LH Fall 2013

September 2013
This month I helped Ann Marie prepare the fusing unit by cleaning the glass ferrules. I spent most of my time working on making AutoCAD and TurboCAD drawings with Alan for the backplane. This required talking a lot to Alan about what would be the best way to format the drawings. We also discussed the parts and tools needed to produce the backplane and I gave the list to Ann Marie to order.

October 2013
This month the backplane drawings were finished and ready to be machined, so I started working on the parts needed for all the bending and gluing stations. Each station had about 4-5 parts that needed to be drawn. After the bending and gluing station drawings were completed, I worked on creating multiple styrofoam pieces which we can order to safely carry all the bundles down to JLab without straining the bends in the fibers. I made 3 different versions, each simpler than the previous. However, the quotes we received from the styrofoam manufacturer were too expensive and it was decided that the fibers will just be carefully packed in a box with packing peanuts.

November 2013
I started working mainly on production this month. This involved learning the procedures for straightening, fusing, and painting the fiber bundles.

December 2013
This month was spent exclusively on bundle production. I fused bundles with Keegan, measured light guides and straightened bundles. In between fiber bundles, the unistrut for the straightening unit was sanded down by me and Jon K and was repainted using a no-rust spray paint.