The Accelerator Systems Division (ASD) at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) is carrying forward the schedule float created by the Conventional Facilities and Infrastructure Division (CFID). CFID completing the front-end building 16 months ahead of schedule is enabling ASD to start installing front-end accelerator components early.

As a result, the area is a hub of intense activity, and FRIB’s first accelerator component, the Advanced Room-TEMperature Ion Source (ARTEMIS), was installed in early April. Ion sources create the beams that will be injected into FRIB’s linear accelerator by heating the element to be studied, knocking off electrons and pushing the ionized atoms around with electric and magnetic fields to create beams.

It has taken months of preparation and coordination to be ready for technical-equipment installation and that level of effort will continue through integrated testing of the upper low-energy beam transport (LEBT) system scheduled for September.

To enable installation and testing activities, utilities were also moved earlier in the schedule. They include power, water, compressed air, crane, and air circulation. In some cases, temporary utilities have been or will be installed in order to proceed with work uninterrupted.

Work on supporting components and infrastructure also was accelerated to make it possible to install accelerator components in place. For example:

• The stands for the beamline have been installed and aligned.
• Pipes for cooling water have been installed.
• Cable trays are now being installed in the stands.
• The high-voltage platforms for the two ion sources were installed about two months ago.
• High-voltage transformers were also installed and tested.
• Cooling water systems for the high-voltage platforms have been installed.
• The overhead crane is now operational.

With the above work completed, FRIB staff was able to move ARTEMIS in place the week of 11 April, marking the first accelerator component to be installed at FRIB.