Work in the Engineering Division’s mechanical shops can be incredibly varied, from building ultra-advanced scientific instrumentation one day to partnering with staff across the Lab to solve a technical issue the next. In an example of the latter, a team in the Engineering Division’s shops reverse-engineered end bells for the chiller in the IT server room in Building 50B. These pieces are removable covers that sit on the end of the chiller’s heat exchanger. The components were rusted and deteriorated, which was causing equipment efficiency issues.
When Facilities Division staff investigated the issue, they found that it was not a matter of simply replacing these parts. The items were deemed obsolete by the manufacturer, so there was no way to order replacement components. The Engineering Division was then engaged to help recreate and fabricate replacement parts.
The corroded parts came to Dave Yeagly, a metrology associate in the Engineering Division who specializes in precision measurement. Yeagly measured the parts in order to make an accurate 2D CAD rendering of the pieces.
“In order to measure these, I use a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM), which uses a physical stylus that has a ruby sphere at the end,” Yeagly explains. “The CMM keeps the ruby stylus in contact with the surface of the part and records coordinate data as it travels along the profile.”
These drawings were further refined by machinist Brian Bentley, who then used the refined drawings to create a 3D model of the parts.
“Reverse engineering the geometry into a model was challenging because the geometry was choppy and difficult to work with, creating a lot of surface errors,” says Bentley.
The new parts were fabricated using stainless steel and then powder-coated to help prevent rust and corrosion.
“Reverse engineering pieces is always an enjoyable part of my role here,” Yeagly says about the project. “I find that the measurement process helps uncover the story of how a particular part was made or modeled, which I find quite fascinating.”
Made in Berkeley Lab is a series about the many innovative and groundbreaking items the Engineering Division makes on location, showcasing the highly skilled fabrication and manufacturing expertise at the Lab. From tiny robots and tight tolerances to mammoth detectors, powerful magnets, and new materials, it’s all made right here in Berkeley Lab.
