Our experience has shown that these sensors are extremely robust and accurate. They have near real-time sampling notes, are relatively inexpensive, and are well suited to a production environment. Its optics are protected from vapor by a combination of argon purge and special shutter system, designed to tolerate high vacuum and direct metal deposition. This controller, using LLNL's composition monitoring system, has demonstrated closed-loop control of vaporization operations for hundreds of hours. The diagnostic lasers can determine the spatial distribution of vapors, their concentration gradients, temperature, and flow velocity.
Spectroscopic labs can rapidly evaluate vapor absorption lines for the monitoring of applications.
LLNL has two vaporization test facilities available for process development, both with several hundred kilowatt electron beam systems capable of vaporizing kilograms of metal per hour. Each facilities has diagnostic laser capability. Process design and demonstration at LLNL LLNL is uniquely qualified to collaborate with industrial partners on developing monitoring and control systems for electron-beam vaporization and melting processes. The Industrial Partnerships and Commercialization Office at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory invites industries to explore the possibility of a match between their technological needs and our Laboratory's multidisciplinary capabilities. Our specialists know how to connect industry representatives with researchers in their field of interest.