January 25, 2013 - January 31, 2013

January 30, 2013

After a few frustrating weeks trying to figure out how to make the thermocouple, op amp, DAQ, and LabView program to work together I have admitted defeat (at least temporarily). I have made two thermitsors and have housed them in professional looking metal shells (with the help of Brendan). They have been tested, and work relatively well. I may need to calibrate them once the epoxy on them has dried. I still plan to work on getting the thermocouples up and running but for the time being at least we have a reliable way to read temperature and report that temperature to the program in LabView. I think that is the most important thing right now, especially since we have a readiness review from J-Lab on the 7th of February.

Brendan has completed machining the collars for the splicing unit. He had given them to me today, but because Jim wanted to put them together I left them on his desk. Hopefully in the next few days I'll be able to get to splicing fibers!

For the rest of the day today I plan to go over the LabView program again and make it as efficient as possible.

I would also like to remind Jim that we need to have a schedule for both Jon and Leanna.

Also, I should remind Dr. Jones and Jim that items need to be ordered (ventilation items, light covers, and 22 awg solid red and black wire).

To-Do List for the Next Week

• Clean and keep clean room 405
• Test the thermistors; Make a spreadsheet with recorded values and known temperature to compare. Maybe use the tank in real time to test everything...
• Work on fusing fibers as soon as Jim has put the splicing unit together.
• Iron out the LabView program
• Work on the thermocouple and op-amp when I have time (Unless Dr. Jones would like me to finish it ASAP).
• Come up with a plan for student workers as soon as the opportunity presents itself.