The one-of-a-kind custom cutting tools and fixturing were specifically designed for use on repairing the damaged Klystron.
The megawatt of radio frequency (RF) power amplified by one of the Advanced Photo Source (APS) klystrons creates enormous possibilities not just for discovery but also for self-destruction, as the Accelerator Systems division (ASD) recently learned.
Arcing melted a single copper screw and part of the copper center conductor of the klystron output, threatening to render a $1 million+ klystron useless.
“Refurbishing it would have cost at least $800,000. And it can only be done once,” said Dave Bromberek, the ASD electrical engineer charged with assessing the possibility of repairing the klystron in-house. Certain he needed some out-of-the-box thinking, he reached out to Doug Carvelli, who heads up project management at Custom Manufacturing Solutions‑Central Shops (CMS‑CS).
“Adding to the complexity of this repair,” Carvelli noted, “is the fact that this is a very large and heavy component, so the repair had to be done at a remote location, not in a machine shop.” His plan called for fabricating custom cutting tools to mill away the defective metal. Together with the innovative fixturing and expert machining performed by Supervisor Bruce Hoster and Instrument Maker Steve Macewko, the repair was performed successfully without damaging the surrounding copper and ceramics or breaching the klystron’s vacuum.
“I believe that this has never been attempted anywhere in the world. Even by the manufacturer,” according to Bromberek.”
Bruce Hoster, Doug Carvelli, Steven Macewko, and Dave Bromberek inspect their work, done entirely on site.
ASD calls on CMS‑CS regularly with challenging project and repair work. One project involved straightening an accelerating structure 3 meters long to within +/- 200 microns from end to end. Again, Carvelli with Supervisor Bob Cecich, fabricated fixturing specifically for that job and suggested dramatically simplifying the design originally created at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
Bromberek believes the amount of experience, expertise, and creativity you find at CMS-CS is one of Argonne’s greatest resources. “I emailed Doug (Carvelli) to thank him after we reassembled the klystron and told him ‘It’s a work of genius’.”
CMS‑CS is available to tackle your impossible task through services through Vector or by calling Bob Swale, department manager, at ext. 2-6526, or Doug Carvelli at ext. 2-5974.