a bellows leak, requiring a bellows replacement.

May 3, 2005  DFBX-F, DFBX-A and DFBX-B progress.  New bellows installed in box A.

May 24, 2005  DFBX-F on the floor in preparation for shipping, DFBX-A vacuum jacket being welded up, DFBX-B piping in progress.

July 6, 2005  DFBX-A in its shipping frame on the floor of Meyer Tool.  DFBX-B getting the final welding of the vacuum jacket.  DFBX-C has heium vessel, chimneys, and bus ducts installed.  DFBX-H, the last DFBX, top plate is hung in the assembly fixture!

July 26, 2005  Only two boxes and assembly stands are left, DFBX-C, which is having SC bus soldered, and DFBX-H which is getting current lead chimneys welded in place.

August 9, 2005  DFBX-C has leads installed and is undergoing a leak check.  DFBX-H is ready for current lead installation.

August 24, 2005  DFBX-C has MLI installed and is ready for vacuum vessel weldment.  DFBX-H has current leads installed and is under leak check.

September 14, 2005  DFBX-C is complete, on the floor ready for the shipping frame.  DFBX-H is awaiting resolution of a slightly below-requirement hipot on one AMI current lead cluster.

September 27, 2005  DFBX-C is still complete and waiting for shipping.  Photos of the main helium vessel reliefs were taken with the idea of replacing the rupture disk with a larger relief valve.  DFBX-H was successfully hipotted.  After opening the helium vessel and disconnecting the buswork from the AMI current leads, no hipot problem ever repeated, either for individual components or the assembly.

October 28, 2005  DFBX-H, the last box, is complete and ready to ship.  The job at Meyer Tool is done.
 
 
 
 


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