First Proof-of-Concept Prototype of an Additive Manufactured Radio Frequency Quadrupole

Continuous developments in additive manufacturing (AM) technology are opening up opportunities in novel machining, and improving design alternatives for modern particle accelerator components. One of the most critical, complex, and delicate accelerator elements to manufacture and assemble is the rad...

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Main Authors: Toms Torims, Guntis Pikurs, Samira Gruber, Maurizio Vretenar, Andris Ratkus, Maurizio Vedani, Elena López, Frank Brückner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-11-01
Series:Instruments
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2410-390X/5/4/35
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author Toms Torims
Guntis Pikurs
Samira Gruber
Maurizio Vretenar
Andris Ratkus
Maurizio Vedani
Elena López
Frank Brückner
author_facet Toms Torims
Guntis Pikurs
Samira Gruber
Maurizio Vretenar
Andris Ratkus
Maurizio Vedani
Elena López
Frank Brückner
author_sort Toms Torims
collection DOAJ
description Continuous developments in additive manufacturing (AM) technology are opening up opportunities in novel machining, and improving design alternatives for modern particle accelerator components. One of the most critical, complex, and delicate accelerator elements to manufacture and assemble is the radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) linear accelerator, which is used as an injector for all large modern proton and ion accelerator systems. For this reason, the RFQ has been selected by a wide European collaboration participating in the AM developments of the I.FAST (Innovation Fostering in Accelerator Science and Technology) Horizon 2020 project. The RFQ is as an excellent candidate to show how sophisticated pure copper accelerator components can be manufactured by AM and how their functionalities can be boosted by this evolving technology. To show the feasibility of the AM process, a prototype RFQ section has been designed, corresponding to one-quarter of a 750 MHz 4-vane RFQ, which was optimised for production with state-of-the-art laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) technology, and then manufactured in pure copper. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first RFQ section manufactured in the world by AM. Subsequently, geometrical precision and surface roughness of the prototype were measured. The results obtained are encouraging and confirm the feasibility of AM manufactured high-tech accelerator components. It has been also confirmed that the RFQ geometry, particularly the critical electrode modulation and the complex cooling channels, can be successfully realised thanks to the opportunities provided by the AM technology. Further prototypes will aim to improve surface roughness and to test vacuum properties. In parallel, laboratory measurements will start to test and improve the voltage holding properties of AM manufactured electrode samples.
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spelling doaj.art-d2a949e820374fd4b7075ec88514ce622023-11-23T08:53:32ZengMDPI AGInstruments2410-390X2021-11-01543510.3390/instruments5040035First Proof-of-Concept Prototype of an Additive Manufactured Radio Frequency QuadrupoleToms Torims0Guntis Pikurs1Samira Gruber2Maurizio Vretenar3Andris Ratkus4Maurizio Vedani5Elena López6Frank Brückner7Centre of High-Energy Physics and Accelerator Technologies, Riga Technical University, Azenes iela 12/1-406, LV-1048 Riga, LatviaCentre of High-Energy Physics and Accelerator Technologies, Riga Technical University, Azenes iela 12/1-406, LV-1048 Riga, LatviaFraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS, Winterbergstraße 28, 01277 Dresden, GermanyCERN, The European Organization for Nuclear Research, 1211 Meyrin, SwitzerlandCentre of High-Energy Physics and Accelerator Technologies, Riga Technical University, Azenes iela 12/1-406, LV-1048 Riga, LatviaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20156 Milan, ItalyFraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS, Winterbergstraße 28, 01277 Dresden, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS, Winterbergstraße 28, 01277 Dresden, GermanyContinuous developments in additive manufacturing (AM) technology are opening up opportunities in novel machining, and improving design alternatives for modern particle accelerator components. One of the most critical, complex, and delicate accelerator elements to manufacture and assemble is the radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) linear accelerator, which is used as an injector for all large modern proton and ion accelerator systems. For this reason, the RFQ has been selected by a wide European collaboration participating in the AM developments of the I.FAST (Innovation Fostering in Accelerator Science and Technology) Horizon 2020 project. The RFQ is as an excellent candidate to show how sophisticated pure copper accelerator components can be manufactured by AM and how their functionalities can be boosted by this evolving technology. To show the feasibility of the AM process, a prototype RFQ section has been designed, corresponding to one-quarter of a 750 MHz 4-vane RFQ, which was optimised for production with state-of-the-art laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) technology, and then manufactured in pure copper. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first RFQ section manufactured in the world by AM. Subsequently, geometrical precision and surface roughness of the prototype were measured. The results obtained are encouraging and confirm the feasibility of AM manufactured high-tech accelerator components. It has been also confirmed that the RFQ geometry, particularly the critical electrode modulation and the complex cooling channels, can be successfully realised thanks to the opportunities provided by the AM technology. Further prototypes will aim to improve surface roughness and to test vacuum properties. In parallel, laboratory measurements will start to test and improve the voltage holding properties of AM manufactured electrode samples.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-390X/5/4/35radio frequency quadrupoleadditive manufacturingpure coppertechnology
spellingShingle Toms Torims
Guntis Pikurs
Samira Gruber
Maurizio Vretenar
Andris Ratkus
Maurizio Vedani
Elena López
Frank Brückner
First Proof-of-Concept Prototype of an Additive Manufactured Radio Frequency Quadrupole
Instruments
radio frequency quadrupole
additive manufacturing
pure copper
technology
title First Proof-of-Concept Prototype of an Additive Manufactured Radio Frequency Quadrupole
title_full First Proof-of-Concept Prototype of an Additive Manufactured Radio Frequency Quadrupole
title_fullStr First Proof-of-Concept Prototype of an Additive Manufactured Radio Frequency Quadrupole
title_full_unstemmed First Proof-of-Concept Prototype of an Additive Manufactured Radio Frequency Quadrupole
title_short First Proof-of-Concept Prototype of an Additive Manufactured Radio Frequency Quadrupole
title_sort first proof of concept prototype of an additive manufactured radio frequency quadrupole
topic radio frequency quadrupole
additive manufacturing
pure copper
technology
url https://www.mdpi.com/2410-390X/5/4/35
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AT mauriziovretenar firstproofofconceptprototypeofanadditivemanufacturedradiofrequencyquadrupole
AT andrisratkus firstproofofconceptprototypeofanadditivemanufacturedradiofrequencyquadrupole
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