CLEAR Prototyping
During 3 days in November 2021, IdeaSquare was able to provide 3D printers and access to the machine shop to members of CLEAR (CERN Linear Electron Accelerator for Research) for a prototyping project under the skillful supervision of Oscar Lilleløkken, workshop supervisor.
The primary focus for CLEAR is general accelerator R&D and component studies for existing and possible future machines at CERN, based on a broad internal and external user community. However, another big component of CLEAR is providing unique testing and training possibilities, as well as irradiation test capability which has a range of applications. In this case, the CLEAR team members who came to IdeaSquare are doing research on the impact of doing radiation therapy in short, intense bursts, compared to the conventional way of giving small doses of radiation over a longer period of time.
The collaboration with IdeaSquare consisted mostly of prototyping parts for a robot which picks up a sample and places it in front of their beam, since they cannot be in the room while the beam is running. Many different iterations of the sample holders were tested before a final design was chosen. The holders were 3D printed, along with the gripper of the robot. The laser cutter was also used to cut radiation sensitive film, which could not be cut with conventional tools.