The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) Chooses CAD Cut For Cryomodule Insulation

MARLBOROUGH, Mass. and EAST LANSING, Mich., May 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) has chosen CAD Cut, a Web Industries company, to produce customized multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets for use on the facility's new high-power heavy ion accelerator. This partnership will allow FRIB to dramatically reduce MLI installation times during cryomodule construction while providing more consistent control of radiative heat loads on critical components during operation.

CAD Cut will produce more than 2,000 customized CAD Cut Cryokits™ for the 48 cryomodules that will be part of the facility's heavy ion accelerator. Each cryomodule is 20′ L x 5′ W x 10′ H, weighs 13 tons, and must maintain an internal operating temperature of 2° Kelvin (-456.07° F). Traditionally, cryogenic insulation for these modules consists of numerous layers of laboriously hand-wrapped materials that are then hand-cut to fit. By using the preassembled CAD Cut Cryokit MLI blankets, the cryomodule assembly team can quickly apply the layered cryogenic insulation, reducing installation times by at least 50%.

The FRIB cryomodules are based on a modular bottom-supported layout that is optimized for mass-production and efficient precision assembly, maximized commonality between cryomodules, and minimized material needs and assembly times. The use of precision-cut prebuilt MLI blankets supports all of these optimizations by providing the facility with an easy to install cryogenic insulation solution that provides consistent performance from piece to piece.

"CAD Cut has been an effective partner in providing manufacturing solutions for the MLI in our cryomodules. In order for FRIB to achieve its cryomodule assembly within the projected timeframe, the MLI installation had to be optimized. Having pre-cut MLI blankets has effectively reduced installation time to fit within the assembly timeframe," said Scot Stieber, FRIB senior technical buyer.

Michigan State University is establishing FRIB as a scientific user facility for the Office of Nuclear Physics in the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. When completed, FRIB will consistently produce intense beams of rare isotopes, allowing scientists to study the physics of short-lived nuclei not normally found on Earth and gain insights into the fundamental interactions of nuclear particles. It will also create rare isotopes for use in developing new medical diagnostics and disease treatments.

About the Facility for Rare Isotope Research
The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) will be a new scientific user facility for nuclear science, funded by the Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE-SC), Michigan State University (MSU), and the State of Michigan. Under construction on campus and operated by MSU, FRIB will provide intense beams of rare isotopes (that is, short-lived nuclei not normally found on Earth). FRIB will enable scientists to make discoveries about the properties of these rare isotopes in order to better understand the physics of nuclei, nuclear astrophysics, fundamental interactions, and applications for society.

About CAD Cut
Building their market presence through 25 years of technical innovation, product excellence, and superior customer service, CAD Cut utilizes precision automated laser and knife cutting systems to provide outsource ply cutting and ply kitting solutions to the aerospace, aviation, defense, and industrial markets. CAD Cut also manufactures customized multi-layer insulation solutions for cryogenic applications as well as process aides for wind tunnel testing devices.

About Web Industries
Web Industries, Inc., is the largest and most diverse provider of outsource flexible material converting and end-product manufacturing services for the Advanced Composites, Medical, Consumer Product, Multi-Layer Insulation, and Wire & Cable markets. Utilizing the widest array of slitting, spooling, and winding configurations in the business, Web formats composites, nonwovens, specialty films, papers, foils, laminates, and foams for downstream manufacturing. Web specializes in developing optimized material processing solutions that deliver converted materials on custom-designed spools, planetary rolls, and planetary pads for efficient, cost-effective product manufacturing. Web's facilities hold all industry-relevant certificates (AS/EN9100C, ISO 9001:2008, 13485, 14001, and FDA registration).

SOURCE CAD Cut