CERN Accelerating science

Prototype profile: Affordable and customisable remote-controlled microscope

Affordable and customizable remote-controlled microscope

Digital microscopes are often a useful tool to have in a laboratory.

However, commercially available microscopes are usually either cheap and low quality, or extremely expensive.

The present prototype was designed to provide a middle-ground, offering a remotely controlled microscope of decent quality, at a price well below 500 CHF.

A custom board hosts the drivers and the microcontroller that controls the movement (up to 4 axes). A Raspberry Pi high-quality camera, readout using a Raspberry Pi 4 hosts the web interface and takes care of the image processing.



Prototyping profile: Calibration setup for gamma-ray detectors

Calibration setup for gamma-ray detectors

This setup measures the propagation-angle of gamma-rays from a radioactive source. Mounted on a movable X/Y table, it will be used for the calibration and characterisation of Terapet's gamma-detectors.

The part has been designed from relatively thick laser-cut acrylic sheets. This construction provides better accuracy and robustness compared to a previous design printed from PLA.

Prototype by Michael Betz (Terapet detector development)



Prototyping profile: Alignment mechanism for ATLAS/CMS

Alignment mechanism for ATLAS/CMS

Installed inside the shielding of two of the largest experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, ATLAS and CMS there are special collimators known as the Target Absorbers (TAS).

This equipment needs to be adjusted manually each time the detector opens. In addition to this, the TAS has been modified over the years, meaning that the alignment procedure does not match the procedure that was originally envisaged.



Prototype profile: Advanced Heat Exchange Devices (AHEAD)

Prototype profile: Advanced Heat Exchange Devices (AHEAD)

ATTARCT Phase 1 (2019-2020)
SWaP project
: 3D printed metal pipe featuring pressure fittings, electrical feedthrough, and embedded 3D printed sensor Features:

  • Pipe & segments: 3D printed via Selective Laser Melting (SLM)
  • Sensor: 3D printed via Aerosol Jet Printing (AJP)
  • Sensing: fluidic temperature
  • Data transmission: wired

 



Prototype profile: Liquid Sample Dispensing System for β-NMR Studies in Vacuum

Prototype profile: Liquid Sample Dispensing System for β-NMR Studies in Vacuum

β-NMR has proven its capabilities and advantages in the world of nuclear spectroscopy: Not only does it open the door to high precision measurements of nuclear properties, but it also facilitates investigations of unstable, short-lived isotopes, otherwise inaccessible to conventional NMR. Additionally, β-NMR allows for real-time observations of chemical processes, such as biomolecular folding mechanisms.



Prototype profile: CLEAR-Robot (C-Robot)

CLEAR-Robot (C-Robot)

The C-Robot is a robotic system that was designed and built by 3 members of the CLEAR team (CERN Linear Electron Accelerator for Research). It was first designed to easily irradiate samples for medical applications. The robot is made of 3 linear stages for X,Y and Z axis, 6 limit switches (2 for each axis), a 3D printed grabber, a mounted-camera system with a moving filter and two tanks (one storage tank and one tank placed in the electron beam).



Prototype profile: 3D-printed polystyrene-based plastic scintillator

3D-printed polystyrene based plastic scintillator

The "3D printed Detector" (3DET) collaboration is investigating and developing additive manufacturing as a new production technique for the future scintillator particle detectors with performances comparable to the state of the art.



Prototype profile: ATLAS Phase II Screwholder

Prototyping makes up one of the key pillars of IdeaSquare. A recent prototype, started in March 2023, aims to make a screwholder for the ATLAS Phase II Upgrade on MDT detectors.
ATLAS Phase II Screwholder Prototyping makes up one of the key pillars of IdeaSquare. A recent prototype, started in March 2023, aims to make a screwholder for the ATLAS Phase II Upgrade on MDT detectors.

Prototype profile: Adjustable Height Table for Wire Bonding

Prototyping makes up one of the key pillars of IdeaSquare. A recent prototype, started in March 2023, is in collaboration with the experimental physics department and BONDLab.
Adjustable Height Table for Wire Bonding Prototyping makes up one of the key pillars of IdeaSquare. A recent prototype, started in March 2023, is in collaboration with the experimental physics department and BONDLab.

Prototyping profile: Inspection robot for the CMS' cavern

Inspection robot for the LHC

CERN operates the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) the largest particle accelerator ever built. Four main experiments were established on its circumference with the purpose of resolving major scientific enigmas. The general-purpose detector CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) is one of these experiments.



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