2020 & 2021

NCNR Sample Environment Update

Tanya Dax
Activities 

Overview

2

2020 Shutdown

Fall 2020 Cycles

Cross Training

New Magnets Procurement

Other Procurements

New Parts Designs

Managing our Space

Future Projects Summary
Mar – Jun 2020

Ensure all SE and lab equipment in safe condition

Shut down anything that isn’t needed

Biweekly checks on essential equipment to keep in safe condition

Initial response to COVID shutdown: 

Manuals editing for lab and SE equipment

Maintenance tracking app

SE Teams site, Tasks Planner, Sharepoint

Science Group budget meeting

Work From Home Tasks

3
Jul – Dec 2020

Maintenance of all CCRs

User Stations fully stocked

Gasses fully stocked for CCRs and Glove Boxes

Preparations

Phone support

In person – socially distanced

Cross Training – Full Team Effort!

Experiment Support

No complex equipment or LHe in the July-August cycle

CCRs were 80% of scheduled equipment in the first Cycle

Equipment Scheduling

HP and Instrument Scientists input

Standard and SNM tags

Sample Tags Redesign

4

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Jan-Mar Jul-Aug Sep-Oct Nov-Dec

SE Equipment Utilization

Magnets ILL Cryostat Pressure/Gas

BLCCR <325K BLCCR >325K TLCCR
Cross Training 

5

11T, 7T, and 10T manuals updates and tests

Manuals Testing

TLCCR + Sticks- Juscelino 

BLCCR -Low Temp- Yegor and Donna

BLCCR -High Temp- Alan

CCR Maintenance and Beamtime Support 

Equipment Scheduling - Yegor

Equipment Maintenance Tracking – Everyone

SE Teams Site and SharePoint - Everyone

Planning and Organizing

XRD routine maintenance – Donna

Glove Box Maintenance – Juscelino

Lab Equipment
7T Dry Magnet Procurement

6

NCNR Ref. 1333ND20PNB610890, Vendor Ref: J4997

Vendor: Cryogenic Limited / Cryogenic US LLC

Helium Loss Mitigation Project

Kickoff Meeting 10/15/2020

Biweekly Meetings in Design Phase

Design review package expected 9/22/21

Awarded 9/29/2020

+3He Dipper

+Dil Fridge Insert

+High Temp Stick

+Linear and Rotational Translation of Sample Probes

7T(dry) Cryomagnet

Must fill all existing requirements of 7T and 10T at 

MACS, DCS, all other instruments that currently use 7T or 10T

No Reduction in Capabilities
Other Procurements

7

CANDOR CCR

New! Purchased in 

2019

Delivered October 

2020

Accepted with base 

temp less than 3 

Kelvin

Compressor 

Repairs

SHI CSA-71

Submitted and 

awarded in 2020

Yegor - shipping 

and acceptance 

testing

Completed

TLCCR Compressors 

Replacement

SHI CNA-31-

Obsolete

Submitted by Alan

Awarded in 2021

Vanadium sample 

cans (BT1)

Juscelino/Craig -

submitted

Sole Source

Awaiting award

Stock Cans and 

Accessories

Various standard 

parts submitted 

to Colin

Received

Some to be sent for 

barcoding
Bankcard Purchases

8

DCS Lids, NSE Ti cells, Standard cans, etc.

2020 batch was stuck at the vendor for a long time, received

Consistency of markings between vendors and standard naming conventions

2021 batches waiting for quotes and purchase order approvals

Barcoding

Shipped 8 lines out to H&J, but half were damaged beyond repair

Alan tested the returned lines

Need to purchase more new lines

Helium Flexlines Repairs – Juscelino and Alan

ISP Helium cylinders, gloves, filters, regen gas, o-rings, etc.

Keeping them in stock and good condition is a safety requirement

Glove Box Supplies

“Standard” service of certain equipment under $10K no longer requires procurements! 

Yegor handled the entire quotation, shipping, acceptance process for both leak checkers

Leak Checker Service - Yegor

Designed to hold the new CCR using the typical X-Rail setup for reflectometry magnets

Smaller footprint than existing reflectometry CCRs, and liftable over the CANDOR arm

CANDOR CCR Cart - Yegor
New Parts Designs 9

HFBS/NSE versions have been tested and work great

DCS First batch received Aug 2021

Corrosion Resistant Sample Cans – Titanium Versions

First prototype is untested, was not leak tight

HFBS Powder Capacitance Sample Holder 

Major change in sample mounting process for reflectometry CCRs

Up to 8 sample positions, vacuum sealed “can”

Design in progress

Reflectometry Multi-Sample Holder

Clone an existing design - drawing in progress

HFBS/NSE Flat Plate Sample Holder

Various designs in progress

Boron nitride ceramic preferred

Boral sheets (limited supply)

Boron Shielding of Sample Holders
Managing Sample Environment 

Space

10

Two new magnet carts

One new dil fridge cart

One new 3He Dipper

Always adding more to meet user needs

More Equipment

Helium Recovery System 

New Instrument between DCS and VSANS

RFO needs in the High Bay

RFO needs near NSE

= at least 600 sq.ft. loss

Facility Changes

Swap CCR and OC areas

Go vertical

Excess old equipment

Find more space

Use Our Space Wisely
Future and 

Ongoing 

Projects 

Summary

11

CCR user and tech manual, SOPs, lifting docs

Edits to other user and tech manuals

Testing equipment manuals : 11T, Dil Fridges, 3He Dippers, etc

New carts for ARS and TLCCRs

Sensors and heaters upgrades of BLCCRs

New Sample Mount Accessories

Backup Precious Metals Custodian

7T factory and acceptance testing

FY22 and FY23 equipment budget requests
Questions and Suggestions?
13

SE 2020 Equipment 

Counts

Jan-March 

2020 July-Aug 2020 Sept-Oct 2020 Nov-Dec 2020 July-Dec 2020

All Magnets 15 7 6 13 26

All OC Cryostat 21 1 7 12 20

All Pressure/Gas 10 4 9 13 26

All BLCCR <325K 47 30 30 41 101

All BLCCR >325K 12 12 6 7 25

All TLCCR 24 6 13 13 32

129 60 71 99 230